The principles guiding our inclusion policy
The principles guiding our inclusion policy
Inclusion as a core goal of development: all programming is intended to reach marginalised and excluded people and therefore should address inequalities. Programs that do not address inequalities in their design and theory of change are unlikely to be successful in the long term and may inadvertently cause harm.
Power analysis: program design and implementation should be grounded in contextual analysis of gender and other power relations, which draws on technical expertise, research and, crucially, lived experience. Approaches should be adaptive and iterative in response to monitoring, evaluation and learning.
Meaningful participation and representation: People are the experts on their own lives and must be consulted on development policy and programming decisions, through their representative organisations and directly. Consultation can happen at many levels and in many ways, but it must be genuine, meaningful, reciprocal and systematic.
Do no harm: A ‘do no harm’ approach addresses the risks inherent in development programming. Marginalisation and stigma are often accompanied by backlash and violence, considerations that can only be navigated through careful and well-designed programming. This includes the risk of ‘doing nothing’.
Intersectionality: Inequalities cannot be treated separately, as they are linked and often compounding. For example, it is difficult to address violence against women with disabilities without understanding how disability affects gendered social roles. Addressing intersectionality is not always straightforward.
An organisational approach: Unless inclusion is deeply and systematically embedded into an organisation’s culture, structure and the attitudes of its staff, it is likely to remain a policy aspiration.
Accessibility: Practical access is a crucial enabler of participation in programming. If a training venue only has stairs or if a women’s employment programme does not account for childcare, then none of the above will be achieved. Accessibility, however, is not an accident: it must always be planned for and resourced.