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OVERVIEW

What is it?

The Guidance Note Leaving No One Behind – Disability Inclusion in EU External Action aims to assist EU external cooperation staff and partners in integrating the rights of persons with disabilities across all areas of work, including policy development, programme design, and implementation.
Aligned with the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) and its toolbox, the note provides a more in-depth focus on the rights of persons with disabilities and contributes to the implementation of the EU's Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy.
It positions disability not merely as a sectoral concern but as a cross-cutting issue that should be systematically mainstreamed throughout all EU external action.
The guidance promotes key concepts such as accessibility and inclusion as essential to achieving full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society. It emphasises empowerment, particularly through the active involvement and capacity building of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), and supports rights-based programming that incorporates disability inclusion throughout the programme cycle—from design and implementation to monitoring and evaluation.
This guidance is grounded in international and EU policy frameworks, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (notably SDG 10 on reducing inequalities and SDG 17 on partnerships), the EU Disability

What can it be used for?

The note provides guidance and practical examples on how to design, implement, and monitor inclusive interventions. It also includes signposts to additional resources, references, and organisations working on disability inclusion, making it a valuable tool for comprehensive programming.

When can it be used?

The Guidance Note is applicable throughout the intervention cycle. It is also relevant for all related activities, such as the development of monitoring and evaluation systems.

Who can use it?

It is intended for use by all EU staff and their partners engaged in external action, regardless of sector or thematic focus.

What are its strengths?

The Guidance Note addresses the topic in a comprehensive yet clearly structured manner.
By covering the policy framework, approaches, methods, and providing practical examples, it serves as a complete and hands-on guide for integrating disability rights into EU external cooperation interventions.

What are its limitations?

While the note offers solid guidance on the mainstreaming of disability inclusion, it will be complemented by dedicated sector brief notes.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Key elements


The Guidance Note is structured along seven main chapters:
Chapter 1: Introduction Sets the stage for the guidance note, outlining its purpose, scope, and intended audience.
Chapter 2: The 'What?' Presents the current situation of persons with disabilities globally, highlighting the barriers—social, institutional, physical, and attitudinal—that undermine their rights and hinder their full participation in society.
Chapter 3: The 'Why?' Explains why disability is a cross-cutting concern in EU external action. It reinforces the policy rationale and elaborates on the international and EU frameworks that mandate disability inclusion, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the EU's own strategic commitments.
Chapter 4: The 'How?' – Concepts and Approaches Details key concepts and approaches for disability inclusion and shows how they can be integrated into the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA). It promotes concepts such as accessibility, inclusion, empowerment, and non-discrimination as central to effective cooperation.
Chapter 5: Application Across the Intervention Cycle Provides practical guidance on how to integrate disability inclusion at every stage of the intervention cycle, from programming and design, through implementation, to monitoring, evaluation, and closure.
Chapter 6: Leading by Example Explores how the EU as a public administration can lead by example through inclusive internal practices, procurement, communication, and staff engagement. It encourages institutional ownership of disability inclusion.
Chapter 7: Resources and Tools Points to key resources, further reading, and practical tools, including good practice examples, to support users in putting disability inclusion into action effectively.
Other than the main text, each chapter includes several "boxes" which serve as practical, easy-to-use tools. These boxes present key messages, direct references to both internal and external resources—such as the legal framework, survey methodologies, and field examples. All this content can be readily extracted and adapted for specific needs, whether for policy dialogue with partner countries, targeted discussions with implementing partners, or the design of monitoring systems.
In addition, some boxes are dedicated to facilitating understanding and correct use of terminology, helping users apply appropriate language and vocabulary when mainstreaming disability. These features make the guidance note a highly flexible and user-friendly resource across multiple operational contexts.

REQUIREMENTS


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Tips and tricks


Tips and tricks area

Guidance

Start with the Chapter Summaries

Begin with chapter overviews to quickly identify relevant content, especially if time is limited.

Use the "Boxes" as Standalone Resources

Highlighted boxes offer key messages, legal references, field examples, and useful terminology.

Align with the HRBA Toolbox

Cross-reference with the EU HRBA Toolbox to ensure consistent terminology and inclusive analysis.

Use it Throughout the Intervention Cycle

Keep the note accessible from programming to closure.

Programming

Use Chapters 3 and 5 to identify entry points.

Design & Monitoring

Integrate indicators and inclusive logic model components.

Use It as a Training Tool

Ideal for staff training, partner awareness, and evaluator support. Use chapters or boxes in sessions.

Highlight EU's Institutional Role

Chapter 6 supports EU leadership on inclusion through internal reform and procurement practices.

Stay Updated on Complementary Tools

Check EU platforms (e.g. Capacity4dev, DG INTPA) for updates and sector-specific tools.


EU RESOURCES





For further information, any revision or comment, please contact INTPA-ICM-GUIDE@ec.europa.eu
Published by INTPA.D.4 - Quality and results, evaluation, knowledge management. Last update May 2025