Child development, disability and global health: Opportunity and responsibility

Abstract

Children who have a disability and are born in a low-or middle-income country are at great risk, not only because of the disability but because they are not commonly given the opportunity to demonstrate their capability. Most of these countries have signed international conventions committing to equal opportunity for persons with disability. Yet the gap between the commitment and the delivery of needed services is enormous in most cases. Better outcomes can be achieved through using the UN Convention to advocate at government and community levels, through working with parents and communities to understand the potential of their children and by providing the evidence-based but community-adapted strategies that are known to have benefit.