As part of the annual Lobby and Advocacy plan 2023 there are two study visits planned. The first study visit consists of a delegation from South Sudan and Uganda from the 22nd till the 26th of May 2023. Delegations of representatives of Organizations of People with Disabilities (OPD’s), Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) and Local Governments of South Sudan and Uganda will visit several communities in the Southeast of the Netherlands.
The main objectives of the upcoming study visits are exchanging knowledge and mutual learning about how people with disabilities and local governments are overcoming barriers and are able to actively participate in public decision-making. Participants, both on Ugandan and South Sudanese side as well on Dutch side will get increased knowledge on inclusive governance principles and working with the Local Inclusion Agenda as a tool for disability inclusion.
Sustainable local inclusion agenda
The intention of the study visit is that it will have a strong contribution to strengthen the further development and implementation of sustainable inclusive cooperation strategies for involving people with disabilities in their own community. Furthermore, it will strengthen the advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities in their own community and will develop and active work with a sustainable local inclusion agenda.
Participants will experience, discuss and learn how people with disabilities are overcoming barriers and are able to actively participate in public decision-making. The preparation is in full swing and the program will be elaborated in close cooperation with all participants in order to match optimally the needs and local developments in the We are Able project.
Follow up with lessons learned
At the end of the week there will be explicit attention in how lessons learned can have an active implementation and follow up in the own local locality. Also, will be explored what the possibilities are for an ongoing exchange between the OPDs, CSOs and representatives of the local governments an active (online) network.
Members of local governments and city councils in Helmond, Waalre and Eindhoven are looking forward to contribute to this study visit. They are eager to hear from the experiences in working on inclusion in the African context and what they can learn from that. And of course, they are very much willing to share their own experiences in working on and with the Local Inclusion Agenda.
Later this year in September and next spring two more study visits are planned for the four other participating African countries in the ‘We are Able!’ project.
