Behinderung und Entwicklungs­zusammen­arbeit e.V.

Mitglied werden

Being Left Behind - Making Global Health Inclusive

On 29th Septemeber 2020 the conference on "Being Left Behind - Making Global Health Inclusive" took place in Berlin.

The conference was jointly organized by bezev, Caritas international, Handicap International, Kindernothilfe and Misereor.

The current corona virus knows no boundaries and can affect anyone and everyone. However, how people can protect themselves and how they are affected by its effects varies. 

At the international level, current experience shows that in many countries, people with disabilities have been forgotten in this pandemic, and they first had to be made aware of the need to be taken into account.  

This crisis exemplifies the deficiencies that exist in healthcare systems. Good health care is not available for many people, especially people with disabilities - often with serious consequences. Even in rich countries, they still experience disadvantages.  

With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the states have committed themselves with SDG 3 to ensuring a healthy life for all and promoting their well-being. 

How are people with disabilities taken into account and how can health systems change in a more inclusive way within the framework of their universal health care so that no one is left behind? 

What are the needs of children and women with disabilities or older people and what is already happening to make global health more inclusive? 

What are the requirements for a more inclusive implementation of SDG 3?

These were questions that were jointly discussed and debated during the conference. You can view the conference programme here.

The accessible publication about the conference is now available (just in German) under the following link: Publication Conference Being Left Behind

Gabriele Weigt, managing director of bezev, welcomes the participants on site and online at the extraordinary conference Being Left Behind under special corona conditions.

Gabriele Weigt, managing director of bezev, welcomes the participants on site and online at the extraordinary conference Being Left Behind under special corona conditions.

Presentations by the Speakers

The introduction by Jürgen Dusel, the Federal Government Commissioner for the Interests of People with Disabilities, was followed by presentations on the global challenges in the field of health care for people with disabilities and on the experiences of people with disabilities in the current corona pandemic. 

Afterwards, the first panel focused on international health policy issues relating to people with disabilities. 

In the second panel, the topic of intersectionality in the field of health care for people with disabilities was impressively considered from three different levels. 

Below you will find the presentations of the speakers:

COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor: Experiences of Persons with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic (pdf, 221,25 kb) 
Ines Bulić Cojocariu, European Network on Independent Living, Brussels

Disability Inclusion in the Health Sector: Global Challenges (pdf, 366,28 kb) 
Dr. Alarcos Cieza, World Health Organization, Geneva

The Missing Billion: How is Access to Health Services and Healthcare Systems Working for People with Disabilities? (pdf, 1,44 mb) 
Hannah Kuper, International Centre for Evidence in Disability LSHTM, London

Making the Case for a Disability Inclusive Universal Health Coverage (pdf, 304,78 kb) 
Valentina Pomatto, Humanity & Inclusion, Brussels

Disability Inclusion, a Political Priority in Health (pdf, 855,31 kb) 
Dr. Alarcos Cieza, World Health Organization, Geneva

The Missing Billion: Recommendations from the Corona Pandemic (pdf, 939,96 kb)
Phyllis Heydt, World Health Organization, Geneva

Inclusive Health: Needs of Children with Developmental Delays and Disabilities in the Early Years (pdf, 996,07 kb) 
Dr. Raoul Bermejo, UNICEF, New York

Being Left Behind - Globale Gesundheit inklusiv gestalten (pdf, 590,79 kb) 
Brigitte Faber, Weibernetz e.V., Kassel

Ältere Menschen mit Behinderung: Anforderungen an ein inklusives Gesundheitssystem (pdf, 1,49 mb) 
Jürgen Focke, HelpAge Deutschland e.V., Osnabrück

The participants of the conference are following the various contributions with great interest, here the lecture of Ms. Kathrin Oellers from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The participants of the conference are following the various contributions with great interest, here the lecture of Ms. Kathrin Oellers from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Presentations from the Working Groups

After the lunch break, the participants exchanged experiences and approaches to solutions in three different working groups, both on-site and online, together with the speakers on the topics including health care in Germany, universal health care in technical cooperation, and universal health coverage and rehabilitation.

