“Nothing About Us Without Us” – Ensuring Inclusive Decision-Making for People with Disabilities

Introduction: The Transformative Vision of the Jakarta Declaration
The Jakarta Declaration (2023-2032) introduces a groundbreaking goal: guaranteeing the genuine involvement of persons with disabilities in all levels of governance and societal decision-making. This principle is both straightforward and deeply empowering—whenever policies, laws, or initiatives that affect individuals with disabilities are devised, those individuals must be actively present and engaged in the decision-making process. This is not a matter of charity; it is a fundamental aspect of democratic participation.
From Pity to Empowerment: Changing Perspectives on Rights
Historically, persons with disabilities were often viewed with pity and considered recipients of charity rather than active citizens deserving equal rights. The Jakarta Declaration firmly challenges this outdated attitude. It calls on governments to go beyond mere assistance and to facilitate authentic engagement of persons with disabilities in political and administrative affairs. Serving as representatives in local councils or parliaments allows people with disabilities to provide invaluable insights as lived-experience experts who are aware of barriers that others might miss. Their participation leads to solutions rooted in reality and effectiveness, because they experience these challenges daily.
Five Strong Reasons to Ensure Meaningful Participation
Reason 1: Lived Experience as Essential Expertise
The Core Argument: No one knows disability more intimately than individuals who live with it daily. When policymakers who do not share these experiences craft disability-related policies, they often rely on assumptions, stereotypes, or secondhand information. Conversely, a wheelchair user understands exactly what ramp incline and width are necessary. A deaf person knows which communication technology genuinely works in practical settings. Someone with an intellectual disability can accurately describe what makes information truly accessible and easy to comprehend.
The Benefit: When persons with disabilities are involved in decision-making, resources are allocated more wisely, and solutions are better tailored to real needs. We avoid constructing inaccessible ramps, designing websites that are unreadable by screen readers, or creating employment programs that fail to address actual barriers. Their firsthand insights ensure that policies and programs are effective, inclusive, and truly responsive.

Argument 2: Democracy Requires Inclusion
Fundamental Assertion: Genuine democracy hinges on meaningful participation; it is not a mere gesture or optional generosity. Around 1.3 billion individuals worldwide—approximately 16% of the global population—live with disabilities. In a truly democratic society, every person’s voice must be valued and heard. Neglecting to include people with disabilities in decision-making processes not only betrays core democratic principles but also leaves their citizenship status incomplete.
Consequences: When individuals with disabilities are actively engaged in political activities—such as voting, standing for office, or participating on advisory committees—democracy becomes more comprehensive and resilient. A government that claims to represent its people cannot be authentic or effective if it leaves out such a significant segment of the population.

Argument 3: The Economic Advantage of Inclusive Participation
Fundamental Assertion: Inclusive decision-making fosters economic development and sparks innovation. When people with disabilities contribute to the design of products, services, and infrastructure, the benefits extend to everyone. Features initially created for accessibility—like curb cuts, automatic doors, captions, and voice controls—were developed to assist persons with disabilities but have become integral to everyday life, benefiting parents with strollers, delivery personnel, individuals with temporary injuries, and aging populations.
Consequences: Implementing inclusive policies broadens market opportunities, boosts consumer spending power, and helps alleviate poverty. Moreover, it fuels ingenuity and innovation. According to the World Bank, excluding persons with disabilities from the workforce diminishes national economies by 3-7% of GDP each year. Promoting their participation not only counters this economic loss but also contributes to sustainable growth.

Argument 4: Addressing Historical Injustice
Fundamental Assertion: Decades of exclusion and discrimination against persons with disabilities require deliberate and restorative efforts. Historically, they faced institutionalization, sterilization, social marginalization, and systematic denial of opportunities—all policies driven by prejudice and neglect. This was not accidental but often a result of deliberate societal choices. The Jakarta Declaration commits to actively dismantling these injustices and rectifying the past.
Consequences: Promoting meaningful participation serves as an act of restorative justice. It acknowledges the harm inflicted in previous eras and paves the way for persons with disabilities to reclaim their rightful roles as full members of society. This journey towards inclusivity helps to heal historical wounds and establish equitable citizenship for all.

Argument 5: Empowering the Next Generation

The Core Claim: Leadership training today ensures equity tomorrow.

Young persons with disabilities, particularly women and girls, face compounded discrimination. Leadership training programs equip them with advocacy skills, political knowledge, and confidence to claim their rights and represent their communities.

The Impact: When young persons with disabilities lead, they bring fresh perspectives, challenge outdated assumptions, and build movements that outlast individual leaders. They ensure that disability rights progress continues for generations.