During this pandemic, Inclusion International and our member organizations around the world are working to ensure that the governments and UN agencies are aware of the disproportionate impact on people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

Together our members are monitoring and recording the impact of the crisis on people with intellectual disabilities and their families, raising critical issues with their governments and providing outreach to self-advocates and families.  

Advocating to governments on issues including:

• access to COVID19 testing and treatment
• access to Personal Protective Equipment for support workers
• attention to people living in institutions
• educational resources for families who have children with disabilities at home
• provision of social protection schemes to families, caregivers and people with intellectual disabilities

Sharing and developing Accessible information by:

• making information available in plain language or easy read (prevention and access to services)
• Sharing resources with on websites, social media and online platforms

Providing support to self-advocates and families through Outreach:

• Self-advocacy led peer support groups
• Providing support to families through phone apps and social media
• Launching hotlines to respond to families' questions
• Creating online/virtual peer support groups (for parents and self-advocates)
• Organizing regular workshops for self-advocates

Being part of a global network enables members to share national and regional strategies. Now, more than ever, we are witnessing global solidarity and an unprecedented interest to communicate and support each other through virtual meetings, webinars, WhatsApp groups and donations of personal protective equipment and sanitation products. 

We are sharing some of the resources that our members have developed to help reach people with intellectual disabilities. For all updates and the complete list of our members' COVID 19 resources, please check our website. 

This week's webinar, COVID19 Impact, Advocacy and Outreach, allowed us to hear from our members in Canada, Europe and the USA about the current issues their organizations are facing and what they doing to support people with intellectual disabilities and their families in response to the crisis.