Development and Implementation of National Action Plans

The development and implementation of a disability-specific or disability-inclusive national action plan is a substantial undertaking with a number of phases, as follows:

• A preparatory phase, during which key agencies and organizations address the institutional structures for planning and engaging in initial consultations with DPOs, relevant ministries, national human rights commissions, disability councils, service providers, international organizations and other stakeholders; this includes the gathering of relevant data for evidence-based planning.
• A development phase, during which key agencies and organizations elaborate the concept of a national action plan within a specific country context, intensify the consultation process, and draft the plan.
• An implementation phase, during which relevant agencies implement the plan.
• A monitoring phase, which overlaps with the implementation phase and involves a process of adjustment of plan objectives and activities in the light of circumstances.
• An evaluation phase, in which achievement of the stated goals is systematically assessed and reviewed with the aim of laying the foundation for a successor plan.

Each of these phases is considered in more detail below:

The Preparatory Phase

The first phase involves initiating a process for preparation of the NAP. The impetus for the plan may come from governmental entities, DPOs or other relevant stakeholders.

Steps in the preparatory phase can include the following:

• Obtaining a formal commitment or endorsement from government. An appropriate senior national authority should provide the mandate for the development of a NAP. A formal governmental commitment will facilitate the initial buy-in and active involvement of relevant stakeholders. The mandating authority can differ from country to country, and may include the Head of State or Government, government ministers or heads of government agencies.
• Designating Leadership. As the government provides a formal commitment to the NAP, it can also designate an institution or individual to lead its design and implementation. The designated body should have a clear mandate and sufficient political support. It should also be bestowed with sufficient seniority to effectively involve and influence both leading political actors and operational decision- makers from the whole range of departments and agencies involved in the design and implementation of the Plan. In this regard, the profile of the coordinator or chair of the national coordinating mechanism can be critical. The location – that is, within which ministry, department or agency – of operational leadership can also be an important factor in determining the effectiveness of the lead agency or body in implementing a NAP.
• Establishing a coordinating mechanism. Such a mechanism, which should include both representatives of key government agencies and DPOs, mechanisms (e.g., at provincial, state or municipal levels) may be established to support the national-level coordinating mechanism. The roles of the coordinating mechanism in relation to a NAP can include:
  • Coordinating and providing strategic leadership in the design of a NAP;
  • Disseminating and promoting the NAP to relevant stakeholders, including in government, international and regional bodies, civil society and the general public;
  • Coordinating implementation of the NAP, including provision of oversight and strategic management of the plan’s implementation;
  • Ensuring effective communication between all relevant stakeholders in the NAP;
  • Coordinating the monitoring, interim evaluation and, if needed, amendment of the NAP in response to changing operational circumstances; and
  • Leading the final evaluation of the NAP on its completion and determining the next steps. Where a NAP has not been created, the establishment of such a body can form the first stage in the process of developing a National Action Plan.

  The coordinating mechanism leading the development of the NAP should engage involve all relevant actors early in the process and should maintain regular and consistent contact with them. To achieve this, the national coordinating mechanism should undertake early and sustained engagement with those stakeholders who are central to providing political, operational, financial and technical support for the Plan.

  The coordinating mechanism should also consult, formally and informally, with DPOs and interest groups involved in, or likely to be affected by, the plan activities, including government (national and local), civil society and the private sector).
  Widespread consultation should be carried out during the design and development of a NAP in order to:

  • Create buy-in and political will for the implementation of the plan;
  • Generate interest and assist in with securing funding;
  • Interrogate and ensure the accuracy and validity of the analysis and proposed actions;
  • Inform the design and content of the draft National Action Plan; and
  • Raise awareness of the goal and objectives of the plan. 
• Establishing a framework for participation and consultations. Those leading the initial stages of the preparatory process should consult within government, DPOs and with other relevant stakeholders to determine who – beyond the government entity leading the process or members of the coordinating mechanism – should participate in the process and create a framework for their involvement. Opportunities for participation at various stages of the NAP process should be made public, with information disseminated in accessible formats. To ensure informed participation, the capacity needs of key stakeholders – including those within government and civil society – should be taken into consideration and capacity development opportunities provided, where necessary.

  As set out in the “guiding principles” section of the present module, the designing of the NAP should be an open and consultative process, with consultations with stakeholder groups taking place periodically during its development. The key points at stages during which consultation should take place include during the initial strategic planning stage, and goal and objective setting (as described above, under “determination of priorities”); during the drafting of the NAP; and during its review or validation.

