§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's policy is on children with disabilities. [91195]
§ Mr. FoulkesWe support a significant number of initiatives around the world aimed at assisting children with disabilities to secure their rights. This is an important part of our wider work in seeking to uphold the rights of all people, and particularly the poor, to economic and social development as well as to the civil, political and cultural liberties and freedoms set out in international agreements. Our policy in respect of disabled children102W aims to support the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other associated agreements.
Our work in education provides a good illustration of our approach. One of our key priorities is helping meet the International Development Goal of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in all countries by 2015. In many developing countries, the disabled are a group whose chances of gaining access to primary education are slim. We recognise that reaching them and other disadvantaged groups is a distinct challenge for national governments which requires resources, political commitment and flexibility of response.
In India, we have recently agreed to provide substantial support (up to £34.5 million over five years) for Lok Jumbish, a grass roots movement in Rajasthan, which seeks to support UPE through a range of interventions including the enrolment of vulnerable groups such as the disabled in school. This offers a potential model for developing a more equitable approach to primary education in general, as well as bringing immediate benefits to disabled children. Initiatives such as this are contributing to a wider assessment we are undertaking, with partner countries, of the effectiveness of our support for reaching the "missing children" within the context of overall sector strategies for education.
We are currently taking stock more generally of our work with people with disabilities, and will be pleased to report back on this in due course.
§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's budget has been allocated to children with disabilities in(a) Africa, (b) Asia, (c) Latin America, (d) the Middle East and (e) Eastern Europe. [91194]
§ Mr. FoulkesThe information requested is not readily available. The cost of collecting and recording such information would be disproportionately high.