At the Global Disability Summit 2025, the UN Global Disability Fund (GDF) convened a high-level roundtable that underscored a critical shift in the global disability inclusion agenda: from making commitments to delivering results on the ground.
The event brought together 42 ministers and senior representatives from programme and donor countries, and key stakeholders from organizations of persons with disabilities to explore how GDF’s new strategic direction can empower governments to turn national disability pledges into real, local change.
Dr. Ola Abualghaib, Director of GDF, opened the session by unveiling the Fund’s new strategic direction, which address the needs of persons with disabilities through integrated programming, innovative approaches, policy influence, knowledge generation and strong partnerships. She also announced GDF’s ambitious 2025–2030 targets:
- Operational presence in an additional 50 countries
- Direct impact on 4 million people
- Indirect policy impact on 350 million people
Country representatives offered grounded insights on the challenges and opportunities of advancing disability inclusion at the local level. Common themes emerged: the urgent need for inclusive disaster response systems, stronger OPD leadership in programme design, and sustained investment to mainstream disability in development and humanitarian initiatives.
Donor countries welcomed the new direction, noting its alignment with their own priorities. They expressed strong support for GDF’s leadership and pledged continued financial and strategic backing, emphasizing the importance of coordinated action across sectors and stakeholders.
Representatives from the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) endorsed the strategy’s focus on OPD participation and committed to deeper collaboration with GDF moving forward.
For more information about the discussions and conclusions of this high-level roundtable, including the full list of participants, please download the summary report.