In partnership with Trócaire and funded by Irish Aid (11/2023 – 6/2026)

The project aims to bring about a comprehensive cultural and institutional transformation to ensure disability inclusion is at the heart of the humanitarian and development work of Trócaire and its partners (RDFL, Women Now, Nabad).

Path of Development and Transformation: Three Phases Towards Sustainability

Phase One: Building the Foundation and Cognitive Transformation (December 2023 – March 2024)

• Focus was placed on building core concepts, as 28 staff members from various departments showed a shift in perspective from the medical and charitable view of disability to the social and rights-based approach.
• Teams were provided with mechanisms to ensure disability inclusion in the program cycle (planning, implementation, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation).

Phase Two: Institutional Foundation and Empowerment (July – December 2024)

• The transition to systematic work was made through the development of specialized resources (training tools and an accessible awareness video).
• 8 disability inclusion focal points were selected and trained to lead change internally within their organizations.
• The organizations conducted an initial self-assessment and developed concrete short-term action plans (SMART) to ensure the translation of knowledge into practical and sustainable practices through two activities per organization.

Phase Three: Consolidating Sustainability and Expanding Impact (September – December 2025)

• Institutional Depth: Regular, customized field coaching is being provided to the focal points to support them in drafting an operational procedures manual for inclusion, conducting an accessibility audit of their centers, and applying inclusion indicators in selected programs (applied work on one program), with a focus on the active participation of persons with disabilities.
• Work has begun on launching the “Breaking Barriers” initiative, a transformative podcast series aimed at amplifying the voices of persons with disabilities and experts, educating professionals and decision-makers about inclusive design as a fundamental right, and breaking down the physical and cultural barriers that hinder the implementation of Law 220 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

At its conclusion, the project aims to achieve a comprehensive cultural and institutional transformation that ensures partners’ programs are accessible, equitable, and responsive to the needs of everyone, contributing to building a more just Lebanese society.