Visit: i2i delegation in Europe for the European Development and Disability Week (EDDW)



Visit: i2i delegation in Europe for the European Development and Disability Week (EDDW)

In December 2019, EDF had the pleasure to welcome a delegation from our Innovation to Inclusion (i2i) programme. The i2i delegation was made of five organisations of persons with disabilities (DPOs) from Kenya and Bangladesh.

From Bangladesh, we were honoured to receive Nasrin Jahan, the Executive Director of Disabled Child Foundation as well as Shirin Akhter, the Chairperson of Women with Disabilities Development Foundation. From Kenya, we were very pleased to welcome Ayiro Joseph Gari, the Director of Deaf Empowerment of Kenya, Omare Hassan Jackson Agufana, the Chief Executive of the Kenya Union of Blind, Kihungi Jane Nduhi, the Director of Women Challenged to Challenge as well as Program Officer Achieng Grace Mary.

The purpose of the i2i delegation’s visit was to bring the voice of Kenyan and Bangladeshi’s DPOs to an international stage, ensuring that information on global processes reaches grassroots activists. The visit was also to strengthen partnership between i2i DPOs and European DPOs.

During their time in Brussels, which coincided with the European Disability and Development Week (EDDW), the i2i delegation had the opportunity to take part in diverse activities. They included:

  • Meeting with the European External Action Services (EEAS). The delegation presented the i2i programme and discussed the work of the EU in Bangladesh and Kenya.
  • Speaking at the i2i reception on the role of DPOs in international cooperation. On that evening, EDF launched its Guidance Note on the Role of European DPOs in international cooperation.
  • Discussing and exchanging with European DPOs representatives, including Autism Europe, the Belgian Disability Forum (BDF), the European Network of Independent Living (ENIL), the European Union of the Deaf (EUD) and the European Solidarity Corps.
  • Attending Bridging the Gap seminar on disability mainstreaming in development cooperation.