According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), there are at least 240,000,000 children and youth with disabilities in the world, including approximately 53,000,000 children under age 5.  Millions of children are placed in residential institutions and most of those children are left to grow up without the love, support, and guidance of a family. The vast majority of children placed in residential institutions have at least one living parent or have extended family, many of whom would keep their children if they had the support and legal protections necessary to do so.  

Advocacy by people with disabilities and their families has been essential to reforming our own social service systems.  Throughout the world, organizations of people with disabilities and family members are eager bring about change in their own society.  A small investment to support and train advocacy groups will have a big impact to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to live and grow up with their families – and transition to an independent life in the community.

The “International Children with Disabilities Protection Act” (S.847) would establish a grant-making fund within the U.S. Department of State to:

--- create a small grants program to support leadership and advocacy by people with disabilities and their families to protect full inclusion of children with disabilities in society and to prevent unnecessary institutionalization;
--- promote advocacy skills and leadership by people with disabilities and family members of the children and youth with disabilities so that such individuals can participate in their local, regional, and national governments to bring about policy reforms, legal protections, and programs to support family inclusion of children with disabilities;
--- promote laws, policies, and funding programs that strengthen families and protect against institutionalization of children with disabilities;
--- assist countries abroad in developing policies and social supports to protect families and ensure full inclusion of children with disabilities.

Here is the link to read the Bill:  https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5847/text?s=2&r=2&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22%5C%22International+children+with+disabilities+protection+act%5C%22%22%7D

List of Endorsing Organizations (as of 1/20/23)