Structure and Content of Disability National Plans

The structure and content of a NAP should reflect the unique circumstances, context and situation of the country in which it is to be implemented. Templates, experiences and effective practices from other countries may serve as reference materials but, if used, should be adapted to the specific context of the country for which the plan is designed. While the content and structure of NAPs, whether disability– specific or focused on development, human rights or other broad issues, will vary according to the country context in terms of structure or administrative arrangements, NAPs often include a number of common elements, as described below.

Statement of commitment: this should refer to the purpose of the plan and to its relationship to the CRPD. It may also refer to other relevant commitments at international level, such as other international human rights or development norms or agreements, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, as well as to national-level commitments or laws.

Background and context: this may include an overview of the key findings on the situation of persons with disabilities in the country, as well as efforts so far made to address the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in development. This section may also describe how the CRPD relates to existing government policies and strategies, for example in relation to poverty reduction or development.

Overarching Goals: the plan should articulate an overall goal that is consistent with internationally- agreed human rights or development norms or standards. Whether the plan is a general National Action Plan, such as a development plan or a national education or health plan or a disability-specific one, a core benchmark for disability inclusion should be the CRPD.

Response: in some cases these are organized goal by goal; they may include:

  • Relevant international and domestic law and principles. While the National Action Plan may focus on the national, provincial, municipal and local contexts, its goals should be aligned with the CRPD, as well as relevant regional and national commitments and laws.
  • Specific goals and objectives. A NAP should have goals and strategic objectives that are clearly defined, achievable and measurable. The successful achievement of the strategic objectives should, collectively, result in fulfilment of the plan’s overall goals. A number of factors may inform how goals and objectives are formulated, including the findings and recommendations of a comprehensive study or a survey on disability issues. Goals and objectives will vary from country to country.
  • Activities. A NAP should also list the activities that will be taken to achieve goals and targets. Activities are at the heart of a NAP, as they constitute the specific steps to be taken in implementation of the Plan’s objectives. Activities can consist of the creation of new programmes or mechanisms, specific projects or stand- alone activities.
  • Performance indicators. During and following the implementation of a NAP, evaluations should be carried out to determine the extent to which the plan is on track to or has achieved its objectives and goals and also to aid consideration of next steps, if any, to be taken. In order for evaluations to take place, the plan must include performance indicators which will be most useful if they are simple and can be clearly understood by all stakeholders, especially those who will have a role in implementing the activity.
  • Identification of actors responsible for each action point. For a plan to be implemented it is critical that it identifies those responsible for carrying out its provisions. This can include naming the branches or sectors of government at all levels (national, provincial, municipal and local) and specifying the mechanisms by which civil society, including organizations of persons with disabilities, should contribute.
  • Timeframe. A timeframe should be established for every planned activity in the NAP. National Action Plans often cover periods from one to five years, though there is no single ideal timeframe for the implementation of activities within a NAP, or of the NAP itself. The timeframe set should be realistic, that is sufficient for all of the objectives of the plan to be met. Notwithstanding the importance of having a set timeframe for the plan’s implementation, those responsible for implementation should, through an effective
  • Linkage to related policies, programmes and processes. In formulating a NAP, connections should be made with other relevant national policies, programmes or processes, as well as with national strategic objectives. Doing so can not only maximize the impact of a National Action Plan but also enhance overall policy coherence, maximize efficiency and seize opportunities to reinforce government policy. In seeking to identify connections, the designers of a National Action Plan should first identify other policies and initiatives that may in some way relate to or connect with the National Action Plan; second, ensure that the goals, objectives and methods of the National Action Plan are consistent with other policies, programmes and processes; third, Identify where the National Action Plan complements, overlaps with or undermines other policies or initiatives; and fourth, ensure that opportunities to make efficiency gains – potentially through sharing of resources, combining of activities or re-design of the plan – are seized..
  • Budget. The National Action Plan should set out the budget for its implementation and also identify the source of funds. Financial and human resources are essential to launching new activities in the health and social sector.

The content of a National Action Plan should reflect the national situation, including needs and priorities identified through the disability study or a survey and consultations conducted in the process of developing the National Action Plan. For this reason, while it is often instructive to look at examples of NAPs on disability from other countries, or other types of National Action Plans within one’s own country, templates should not be imposed or adopted uncritically or without adaptation to the local context. Each country has its own individual circumstances and there is no one size that fits all. In elaborating the plan content, attention should be given to the situation of persons with disabilities experiencing heightened levels of discrimination, due either to the type or multiple forms of disability or to other aspects of their identities – for example women, children, youth, older persons, indigenous peoples and minorities, migrants or refugees.