• Determining a plan, timeframe and budget for the preparatory and development stages. Before proceeding coordinating mechanism should prepare a time- bound work plan. The plan should identify entry points for contributions from stakeholders and should be made public upon its completion.

  A funding strategy should also be drafted as part of the first stages of developing a NAP. This will require an assessment of the human and financial resources required. This may initially be relatively limited in scope, focused on the funding required to support the preparatory and development stages, but can be reviewed and updated as the development and implementation of the Plan proceed. As funding streams, whether through national budgets or international development aid, are often determined some time in advance, forward planning can be critical to securing sufficient financial support[1].

  Capacity Development and National action Plans 

  A certain level of capacity is required to initiate a NAP process, which requires both the dedicated work time of officials and a certain level of knowledge of issues surrounding disability. Capacity building may, therefore, be a necessary precursor to, or at least a component of, the first stages of developing a NAP. Where necessary, external agencies such as the UN or civil society organizations are often able to provide such support.

  Financing and Budgeting for NAPs

  Integrating a NAP into the national development framework or strategy and accessing financial support through the national budget can bring opportunities and challenges. An advantage of support through the national budget is that funding is likely to be more sustainable in the medium-to-long term than that received from international donors. The receipt of funding through the national budget is also likely to be a product of political buy- in for the NAP, again an important factor in the sustainability of disability-related initiatives. A potential disadvantage is that there may be significant competition for funding within the national budget and compromises may therefore be necessary on the quantity and nature of activities within a NAP. Furthermore, assistance received directly from an international donor can be more flexible and readily accessed than from the national budget. In different contexts, having a NAP feature in the national budget, and therefore in the national development strategy, can be a prerequisite for receiving funding from donors, due to a commitment to align their funding with nationally agreed priorities.

  The funding strategy developed for the NAP should determine whether funding is to be sought from the national budget in the short and long terms. If funding is to come from the national budget, those leading the NAP process should at the earliest possible opportunity engage with the Ministry of Finance (or equivalent) and become familiar with the process (including deadlines) of accessing support through the national budget. National budgetary frameworks often cover a period of a number of years. Engaging early in the process of negotiations for a national budget, including at the very earliest stages of the plan’s development, can therefore be critical to securing the essential financial support.

  Securing support through the national budget can require political support. To generate the necessary support, lobbying and awareness-raising on the NAP may be necessary.

  In many countries which are recipients of international development aid, assistance given by international donors is increasingly being provided through direct budgetary support; that is, contributions to the overall national budget rather than to specific national programmes. Two consequences of this are that (1) international donors are involved in negotiations with the recipient government on their overall budgetary priorities and therefore wield some influence over the content of the budget; and (2) international donors have fewer funds available for separate, stand-alone projects.

• Preparing a preliminary baseline assessment. A NAP should be informed by evidence-based policy-making and an accurate and realistic assessment of the national context and needs in relation to disability, taking into account local customs and attitudes. To this end, a baseline assessment should be conducted to support development of an evidence-based NAP. The assessment should include, at a minimum:
  • An overview of the existing legal and policy framework, including international commitments such as the CRPD. This should include an analysis of the extent to which the framework is or is not in harmony with the CRPD.

    The analysis should also consider implementation gaps and the reason for their existence (for example, lack of awareness of laws or policies that are in place, lack of knowledge on the part of relevant stakeholders on how to implement them, etc.).

  • Existing quantitative and qualitative data and information to assess the current situation of persons with disabilities;
  • A stakeholder analysis in which actors are responsible for relevant sectors and therefore have a role in ensuring the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. The analysis should also consider the root causes of any disparities experienced by persons with disabilities.

    The baseline assessment will inform the drafting and content of the NAP. Additional data collection will likely also be necessary during, and on completion of, implementation of the NAP.

 Development Phase

Disability programming and the importance of sequencing initiatives appropriately. For example, a given country may determine that there is a need for changes to legislation. However, in many cases certain steps may need to be taken, such as the carrying out of an analysis of the existing legal framework and the establishment of consultative mechanisms or procedures, before such amendment can take place.

The way in which different areas of disability programming interact will not be identical in every national context. However, considerations of sequencing and how different types of programming interact and depend on one another will be important in all instances.

