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Nothing Without Us: Disability Inclusion Summit .

Event | December 12, 2024

Details of Nothing Without Us: Disability Policy Summit on December 12, 2024

Chemonics was proud to co-host this exciting event to celebrate the launch of the new USAID Disability Policy.

Chemonics, Gallaudet University International Development Master’s Program, Inclusive Development Partners (IDP), and United States International Council on Disabilities (USICD) hosted this crucial roundtable event to celebrate the launch of the new USAID Disability Policy on December 12, 2024.

The summit featured a plenary on how to pave the way ahead for all abilities to thrive within USAID-funded programs, exploring actionable strategies to implement the policy and ensure equitable access and inclusion for people with different types of disabilities across the programming cycle and across all sectors.

In her closing remarks, Binta Badjie, a Deaf woman from The Gambia and a graduate student at Gallaudet University’s International Development MA program, spoke about her accomplishments and gave a call for action to design, implement, and integrate disability inclusion in everything we do.

Program

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09:00 a.m. Opening remarks – Anna Slother, President, Chemonics

09:10 a.m. Welcome – Shauna Caria, Senior Advisor and Global Practice Lead, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, Chemonics

09:15 a.m. Keynote address – Katherine Guernsey, Agency Disability Rights Coordinator, USAID

09:30 a.m. Panel discussion – Anne Hayes, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Inclusive Development Partners (Moderator); Luc Lusumba, Country Director, Congo Handicap; Marcie Roth, Executive Director/CEO, World Institute on Disability; Rachel Chaikof, Senior Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist, Chemonics; and Stuart Chauluka, Universal Access Specialist, Malawi Union of the Blind, Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi

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10:30 a.m. Skills-based breakout sessions:

Accessible Activities and Reasonable Accommodations – Isabel Hodge, Executive Director, United States International Council on Disabilities; and Ivan Plis, Senior Specialist Writer-Editor, Chemonics

Budgeting and Planning for Inclusion Anne Hayes, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Inclusive Development Partners

Inclusive Procurements and Subcontracts – Kate Brolley, Senior Program Manager, Chemonics; and Rachel Chaikof, Senior Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist, Chemonics

Inclusive Staffing and Engagement – Habtamu Buli, Disability Inclusion Expert, Independent Consultant

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning for Inclusion – Aimee Reeves, Senior MEL Specialist, EnCompass LLC; and Valerie Karr, President, Inclusive Development Partners, and Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts Boston

OPD Engagement and Localization – Marcie Roth, Executive Director/CEO, World Institute on Disability

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11:15 a.m. Sector-based breakout sessions:

Climate Change and the Environment – Audrey C. Cooper, Associate Professor & Program Director, International Development MA, and graduate certificate in DiDRR & Emergency Planning, Gallaudet University; and Binta Badjie, Gallaudet World Deaf Leadership Scholar & International Development MA Student, Gallaudet University & Gambian Deaf Women’s Society

Digital Technologies and Innovation Solutions – Mohammed A. Loutfy, Ph.D., Capacity Building and Advocacy Director, G3ict

Food Security and Healthy Communities – Habtamu Buli, Disability Inclusion Expert, Independent Consultant; and Rosanne Rushing, DrPH, MPH, Senior Global Health Learning Specialist, EnCompass, LLC

Humanitarian Response and Recovery – Isabel Hodge, Executive Director, United States International Council on Disabilities; and Priscilla Rodriquez, Associate Director for Advocacy and Women’s Rights Initiative, Disability Rights International

Inclusive Economic Growth and Livelihoods – Leia Isanhart, Senior Technical Advisor, Disability Inclusion, Catholic Relief Services

Inclusive Governance and Democracy – Meredith Applegate, Global Senior Programs Advisor, The International Foundation for Electoral Systems

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12:00 p.m. Closing remarks – Binta Badjie, Gallaudet World Deaf Leadership Scholar & International Development MA Student

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