Disability Rights Fund Inc.

DRF is contributing to the impact of persons with disabilities participating fully in society and enjoying equal rights and opportunities. The desired outcome is that the rights of persons with disabilities are improved in target countries in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The outputs we measure through our logframe include:
Output 1 : Legislation, policy, and government programs (including those addressing national and global crises, such as COVID-19) undergoing harmonization with the CRPD in target countries through the participation of representative OPDs
Output 2: Representative OPDs from target countries participating in international and national human rights and SDG monitoring processes (including disability rights monitoring during national and global crisis responses, such as COVID-19)
Output 3: Disability movement in target countries is inclusive, reflecting the diverse voices of persons with disabilities
Output 4: Representative OPDs equipped to advocate on the rights of persons with disabilities (during national and global crises, such as COVID-19)

DRF works closely with donors, international development actors, governments, human rights activists, grantees, and other partners to achieve systemic change. Our theory of change, governance, grantmaking processes, and organizational structures are actively informed by persons with disabilities. Our strategies – grantmaking, advocacy, and technical assistance – describe the primary ways we build movements, drive agendas, and achieve rights.

As DRF enters its thirteenth year, we can confidently say that our model is moving the needle on resourcing disability rights efforts and promoting disability inclusion in grantmaking. Our recent external evaluations and regular feedback from grantees confirm that we have sufficient proof of concept for our Pathway to Change.

In many ways, the impact of our work is clear by looking at the numbers. For example, over the past 12 years, 50 alternative reports have been submitted to international and national development and human rights monitoring mechanisms by grantees; 442 national and local laws, policies, or government programs that promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities have been secured or are underway across more than 30 countries where we have provided funding to OPDs; and 29 countries where we have provided funding have ratified the CRPD . Additionally, more than 641 persons with disabilities have been trained through DRF/DRAF funded technical assistance (we have only tracked this for a few years) .

Behind the numbers, there is more to the story of our impact. When we started our work, there were very few organizations of women with disabilities, and even fewer who were visible on national and global stages. Through our funding and advocacy, we’ve seen increases in the number of organizations of women with disabilities, and increasing representation in national movements and global fora like the United Nations and the Commission on the Status of Women. Relatedly, we have been able to diversify intersectional movements—specifically the women’s rights and Indigenous Peoples movements—by promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities. While we were initially a driving force behind this diversification, there are now more invitations for persons with disabilities to speak in movement-specific venues and more funders and other international actors looking at these intersections. We’re also thrilled to see how our work is influencing other donors, both towards more participatory approaches and towards approaches that are more inclusive of persons with disabilities. Our active leadership in an emerging global participatory grantmaking community of practice and ongoing advocacy in donor networks are starting to have visible results; the Disability Inclusion Fund based at Borealis Philanthropy, for example, is modeled on our approach.