The Inclusive Participation Toolbox 

Inclusive participation is critical to the quality, efficiency and sustainability of development programmes and ensures that no one is left behind. Disability inclusive approaches to participation lead to better inclusion of all marginalised groups.

Participation is a human right. Yet, far too often only symbolic participation takes place. This means that persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups have little or no opportunity for inclusive participation to truly contribute their perspective and be considered from the onset.  

CBM's  Inclusive Participation Toolbox aims to make it easier for international development professionals to meaningfully include persons with disabilities and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in their programme planning.   

The toolbox was developed by CBM in collaboration with an advisory board consisting of 18 members from Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. They represent different regions, genders, disability groups and other user groups.


Access the Inclusive Participation Toolbox here

What the Toolbox offers

The Toolbox shows how easy it is to make persons with disabilities and OPDs equal partners in development and humanitarian activities. It provides guidance on why the participation of persons with disabilities is important, how to reach them, and how to work with OPDs.  

The toolbox offers extensive supporting material including:

  • A guide on how to apply participatory approaches and keep track of your project management cycle to include persons with disabilities.   

  • A filter function to find OPDs in your region.  

  • A checklist to help you plan accessible meetings and events, both face-to-face and online.   

  • Ready-to-use presentations to convince your colleagues about the importance of inclusive participation.   

  • A glossary of key disability related terms.    

  • Case studies and examples of good practice from existing projects and initiatives.   

Get involved 

Here are some ways for you to get involved.

  1. Try it out! We invite you to visit the Toolbox website and take a look around. There are resources for everyone, whether you are planning a meeting or event or just want to look up a key term.
  2. Use it for your programme planning. If you are involved in running programmes, we hope you will find the toolbox useful. 
  3. Share it with others. Please share the toolbox with partners as a useful resource for disability-inclusive development.
  4. Let us know if you have any questions. If there is anything else you would like to know about the toolbox, or would like to share your questions and comments with us, please email us at participation(at)cbm(dot)org