In December 2021, during the Summit for Democracy Year of Action, the Department—including the SAIDR team—collaborated with USAID, the U.S. Mission to the U.N., and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems to host a formal side event on “Disability-Inclusive Democracy: Building Participatory Societies” at the 15th Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The event afforded leaders an opportunity to consult with external stakeholders to capture data on innovative approaches and common challenges to promoting disability-inclusive democracy globally.
Additionally, following the White House launch of the Disability Inclusive Democracy Year of Action at the Summit, the Department dedicated $7 million to support governments in designing more inclusive political processes and to empower persons with disabilities to advocate for their human rights.
