Children with Disabilities Programme: Advancing Inclusion and Rights for Children with Disabilities
Supporting Inclusion for Children with Disabilities
Around 1.3 billion people – about 16% of the global population – live with a disability, and children with disabilities are among the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in many societies. Stigma, discrimination, and limited access to services can result in children being isolated from their communities or denied access to education, healthcare and opportunities for participation. As a result, children with disabilities and their families are often at greater risk of poverty, neglect and exclusion.
Members of Misean Cara work to address these challenges by supporting children with disabilities and their families through dedicated programmes, while also integrating disability inclusion across wider initiatives in healthcare, education, livelihoods, human rights and humanitarian response.
About the Programme
The Children with Disabilities (CWD) Programme was launched in 2023 to strengthen the knowledge and experience of Misean Cara members working with children with disabilities and to improve the quality and effectiveness of disability inclusion across their work in more than 50 countries.
The programme, which runs from July 2023 to August 2026 through funding from the GHR Foundation, promotes approaches aligned with international best practice, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The ultimate aim of our programme is to transform the lives of children with disabilities through:
- Full access and meaningful inclusion in their communities
- Empowerment of children and families to claim and fulfill their rights
- Strengthened systems of community-based support
Where the Programme Works
The initial phase focuses on nine disability projects led by five Misean Cara member organisations in:
- Kenya
- Uganda
- Zambia
- South Africa
These projects are primarily supported through Misean Cara funding provided by Irish Aid.
Participating Misean Cara Members
The participating member organisations include the Daughters of Charity, Missionary Sisters of the Assumption, Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Franciscan Missionary Sisters of St Joseph and Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood.
Programme Objectives
The programme focuses on three key areas:
- Learning from experience: Building on the knowledge of Misean Cara members supporting children with disabilities.
- Developing best practice: Strengthening and testing effective models of inclusive support.
- Sharing knowledge: Disseminating learning and practical tools across the Misean Cara network and to external partners.
Strengthening Practice and Collaboration
The programme also aims to strengthen disability programming by building project capacity, supporting learning and research, addressing challenges such as stigma and safeguarding, and promoting collaboration with communities, government agencies and organisations of persons with disabilities. It also works with partners such as Catholic Care for Children International to advance disability inclusion and family-based care reform.
Video – watch the programmes in practice
Click here to watch short video documentaries about three members participating in the Children with Disabilities Programme in Kenya and Uganda.
