Please find below latest updated and approved Terms of Reference, as of September 18, 2021.
Terms of Reference for the Global Disability Caucus (GDC)
The mission of Democrats Abroad’s Global Disability Caucus is to provide a voice for individuals with disabilities across its global membership. As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), an individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Democrats Abroad’s Global Disability Caucus will organize a disability rights agenda; work with allies within the Democratic Party and disability rights groups to ensure that all activities and venues are accessible; advocate on proposed legislation addressing disability rights; and educate and empower Democrats Abroad members and leaders about the issues impacting persons with disabilities.
Disability is a public health issue, with over 1 billion people (or 15%) in the world living with some form of disability. This number is increasing, in part due to ageing aging populations and an increase in awareness and better diagnosis of chronic health issues. Disability is extremely diverse -- from physical and psychiatric disabilities to learning disabilities, blindness, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders and brain injuries. However, all people with a disability have the same general healthcare needs as everyone else and need access to mainstream healthcare services. The reality, though, is that few countries, including the United States, provide adequate quality services for those with a disability. Prohibitive costs, limited availability of services, physical barriers and inadequate skills/knowledge on the part of health workers are among the barriers faced.
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FOUNDING MEMBER
GLOBAL DISABILITY CAUCUS
[Draft.7 | Version drafted on August 31, 2021 | Approved by the DPCA ExCom on September 18, 2021]