In terms of areas that may be addressed, the following illustrations are by no means exhaustive, but provide some indication of the kinds of commitment that may advance the rights of persons with disabilities in the context of National Action Plans:

  • Commitments to international and national disability law frameworks. These might include commitments such as ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other international human rights instruments, including an outline of specific steps that the States will take to achieve the objectives. Other measures include ratification of the Optional Protocol to the CRPD. Other commitments within this category could include overcoming any delays that impede the State’s compliance with its reporting obligations to the CRPD Committee, including the establishment of time- frames and the withdrawal of any reservations the State has expressed on the CRPD (as well as other international human rights instruments).
  • Commitments to take legislative and administrative measures to entrench the recognition and observance of the rights of persons with disabilities, including in relation to economic, social and cultural rights. These might include commitments such as:
    • undertaking measures to eliminate disability discrimination in the areas of economic, social and cultural rights;
    • the development of benchmarks for the realization of economic, social and cultural rights in line with the country’s human rights obligations; and
    • the development of specific programmes to achieve associated targets in areas such as:
      • The right to an adequate standard of living, including nutrition and housing;
      • The right to health;
      • The right to rehabilitation;
      • The right to education;
      • The right to social security;
      • The right to take part in cultural life;
      • The right to work;
      • The right to just and favorable conditions of work and to form and join trade unions.

followed by many countries, is to negotiate with line ministries and local authorities to mainstream disability in their sectoral plans in order to increase the resources and competences dedicated to disability issues. This is commonly termed a twin-track approach.

  • Commitments to protect the civil and political rights of persons with disabilities. These could include, for example, commitment to enacting legislation to protect civil and political rights, including (i) legislation to address issues such as violence against persons with disabilities; (ii) legal reform recognizing the legal capacity of persons with disabilities, (iii) measures to enhance access to justice for persons with disabilities, including provision of adequate resources to ensure that the justice system is accessible, that police and justice personnel protect the rights of persons with disabilities, and that correctional institutions accommodate prisoners with disabilities and training on disability rights issues for the judiciary, police, correctional services workers and security authorities.
  • Commitments to inclusive development and group rights. Measures undertaken in this context could include, for example, promotion of awareness of disability-inclusive development among government national planning or development assistance agencies; promotion of disability-inclusive development and human rights issues in international economic fora; development of policies that integrate the rights of persons with disabilities into the development process; development of policies to protect the linguistic identity of persons with disabilities including persons who are deaf; and strengthening the ability of indigenous and minority peoples to maintain and develop their distinct identities and to make decisions on matters affecting them.
  • Commitments regarding national institutions. Measures in this context could include establishing or designating a national human rights institution to monitor implementation of the CRPD; expanding or strengthening the disability-specific mandate of an existing national institution; and increasing resources available to a national human rights institution to monitor disability rights, particularly when the institution is given additional functions in implementation of the National Action Plan.
  • Commitments regarding capacity development. Throughout the process of developing and implementing a NAP, maximizing the potential of existing capacity and developing new capacity should be central elements of all areas of programming. A NAP may set out a capacity-building strategy which should correspond to any capacity issues identified in the baseline study, seek to maximize existing national and local capacities within the governmental, nongovernmental and private sectors, and set out how capacity-building support will be accessed. The strategy should minimize reliance on external support and maximize use of national and local capacities in order to create a sustainable foundation of human and physical capacity to implement the inclusion rights of persons with disabilities in the long term.
  • Commitments to awareness-raising of disability rights. Measures in this context could include development of a comprehensive programme of disability rights education using the guidance provided in the United Nations “Guidelines for National Plans of Action for Human Rights Education”; disability rights training for police, prison officials, judges, magistrates, and lawyers; development of disability rights curricula at all educational levels (primary, secondary and tertiary); and public information and awareness campaigns to raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities.
  • Commitments to civil society participation. Proposed legal and administrative measures could involve facilitating the activities of DPOs and other NGOs and involving persons with disabilities and DPOs in the implementation and monitoring of the action plan.
  • Commitments to international action. Proposed measures should be taken, first, to strengthen cooperation with regional and international human rights organizations, where appropriate, drawing on international funding and technical assistance for the implementation of National Action Plan components; and second, where appropriate and requested, to provide funding and technical assistance for the promotion and protection of human rights in other countries.

See Learning Activity 2.D. titled Priorities & Commitments