On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PWD), we celebrate the transformative power of leadership by PWDs. This year's theme, “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future,” reminds us of the global call embodied in the slogan “Nothing About Us Without Us.” It emphasizes the power of representation, participation, and inclusion.  

The Multidimensional Vulnerability Index 2023 taught us that during economic hardships, PwDs and their families have faced multiplied vulnerabilities, calling for targeted and differentiated social protection support. This requires support mechanisms that advocate for PwDs' self-leadership and empowerment. It also means we must co-create a future where their voices, rights, and contributions are fully recognized.  

As a strong advocate for disability inclusion, under the UN joint initiative, UNDP has been supporting capacity-building programmes for government officials and Disabled People's Organisation (DPO) community leaders. Sri Lanka’s first comprehensive situation analysis supported under this initiative, revealed progress to date, as well as critical gaps that remain in meeting the preconditions outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

While notable efforts have been made to advance the disability inclusion agenda, there is a lack of credible data for informed policies and programmes. UNDP is steadfast in its dedication to facilitating the consultative process toward an inclusive legal framework as part of the UNCRPD ratification. By fostering meaningful collaboration with key stakeholders and partnering with national actors and the UN family, we aim to drive impactful progress in disability inclusion.

This includes our collaboration with WHO, in close consultation with the government, in developing a Model Disability Assessment (MDA) to enhance disability-inclusive data collection. By creating tailored tools for this purpose, the initiative focused on developing the capacity of caregivers and support persons, on the use of assistive technology that will promote empowerment and social integration of PWDs. 
 
In all of what we do, PWDs are at the centre of driving the agenda while demonstrating self-leadership.  Let us celebrate this day by renewing our dedication to the values of inclusivity, equality, and leadership that will guide us toward a sustainable and just world for everyone, regardless of the different abilities each one of us brings to the table.