Disability & International Development (eBook) von Malcolm Maclachlan

Featuring reports from low- and middle-income countries as diverse as Zimbabwe, Bolivia, Kyrgyzstan, and Papua New Guinea, this book situates disability rights within the broader context of global health and the need for greater inter-sector collaboration.

One of the greatest challenges facing modern global health is how to include the most marginalized and impoverished people in international efforts to promote social and economic development. InDisability and International Development disability rights are situated within the broader context of global health and the need for much greater inter-sector collaboration. Reports from a broad cross-section of low- and middle-income countrieslocales as diverse as Zimbabwe, Bolivia, Kyrgyzstan, and Papua New Guineamove beyond surface discussions of "what is working" and "what shows promise" to discuss political and governance contexts, the roles of disabled persons in research by outsiders, concurrent struggles (e.g., womens or childrens rights), and instructive inroads made by community activists and national Disabled Peoples Organizations. The results are provocative, and offer new lenses for viewing both the issues and the populations they affect.

Each of the bookschapters spotlights a topic as representative of the enormity and immediacy of challenges to inclusive global health, including:

• The impact of international human rights law on domestic law and local traditions.
• The effect of failed states on the lives of people with disabilities.
• Empowerment and advocacy: disability organizations and movements.
• HIV/AIDS interventions with disabled persons.
• Assistive technologies in low-income countries.
• Strategies for improving the lives of children with disabilities.

Cross-disciplinary as well as cross-cultural,Disability and International Development will attract a wide audience of professionals in rehabilitation, social welfare and human rights; governmental and non-governmental organizations and disabled peoples organizations; researchers and practitioners. It will also be relevant to those working in health and welfare administration, health policy, international aid and development, and human rights. In addition, graduate students in disability studies, public and global health and international development should find this an important guide to the future of these fields.

Malcolm MacLachlan is Associate Professor at the Centre for Global Health and School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin.  His research focuses on psychosocial rehabilitation of physically disabled people, organizational aspects of international aid and development, and culture and health.

Leslie Swartz is Professor of Psychology at Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and an Honourary Research Associate at the Human Sciences Research Council.  He holds a doctorate in Psychology from the University of Cape Town and is rated as an internationally rated scientist by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.