The Horizons of Disability inclusive Budgeting in Zimbabwe.

Disability inclusive budgeting or CRPD compliant budgeting? So many conundrums are seen permeating in this discourse. It is now 4 years since the Center for Inclusive Policy has submitted critical questions for this subject.

Clarification needed: Inclusive, Disability Responsive or
CRPD compliant budgeting?         

In recent years, as many countries have adopted new legislation to implement the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), interest has been growing on the role of public budget in supporting the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The terms inclusive budgeting, disability and disability responsive budgeting, CRPD compliant budgeting are somehow used interchangeably, but can mean different things. To disentangle them, three basic questions are important, all of which are preconditions for inclusive budgeting.

1. Are sufficient public funds being spent to realize rights of all persons with disabilities?
2. Are the public funds being collected and spent in a way that always promotes inclusion and gender equality?
3. Are budget and procurement processes, among others, fully inclusive?

Inclusive budgeting entails that government revenue generation and expenditures involve and benefit all people in their diversity. It includes persons with disabilities among others and pays attention to the impact of revenue generation and expenditures on gender equality and the most marginalized groups. It ensures that all stakeholders are meaningfully consulted in budget processes. Important as an overarching concept, such a broad approach alone might miss the specific requirements of different groups, particularly the most marginalized among persons with disabilities. The answers may be YES to the three fundamental questions, but there is no guarantee.

Disability budgeting and disability responsive budgeting concepts are an echo of gender responsive and child responsive budgeting, with a focus on persons with disabilities. Such approach might be more inclusive of all groups but still, may not be specific enough. Indeed governments, in good faith might consider as disability responsive, public expenditures on programs that are:?

1. important but which do not promote inclusion of persons with disabilities per se, such as public health programs (immunization, mine risk awareness…)
2. in contradiction with the CRPD standards, such as segregated education or psychiatric hospitals practicing forced treatment and coercion.
3. disability specific and fail to promote a whole of government approach.?

While they offer an entry point for stakeholders to engage with budget processes and public financial management (PFM), inclusive or disability responsive budgeting might not provide the comprehensive guidance required to ensure that maximum available resources are used to implement the CRPD.

CRPD compliant budgeting

Why CRPD compliant budgeting? This addresses all three questions, by building on the comprehensive standards of the CRPD to assess and plan public resource generation and allocation. It contributes to inclusive budgeting which encompass broader groups and issues. While the CRPD Committee has not yet developed specific guidance on the subject, few basic elements can be elaborated based on the CRPD Standards and the experience of DPOs from Philippines, India and the Pacific on budget analysis and advocacy:

• The planning process and execution of public budgets strictly comply with provisions of the CRPD, in close consultation with representative organizations of all persons with disabilities, including women and children with disabilities, and with specific attention to the most marginalized groups.
• The overall public finance management system contributes efficiently and effectively to CRPD implementation, using all available instruments (transfers, public procurement, grants, contracts, tax expenditures, revenue generation, etc.).
• Across sectors, all central and local public spending, as well as development assistance funds, foster accessibility and non-discrimination across sectors and contribute to the inclusion of persons with disabilities
• All policies, guidelines or administrative regulations allowing for and related to public expenditures, are consistent with the CRPD, including public procurement regulations.
• Public resources, domestic and international, do not finance programs and services that are in contradiction with the CRPD standards:

Any non-compliant programs must be reformed in line with the CRPD or resources must be reallocated towards CRPD compliant policies, services, and programs. This may be realized progressively but a deadline should be set. This applies to all ?services that are fully or partially funded and/or regulated by public authorities, including those delivered by private entities.

Disability & Development Pathways provides technical support in achieving disability inclusive/ CRPD compliant budgeting programs.