"Exclusion is not an option"- MP joins Development organisations to speak out on International Disability Day

11.09.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 3rd Dec 2007

International poverty reduction goals will not be met if more is not done to include disabled people in mainstream development, leading NGOs have stated.

Of the 600m people worldwide with disabilities, 80% live in developing countries. The British Overseas NGOs for Development coalition, (BOND) is marking this year's International Day of Disabled Persons on December 3 by hosting an awareness-raising event at Central Hall Westminster.

Malcolm Bruce MP, the Chair of the International Development Select Committee and a campaigner on deafness issues is one of the keynote speakers. He said:

"Disabled people are disproportionately amongst the poorest of the poor in all parts of the world, there has to be commitment from the development sector to engage with communities and disabled people to actively include them."

The event aims to inform and increase awareness for those working for organisations involved in international development of the need to include disabled people in all development work and offer practical ways to think about meaningful inclusion.

ENDS