In 2025, the Global Disability Fund (GDF) played a central role in advancing disability inclusion across major international platforms. Through global summits, side events, and new initiatives, GDF worked to embed disability rights into financing systems, urban resilience, climate action, and social development frameworks.
Global Disability Summit (Berlin)
The Global Disability Summit (GDS) held in Berlin on 2–3 April gathered over 4,500 participants and produced more than 800 commitments. The Amman–Berlin Declaration introduced the target “15% for the 15%”, urging that at least 15% of international development programs prioritize disability inclusion.
GDF maintained a strong presence at the Summit through its exhibition booth and active participation in discussions on disability rights and financing for development across multiple sessions.
Side event “Driving Disability Inclusion from Commitments to Action”,
GDF hosted a high-level roundtable that brought together 42 ministers and senior representatives to discuss strategies for translating commitments into measurable results. The event also introduced GDF’s 2030 targets for expanding operational presence and policy influence.
Learn more about the High-Level Roundtable
Launch of the Resilient and Inclusive Cities Hub (RICH)
During GDS, GDF officially launched the Resilient and Inclusive Cities Hub (RICH), an initiative to reshape urban development around accessibility, resilience, and sustainability, backed by seed funding from Germany (BMZ) and with the International Disability Alliance as key partner.
Learn more about the official launch of the Resilient and Inclusive Cities Hub and pilot programmes
COSP18: Strategy and Financing for Inclusion
At the 18th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP18) celebrated in UN Headquarters (New York) from 10 to12 June, GDF presented its new Strategy 2025–2030 and emphasized the need for innovative financing to address persistent gaps in disability inclusion.
Learn more about the GDF’s participation at COSP18
COSP18 side event: “Financing for Development: Opportunities to accelerate funding for disability inclusion”
Co-hosted by GDF, UNDESA and IDA and sponsored by Australia, Germany, Ireland, Jordan and Spain, the event connected GDS outcomes to the broader financing agenda calling for scaled, sustained investment and stronger monitoring.
Learn more about this COSP Side Event
FfD4: From underinvestment to social justice and growth
At July’s Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, GDF co-organized the side event “Financing for Disability-Inclusive Development: From underinvestment to social justice and growth” with IDA, ONCE Social Group, and IDDC. The event was co-sponsored by Spain, Jordan, and Germany.
Learn more the FfD4 side event
A key outcome of the Conference was the selection of the Inclusive Financing and Monitoring Initiative as part of the Sevilla Platform for Action, aimed at strengthening disability markers and data and integrating disability into domestic public finance and international cooperation.
Learn more about the Initiative
UNGA 80: MATCH TO SCALE: Co-financing for one billion persons with disabilities
In New York during UNGA80 (September), GDF and partners convened “MATCH TO SCALE: Bilateral and foundation co-financing for one billion persons with disabilities” a roundtable designed to move the Sevilla commitments into investable pipelines, aligning public development finance with catalytic philanthropy to protect disability agendas amid ODA pressure.
The event mapped a co-financing model to crowd in climate and private capital, with OPD leadership and country milestones toward the Second World Summit for Social Development, linking disability inclusion to SDG acceleration across multiple UNGA tracks.
Learn more about “Match to Scale” roundtable
World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2)
The Second World Summit for Social Development (4 – 6 November 2025 | Doha, Qatar) provided a crucial platform for global dialogue and collaborative action. GDF actively participated in this unique space to engage in disability rights issues at the highest level to advance social progress.
Besides participation in several sessions, GDF organized three crucial events during the Summit:
From Seville to Doha: Translating Global Commitments into Inclusive Recovery Action: A high-level roundtable focused on inclusive recovery in Ukraine and Palestine, emphasizing co-financing and accessibility in reconstruction efforts.
Learn more about “Seville to Doha” roundtable
From Response to Resilience: Co-hosted with Qatar Fund for Development, this session showcased financing models that link humanitarian response to long-term resilience.
Accelerating Disability Inclusion Across the Three Pillars of Social Development: Addressed poverty eradication, employment, and social inclusion, highlighting the need for systemic reforms and OPD leadership.
COP30: Scaling disability-responsive climate solutions
At COP30 in Belém (10–21 November), GDF partnered with Australia and IDA to spotlight inclusion at the Australia Pavilion, co-hosting “Scaling Disability-Responsive Solutions for a Resilient Future”. The session launched the GDF–DFAT Partnership for Inclusive Climate Action in the Pacific, embedding OPD-led innovation and technical assistance into climate planning and infrastructure.
New training: A Climate-Resilient Future for Everyone
GDF supported the rollout of the virtual training on disability-inclusive climate action, co-developed with OPDs and partners under a UNDP–ILO–OHCHR joint programme with CBM Global, addressing a critical capacity gap and building shared knowledge for practitioners and advocates.
Learn more about the virtual training
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
On 3 December 2025, GDF joined the global observance of IDPD under the theme “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.” Activities included participation in the official UN commemoration and a webinar on disability-inclusive climate action, highlighting collaboration between climate actors and the disability movement.
The day also marked the launch of two key resources:
Launch of E‑learning platform
To reinforce country delivery with accessible learning, GDF launched its e‑learning platform expanding tailored, interactive capacity-building across the Fund’s thematic areas and programme models.
Launch of Global Report
On IDPD, GDF also released its Global Report (2025), building a centralized repository of evidence on what drives systemic change—from OPD leadership and inclusive essential services to accessible infrastructure and resilience—so partners can replicate and scale.
Download the full report to see how GDF and partners are driving solutions for lasting change
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead to 2026, GDF is excited to roll out key flagship initiatives that will drive implementation of our five-year strategy. Building on the work begun in 2025 (Including the launch of the Resilient and Inclusive Cities Initiative and the Inclusive Financing and Monitoring Initiative) we look forward to strengthening collaboration and partnerships to bring these efforts to scale.
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