Guiding Principles for the Development of National Action Plans

In preparing for the design and implementation of a national action plan, the following guiding principles should be taken into account:

Participation. The design and implementation of a national action plan should involve all actors – from national, provincial, municipal and local community levels - with a legitimate stake in the process. Such stakeholders may include government officials and parliamentarians, as well as persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, who can contribute to the success of disability initiatives. Care should be taken to ensure that participation reflects the diversity of disability and includes the voices of those who may face heightened levels of exclusion based on disability coupled with other aspects of their identities, for example, gender, age or indigenous or minority status.

The active and meaningful participation of a wide, diverse and representative group of relevant actors is consistent with both the general principles of the CRPD, which call for the full and effective participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society, and the general obligations, which require States Parties to closely consult with and actively involve DPOs in the development and implementation of decision- making processes concerning issues relevant to persons with disabilities. Moreover, participation promotes a shared sense of ownership, which is itself critical to the success and sustainability of a NAP.

Key Stakeholders for Inclusion in all stages of NAPs

Government officials (national). Officials from Government Ministries / Departments who participate in the national coordinating mechanism or focal point on disability should play a key role in the design and implementation of a national action plan. They are also well placed to share information on the plan with colleagues in their ministries in order to ensure sufficient levels of awareness and understanding of, and buy- in for, the plan.

Government officials (provincial, municipal and local). Senior officials from provincial, municipal and local government should contribute to the identification of problems within their localities that need to be addressed by a NAP. In this role they may act as the voice of their local constituencies. Senior officials from these levels of government may be responsible for co- ordinating implementation of specific elements of the NAP. They may also have an important role to play in raising awareness of, and buy-in for, the Plan among the local population.

Parliamentarians. Elected representatives (members of national parliaments and legislatures) can have an important role in the development of the NAP to ensure that it adequately addresses the needs of the population. Parliamentarians may also be involved in the plan’s implementation, particularly as regards any necessary legislative reforms and in holding the government to account on the provisions of the NAP. In this regard, parliamentary committees, where they exist, can influence the design and implementation of a NAP.

DPOs and Civil Society. DPOs and persons with disabilities should be fully involved in the design and implementation of the NAP based on the principle of “Nothing About Us, Without Us”. Civil society participation can also include other organizations, such as women’s groups, youth groups, community development organizations, faith-based organizations, and business associations.

International, regional and sub-regional organizations. A range of international, regional and sub- regional organizations may be involved in the design and implementation of a NAP, provided that such involvement is requested by the government and does not infringe upon national sovereignty.

International, regional and sub-regional organizations can play a number of roles including as implementing partners (delivering activities and providing technical expertise), donors and agents of political support.

Regardless of the roles played by such organizations, the government should retain the lead role in decision-making.

The types of organizations that might be involved include:

United Nations entities;
African Union; Arab League; Asian Pacific (APAC); European Union; NORAM (North American Region); USAN (Union of South American Nations), ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) etc.
regional and sub-regional inter-governmental bodies concerned with the preservation of regional and national peace and security; and
international donors and regional financial institutions.

Accessibility of the Process. Participatory processes require the adoption of transparent and open approaches to the sharing of information relating to the NAP. It is critical that such communications are in accessible formats and that accessibility is ensured for meetings, workshops, fora or other opportunities for personal participation in the process of designing the NAP.

Sustainability. A NAP should be designed to create changes in attitudes and practices that will persist in the long term, beyond the lifespan of the plan itself. The development of national and local capacities should therefore be central to a NAP, which should:

be based on a realistic assessment of existing and potential human and material capacity to support implementation of the plan;
consider, in all its elements, how capacity can be developed to meet short- and long-term needs; and
dedicate time and resources to the development of national and local capacities.

Coherence. To ensure policy coherence, a NAP should take account of other relevant policies, programmes and processes that are under development or already being implemented in the State in question, with a view to promoting opportunities for co- operation, collaboration and resource-sharing.

Flexibility. A NAP should be responsive to changing circumstances and should include mechanisms for on- going monitoring and periodic review. The adoption of a flexible attitude – being open to new ideas and remaining responsive to changing circumstances on the ground – can be critical in ensuring success.

A NAP is by definition national in scope and pre-supposes a degree of central direction and involvement by the national government. In part, the development and implementation of a NAP is necessarily top-down, as nationwide responses are developed for addressing problems affecting the country as a whole. However, the process of designing and implementing a NAP should, at the same time, be reflective of the diversity of local needs, experience and capacities throughout the country. The identification of problems and solutions, the design of specific activities in local communities, and leadership in the implementation of these activities, should all emanate from the local communities themselves. A NAP should therefore be a flexible combination of both top- down and bottom-up approaches.

See Learning Activity 2.B. titled Participation for Positive Outcomes.