New UN report analyses progress for persons with disabilities in achieving SDG targets

CBM/Samy Ntumba Shambuyi

The United Nations’ Disability and Development Report 2024 provides a critical analysis of progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for persons with disabilities.

Titled “Accelerating the Realization of the Sustainable Development Goals by, for, and with Persons with Disabilities”, the report highlights both progress and persistent challenges.

It finds that progress has been insufficient for 30% of SDG targets, and 14% of targets have been missed, stalled, or reversed—often leaving persons with disabilities behind.

However, the report also identifies promising signs of progress, such as laws mandating equal access to education, early disaster warnings in accessible formats, and improved online government services. It shows that data availability on persons with disabilities has been at its highest level since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a significant step forward since the last report in 2018.

CBM's contribution

CBM significantly contributed to this landmark publication. As part of the collective effort, CBM offered expertise and insights that shaped the report’s focus on practical, inclusive strategies. CBM representatives, including Christian Modino Hok, Dominique Schlupkothen, Jörg Weber, Karen Heinicke-Motsch, and Sian Tesni, were instrumental in providing evidence-based recommendations and critical reviews that align with CBM’s mission of improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities.

United Nations

Recommendations for inclusion

The report extensively covers areas such as poverty alleviation, equitable education, gender equality, inclusive health systems, and integrating disability as a cross-cutting issue.

The report recommends that achieving the SDGs is impossible without the full inclusion of persons with disabilities. It calls for stronger commitments to mainstreaming disability inclusion into national poverty reduction strategies, ensuring accessibility and involving persons with disabilities in the design and implementation of policies while evaluating the impact of public policies on their financial well-being.

CBM continues to lead initiatives that bridge gaps in data, policy, and practice, advancing an inclusive approach to sustainable development.