A respondent to a survey assessing the closure of U.S.-funded disability inclusion programs in Liberia said: “USAID’s closure can feel like the microphone got turned off for people who already struggle to be heard. When funding and coordination stop, disability inclusion can slide from a national priority to a ‘nice idea,’ and families feel it quietly, through schools that cannot adapt, county plans that do not reflect their needs, and [persons with disabilities] that have less support to mobilize and advocate.”
Date: 6/26
Region: Africa
Country: Liberia
Topic: Gender Equality & Inclusion, Governance & Rights
Policy Lens: Democracy & Governance
Entry Type: Field Observation
Additional Context: This information comes from a report produced by Inclusive Development Partners, or IDP, a research and technical assistance organization. Using a mixed-methods design under IRB approval from the University of Massachusetts Boston, the study triangulated a global survey of staff from 82 projects across 80 implementing organizations with key informant interviews and focus group discussions across eight countries where IDP had existing programs: Bangladesh, El Salvador, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Data collection took place between January and March 2026.
According to IDP, even where political will to sustain inclusive programming exists, the budget architecture to support it does not, limiting efforts to advance the rights of persons with disabilities in the long-term.
Source: Inclusive Development Partners