BACKGROUND: Equity and inclusion are important principles in policy development and implementation. The aim of this study is to explore the extent to which equity and inclusion were considered in the development of Malawi's National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan. METHODS: We applied an analytical methodology to review the Malawi's National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan using the EquIPP (Equity and Inclusion in Policy Processes) tool. The EquIPP tool assesses 17 Key Actions to explore the extent of equity and inclusion. RESULTS: The development of the Malawi National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan was informed by a desire to promote the rights, opportunities and wellbeing of persons with disability in Malawi. The majority (58%) of the Key Actions received a rating of three, indicating evidence of clear, but incomplete or only partial engagement of persons with disabilities in the policy process. Three (18%) of the Key Actions received a rating of four indicating that all reasonable steps to engage in the policy development process were observed. Four (23%) of the Key Actions received a score five indicating a reference to Key Action in the core documents in the policy development process. CONCLUSIONS: The development of disability policies and associated implementation strategies requires equitable and inclusive processes that consider input from all stakeholders especially those whose wellbeing depend on such policies. It is pivotal for government and organisations in the process of policy or strategy development and implementation, to involve stakeholders in a virtuous process of co-production - co-implementation - co-evaluation, which may strengthen both the sense of inclusion and the effectiveness of the policy life-cycle.

Assisting Living and Learning Institute Department of Psychology Maynooth University Maynooth Ireland

Centre for Social Research University of Malawi Zomba Malawi

Independent Consultant in Disability and Development Blantyre Malawi

Olomouc University Social Health Institute Palacký University Olomouc Czech Republic

Zobrazit více v PubMed

OECD. Inclusive government for a more inclusive society. Government at a Glance 2015. 2015. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/gov_glance-2015-6-en.pdf?expires=1594649536&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=C94F2D88A705C2AA9E1932F53A956B7C.

Huss T, MacLachlan M. Equity. and Inclusion in Policy Processes (EquIPP): a framework to support equity & inclusion in the process of policy development. implementation: Global Health Press; 2016.

Bernstein RS, Bulger M, Salipante P, Weisinger JY. From Diversity to Inclusion to Equity: A Theory of Generative Interactions. J Business Ethics. 2019:1–16.

Paul E, Deville C, Bodson O, Thiam I, Bourgeois M, Ridde V, et al. How is equity approached in universal health coverage? An analysis of global and country policy documents in Benin and Senegal. Int J Equity Health. 2019;18(1):195. PubMed PMC

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). 2006. Available from: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html. [cited February 2020].

World Health Organization. World report on disability. 2011 World Disability Report. 2016.

Ebuenyi ID. Inclusive employment: understanding the barriers to and facilitators of employment for persons with mental disability in East Africa. VU University Press,Amsterdam. 2019.

Malawi Government . National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan 2018–2023. Malawi: Lilongwe; 2018.

Ngomwa PMG. Discourse on Intellectual Disability and Improved Access to Assistive Technologies in Malawi. Frontiers in public health. 2018;6:377. PubMed PMC

Magnusson L. Professionals’ perspectives of prosthetic and orthotic services in Tanzania, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Pakistan. Prosthetics and orthotics international. 2019;43(5):500–7. PubMed PMID: 31303112. Epub 2019/07/16. eng. PubMed

Munthali AC, Swartz L, Mannan H, MacLachlan M, Chilimampunga C, Makupe C. “This one will delay us”: barriers to accessing health care services among persons with disabilities in Malawi. Disab Rehabil. 2019;41(6):683–90. PubMed PMID: 29172751. Epub 2017/11/28. eng. PubMed

Ebuenyi ID, Smith EM, Kafumba J, Jamali MZ, Munthali A, MacLachlan M. Implementation of the Assistive Product List (APL) in Malawi through development of appropriate policy and systems: an action research protocol. BMJ Open. 2020;10(11):e040281. http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e040281.abstract. PubMed PMC

Chinyama MJ, MacLachlan M, McVeigh J, Huss T, Gawamadzi S. An analysis of the extent of social inclusion and equity consideration in Malawi’s National HIV and AIDS policy review process. Int J Health Policy Manage. 2018;7(4):297. PubMed PMC

National Policy on. Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (2006).

Boger J, Jackson P, Mulvenna M, Sixsmith J, Sixsmith A, Mihailidis A, et al. Principles for fostering the transdisciplinary development of assistive technologies. Disabil Rehabil. 2017;12(5):480–90. PubMed

UNDP. Innovations in Monitoring & Evaluating Results. Discussion Paper. UNDP, 2013.

Sustainable Development Goals. 2020. Available from: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html. [cited February 2020].