The event was rounded off in the afternoon with a panel discussion in which representatives from politics, international cooperation and civil society discussed the question of how Germany can contribute to an inclusive implementation of SDG 3.

Have a look at the presentations of the speakers:

Working Group 1: Wie inklusiv ist die Gesundheitsversorgung in Deutschland? Was muss verbessert werden? (pdf, 159,26 kb)
Jessica Schröder, ISL e.V., Kassel

Working Group 2: Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Health Sector - Ambition and Reality of German Technical Cooperation (pdf, 1,2 mb)
Dr. Wendy Awa & and Alexander Hobinka, GIZ, Bonn

Working Group 3: Rehabilitation 2030 (pdf, 764,86 kb)
Dr. Alarcos Cieza, World Health Organization, Geneva

Working Group 4: Universal Health Coverage and Assistive Technology (pdf, 2,53 mb)
Chapal Khasnabis, World Health Organization, Geneva

Working Group 5: The RehApp - A Tool for Fieldworkers Who Work with People with(out) Disabilities (pdf, 955,79 kb)
Huib Cornielje, Enablement, The Netherlands

Kathrin Oellers from BMZ, Alarcos Cieza from WHO, Jessica Schröder from the German Disability Council and Georg Kippels from the German Parliament's Subcommittee on Global Health discuss together with conference moderator Tillmann Elliesen.

Kathrin Oellers from BMZ, Alarcos Cieza from WHO, Jessica Schröder from the German Disability Council and Georg Kippels from the German Parliament's Subcommittee on Global Health discuss together with conference moderator Tillmann Elliesen.

Video Recording of the Conference

Welcoming address by Jürgen Dusel (Federal Government Commissioner for Matters relating to Persons with Disabilities)

Presentation by Ines Bulic (European Network on Independent Living) on 'Being Left Behind! Experiences of Persons with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic'


First presentation by Alarcos Cieza (WHO) on 'Disability Inclusion in the Health Sector.What Are the Global Challenges?'


Presentation by Kathrin Oellers (BMZ) on 'Global Health and People with Disabilities: How Does the BMZ Address Current Challenges?'


Presentation by Hannah Kuper (International Centre for Evidence in Disability) on 'The Missing Billion. How is Access to Health Services and Healthcare Systems Working for People with Disabilities?'


Presentation by Valentina Pomatto (Humanity and Inclusion) on 'Making the Case for a Disability Inclusive Universal Health Coverage' 


Second presentation by Alarcos Cieza (WHO) on 'Disability Inclusion, a Political Priority in Health' 


Presentation by Phyllis Heydt (Office of the WHO, Ambassador for Global Strategy) on 'Learning From Covid-19: How can People with Disabilities Be Better Considered in Pandemics in the Future?'


Presentation by Raoul Bermejo (UNICEF) on 'Inclusive Health: Needs of Children with Developmental Delays and Disabilities in the Early Years' 


Presentation by Brigitte Faber (Weibernetz) on 'Mädchen und Frauen mit Behinderung: Wie sind ihre Anforderungen an ein inklusives Gesundheitssystem?'


Presentation by Jürgen Focke (HelpAge) on 'Ältere Menschen mit Behinderung: Anforderungen an ein inklusives Gesundheitssystem' 


Working group 1 with Jessica Schröder (Interessenvertretung Selbstbestimmt Leben in Deutschland e.V.) on the topic 'Wie inklusiv ist die Gesundheitsversorgung in Deutschland? Was muss verbessert werden?'


Working Group 2 with Wendy Awa & Alexander Hobinka (GIZ) on 'The Road to Universal Health Coverage: Aspiration and Reality from Technical Cooperation'


Working Group 3 with Alarcos Cieza (World Health Organization), Chapal Khasnabis (WHO) and Huib Cornielje (Enablement) on 'How Can the UHC Components of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Be Given More Attention in International Health Policy?'