The Global Disability Fund (GDF) is proud to announce its bold new Strategy 2025–2030, marking a major step forward in the global effort to advance disability inclusion.
Building on more than a decade of experience and impact, the new strategy raises GDF’s ambition from supporting pilot initiatives to driving systemic transformation worldwide.
As the only UN global fund dedicated to the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), GDF’s vision is clear: a world where every person with disabilities enjoys full and equitable participation in society, with their rights promoted, protected and fulfilled.
Responding to urgent global challenges
Despite progress, persons with disabilities continue to be excluded from essential services, opportunities, and decision-making. Climate change, conflict, and widening inequalities deepen this marginalization.
To address these challenges, GDF places disability inclusion at the center of sustainable development, humanitarian response, and climate action, ensuring no one is left behind.
Five strategic goals
At the heart of the strategy are five goals that will drive systemic change:
- OPDs Leading the Change – placing organizations of persons with disabilities at the forefront of systemic transformation.
- Essential Services – expanding equitable access to health, education, urban services and gender-based violence prevention and response.
- Accessibility – advancing inclusive infrastructure, transport, information and digital platforms.
- Support & Protection – strengthening inclusive care, protection and gender-based violence services.
- Resilience – ensuring inclusive preparedness and response to crises, conflicts and climate change.
How the strategy will be implemented
GDF will use three engagement models to deliver on these goals:
- Response & Entry Programmes for immediate humanitarian emergencies, short term policy reform and to incubate new solutions
- Transformative Programmes to identify systemic issues and shift how systems operate at scales
- Acceleration Programmes to scale innovations forward from proof-of-concept on practices and financing solutions
All programmes will align with GDF’s four pathways of change, connected to the Inclusion Catalyst Hub, a global platform driving OPD leadership, innovation, financing, and knowledge sharing. These pathways include:
- transforming practices,
- building strong partnerships,
- embedding inclusion into policies and financing, and
- co-creating knowledge and learning.
Ambition for 2030
By the end of the strategy period, GDF aims to:
- Operate in more than 100 countries,
- Deliver 85 national and regional programmes,
- Reach 300 million persons with disabilities directly and 1 billion indirectly.
This ambitious vision can only be realized through collective action, uniting OPDs, governments, UN agencies, civil society, the private sector and donors.
Together, we can close the gap and ensure that persons with disabilities are not only included but are leaders of a more inclusive, resilient and equitable world.
For full details, please download the Global Disability Fund Strategy 2025–2030 (PDF).
