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Knowledge Hub

Disability, Diversity & Inclusion

Disability, Diversity and Inclusion are central to the realization of the Mastercard Foundation’s vision and mission. It is reflected in the Foundation’s strategy, Young Africa Works, which will enable 30 million youth, particularly women, to obtain dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. The Mastercard Foundation seeks a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. Creating an accessible and inclusive world must be driven by young people with different and unique lived experiences – youth with disabilities, refugees and displaced youth – who face systemic barriers to accessing education and employment. We believe it is the transformative leadership of these youth and their unique skills and insights that will disrupt systemic barriers and shape a vibrant and inclusive future of work.

Key Initiatives in the Disability, Diversity & Inclusion Space

Disability-Inclusive Education and Employment: Report Series

Recognizing that meaningful inclusion for young people with disabilities starts with listening and learning, the Mastercard Foundation developed a research program to map the policy landscape and to hear directly from young people with disabilities.

Two report series have been developed, covering the Mastercard Foundation’s seven countries of focus – the first on the context, the second elevating youth voices.

Read Report Series: Phase One

Read Report Series: Phase Two

Video: Disability Inclusive Education and Employment - Understanding Youth Experiences and Aspirations

Created by researchers from the Uganda Research Unit and the International Centre for Evidence in Disability at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, in partnership with young people with disabilities and the Mastercard Foundation, this short film shows what dignified, fulfilling work looks like and means for youth with disabilities in Uganda and Ghana.

Watch the Short Film Now

Light For the World and Mastercard Foundation Partner to Enable Youth Employment for Young Africans with Disabilities

The new initiative, We Can Work, will enable young women and men with disabilities in 7 countries to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.

New Report: Platform Livelihoods For Kenyan Youth With Disabilities

Conducted by inABLE and Technoprise Global in partnership with Caribou Digital and the Mastercard Foundation, this report documents the initial survey of 148 research participants, followed by 86 focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, exploring how young Kenyans are leveraging social media for selling goods and services.

Read the report

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

December 3 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). On this day, we celebrate the Foundation’s work on improving access to higher education and employment for young people with disabilities. 

Learn More about IDPD

Youth Changemakers Leading the Conversation on Disability Inclusion

The Mastercard Foundation prioritizes elevating the voices of all youth, including the voices of young people with disabilities.

Recently, the Foundation hosted a roundtable aimed at elevating the voices of young people with disabilities—all of whom are working to drive innovative change in their communities.

In Africa, people with disabilities make up over 80 million of the continent’s population. They’re twice as likely to be unemployed than their counterparts without disabilities. Additionally, the unemployment rate and barriers to dignified and fulfilling work are even higher for women with disabilities.

Learn More

Innovation for Inclusion Video

Watch the stories of five incredible youths that have recognized a need within their community and are creating positive change. Here are five leaders innovating for inclusion.

Watch Now

Articles and Resources

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