When determining the sequencing of initiatives, the appropriateness of so-called “quick wins”(e.g. initiatives that are expected to demonstrate immediate, positive returns - “low-hanging fruit”) should be considered. In the abstract, these actions may not be the highest priorities, but demonstrating early success can be important in generating momentum and buy-in for the NAP. Other factors that should influence decisions related to prioritisation and sequencing in the design of a NAP action plan include:

• levels of available capacity and financial resources
• the level of need
• the expected level of impact of the planned activities
• the likelihood of success
• whether there are particular geographical locations in which initiatives should be prioritized

Consultations. As set out above, consultations are critical to the success of a NAP. Once a first draft of the NAP has been prepared, a series of national workshops or consultations should be convened to review it. All relevant government bodies, DPOs and other stakeholders should be included and the process should ensure inclusion of organizations and persons representing the full diversity of disability. Through such consultations, drafters can ensure that the Plan:

• reflects the genuine priorities of persons with disabilities;
• addresses the issues identified by the survey or study in the correct way; and
• generates buy-in for its implementation.

Finalize plan. Following consultations, the draft NAP should be revised in accordance with feedback received, and the NAP should be finalized. In some cases the legal and political status of the NAP may be confirmed by, for example, endorsement of Parliament, inclusion in the Programme for Government, identification as a political priority, or a dedicated administrative structure. The NAP should then be launched and stakeholders could consider using the launch as an opportunity to raise awareness of the NAP and of the inclusion rights of persons with disabilities in the country.

Dissemination. Initial launch activities may include, for example, the staging of a national conference to discuss the NAP, and media campaigns.

Implementation Phase

Implementation is of paramount importance; there is little point in having a National Action Plan if it will not be implemented.

Co-ordination and Institutions

As with earlier phases of the NAP, implementation requires the designation of a coordinating group to lead the process. This may consist of the national coordinating mechanism that developed the NAP, or another specified implementation mechanism or group. The designated mechanism should:

Government ministries, departments and agencies, as well as DPOs or international partner agencies may lead the implementation of particular aspects of a NAP. In such cases, they may be responsible, for example, for:

• leading detailed planning of activities within their specific area of responsibility;
• contributing to the development of the overall NAP activity plans;
• managing the implementation of activities within their specific area of responsibility, including co- ordinating with other actors involved in implementation; and
• reporting to the national co-ordinating mechanism on progress made in implementing activities.

Profile and Public Awareness

A NAP may contain specific activities focused on raising public awareness and educating the public on the rights of persons with disabilities and disability issues, as well as on the activities being carried out to address them. In addition, activities should be undertaken to raise awareness of and promote interest in and support for the NAP in general.

Regular, on-going communication about the plan’s implementation – including activities completed and their impact, and forthcoming activities – should be conducted. This communication should be a two-way process and allow for consultation with the public.

Evaluation Phase

The final stage of a National Action Plan is its review and evaluation and, based upon this, its revision or updating. The NAP should establish timeframes for both of these processes. Ideally, evaluation of the NAP should be carried out by an independent expert or body that was not significantly involved in its design or implementation. It should be conducted on the basis of its targets and indicators and should:

• Measure the extent to which the NAP achieved its goals and objectives;
• Highlight both intended and unintended impacts of the NAP;
• Differentiate between the NAP’s engagement with and impact on women and men, as well as on children, parents and families of persons with disabilities, older persons, adolescents and youth;
• Analyse challenges encountered in the implementation of the NAP and how they were (or were not) overcome; and
• Identify lessons learned throughout the implementation process.

Once an evaluation of an implemented NAP has been completed, the results should be published and made available, in accessible formats, to the government; to all stakeholders involved in its design and implementation – particularly persons with disabilities and their representative organizations; to the general public; and to donors who supported its design, implementation or evaluation.

The findings of the evaluation should then provide a basis for a revision or updating of the NAP. Taking into account the results of the evaluation, as well as the feedback of stakeholders based on the evaluation, the NAP should be updated to build on areas of success and adjust approaches that have been less successful.

International Reporting on NAPs

Governments also have opportunities to report on the outcomes of their NAPs at international level in the context of their reports to the Universal Periodic Review and to the CRPD Committee, as well as other relevant treaty bodies such as the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Voluntary reporting under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals also provides an important opportunity to report on achievements in the implementation of a disability NAP. DPOs and other stakeholders can also report via these avenues through the submission of parallel reports. Reporting on a government’s decision to initiate a process to develop a NAP may also include a request for international cooperation and assistance – in terms of both technical and financial support – in the design and implementation of the Plan.