VNG International in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Social Affairs organized the 7th National Disability Coordination Forum. The objective of the forum was to share VNG international’s inclusion experience and share the assessment result of a study conducted on the progress of the forum. This event was one of VNG international’s interventions towards national lobby and advocacy. The forum was organized on June 29,2024 in Bishoftu town and participants from various government ministry offices and agencies, organizations of persons with disabilities and other national and international civil society organizations attended. During the forum VNG international presented its social inclusion experience in its two projects - the Ethiopian social Accountability Program (ESAP) and We Are Able! (WaA)program while the ministry shared the findings of a study conducted to assess the overall progress and indicate the future direction of the forum. Based on the presentations, an interactive discussion was held and participants reflected the following thoughts.
“We thank VNG International for supporting the 7th National Disability Inclusion Coordination Forum. To ensure inclusion and accountability the ministry will continue working with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) through providing wholistic support and follow up”, Asalifew Amedin, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Affairs, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs
“Disability inclusion is one of the core focuses of VNG International globally and to this end it is using Local Inclusion Agenda(LIA) as an important tool of promoting disability inclusion in all its programs including We are Able!.” Joppe Bastiaansen, Program Manager VNG International
"I was pleased to know from the VNG International’s ESAP experience that inclusion was mainstreamed in each of the key steps of the social accountability process via appropriate mechanisms such community mapping to identify organizations of persons with disabilities to participate in SA, questions particularly relevant to the persons with disabilities in the service assessment tools etc”, Melaku Tekle, Disability Inclusion Team Lead, Light for the World.