The international development community is beginning to recognise that people with disabilities constitute among the poorest and most vulnerable of all groups and thus must be a core issue in development policies and programmes. Yet, the relationship between disability and poverty remains ill-defined and under-researched, with few studies providing robust and verifiable data that examines the intricacies of this relationship. A second, linked issue is the need for-and current lack of-criteria to assess whether and how disability-specific and disability 'mainstreamed' or 'inclusive' programmes work in combating the exclusion, marginalisation and poverty of people with disabilities. This article reviews existing knowledge and theory regarding the disability/poverty nexus. Using both established theoretical constructs and field based data, it attempts to identify what knowledge gaps exist and need to be addressed with future research. The article also discusses some of the inherent challenges in developing appropriate and effective indicators by which disability issues in poverty alleviation initiatives might be evaluated. These include the need to understand the implications of the poverty/disability nexus not just at the individual, but also at the household and community level. Moreover, there is a need to understand the links between disability and poverty not simply at one point in time, but as an evolving concern over the course of an individual's lifetime-and as something that may in fact, have implication over several generations. Finally, what becomes of impoverished people with disabilities when other members of their communities begin to benefit from successful international development efforts? Do their lives improve as part of
Critiques of gender mainstreaming (GM) as the officially agreed strategy to promote gender equity in health internationally have reached a critical mass. There has been a notable lack of dialogue between gender advocates in the global north and south, from policy and practice, governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This paper contributes to the debate on the shape of future action for gender equity in health, by uniquely bringing together the voices of disparate actors, first heard in a series of four seminars held during 2008 and 2009, involving almost 200 participants from 15 different country contexts. The series used (Feminist) Participatory Action Research (FPAR) methodology to create a productive dialogue on the developing theory around GM and the at times disconnected empirical experience of policy and practice. We analyse the debates and experiences shared at the seminar series using concrete, context specific examples from research, advocacy, policy and programme development perspectives, as presented by participants from southern and northern settings, including Kenya, Mozambique, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Canada and Australia. Focussing on key discussions around sexualities and (dis)ability and their interactions with gender, we explore issues around intersectionality across the five key themes for research and action identified by participants: (1) Addressing the disconnect between gender mainstreaming praxis and contemporary feminist theory; (2) Developing appropriate analysis methodologies; (3) Developing a coherent theory of change; (4) Seeking resolution to the dilemmas and uncertainties around the 'place' of men and boys in GM as a feminist project; and (5) Developing a politics of intersectionality. We conclude that there needs to be a coherent and inclusive strategic direction to improve policy and practice for promoting gender equity in health which requires the full and equal participation of practitioners and policy makers working alongside their academic partners.
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