MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Electronic “Global Disability Rights Library” Offered to Encourage Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Development Initiatives Including Microfinance

The Global Disability Rights Library (GDRL) project, an initiative of the US International Council on Disabilities and the University of Iowa’s WiderNet Project, with funding support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), has announced a call for applications to receive a free digital GDRL [1]. GDRL is a digital package of disability rights material and development program information that can be used by people with disabilities, policy makers, program managers and organizations in areas with limited internet connectivity.

In a recent story published in US-based Center for Financial Inclusion, Andrea Shettle, program manager of GDRL, points out that a lack of knowledge about disabilities excludes men and women with disabilities from microfinance programs operated by banks and nonprofits [2]. Banks assume they are “begging and turn them away” and nonprofits feel that “disability is not their priority and fail to recognize that people with disabilities need the same services that their other clients need.”

The deadline to apply for the current selection round is September 1, 2011. To review the application and eligibility criteria, you may visit: http://www.widernet.org/digitallibrary/GDRLSiteSelection. Additional questions can be directed to Ms Shettle at gdrl@usicd.org.

By Nisha Koul, Research Associate

Sources and Additional Resources:

[1] Press Release, U.S. International Council on Disabilities, Global Disability Rights Library project, http://www.usicd.org/index.cfm/news_media-release-call-for-applications-to-receive-gdrl

[2] The Center for Financial Inclusion Blog story, “Battling Dehumanization and Financial Exclusion: How Can Access to Knowledge Help?” by Andrea Shettle, Program Manager, Global Disability Rights Library, http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/07/18/battling-dehumanization-and-financial-exclusion-how-can-access-to-knowledge-help/

MicroCapital.org story, August 25, 2010, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank, ACCION’s Center for Financial Inclusion Host Discussion on Access to Microfinance for Disabled People,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-world-bank-accions-center-for-financial-inclusion-host-discussion-on-access-to-microfinance-for-disabled-people/

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