FOR more than four decades, disability inclusion has gained visibility across the world. We have seen a rise in plans, committees, awareness days, events and training sessions. These have created the appearance of progress, yet an uncomfortable truth remains: activity has never been the same as impact.
Since the international decade for persons with disabilities was first declared, most initiatives have centred on rehabilitation and physical accessibility. These are essential achievements, but they represent only part of the picture. Curative measures for children with disabilities remain underdeveloped, while preventive work is almost entirely absent. Without stronger focus on both, inclusion will always be incomplete. Reducing pain and preventing disability are as crucial as ensuring access to buildings, services and opportunities.
Despite genuine intentions, the lived experiences of persons with disabilities have not improved in the ways that matter most. Organisational cultures remain largely unchanged. Decision-making processes stay concentrated in the same hands. Accountability mechanisms often lack force. Meanwhile, the voices of disabled people are too frequently sidelined. This stagnation does not arise from indifference but from a persistent misalignment in how progress is measured. Too many organisations record what they have done rather than what has changed. Real progress must be defined by tangible shifts in culture, influence and lived experience, not by the volume of initiatives undertaken.
For far too long, discussions on disability inclusion have been dominated by descriptions of activity: the number of events hosted, the committees formed, the policies drafted, the awareness campaigns launched. These efforts demonstrate commitment, but they rarely lead to meaningful change. Inclusion cannot be measured by how busy an organisation appears; it must be measured by how deeply the lives of disabled people are improved.
True inclusion is felt in workplaces where individuals can disclose their disabilities without fear of stigma or professional disadvantage. It exists where recruitment and career progression are genuinely accessible, where adjustments are provided quickly and as a matter of course, and where inclusion committees possess real influence rather than symbolic presence. It is present when leadership models inclusive behaviour in everyday practice, and when disabled colleagues know that their perspectives are heard, valued and acted upon. Such changes cannot be captured by activity alone, they are revealed only through experience and evidence.
The future of inclusion depends on a shift from simply doing to meaningfully developing. Organisations that lead in this space will be those willing to ask harder questions: What has changed? What outcomes are visible? How do we know that our efforts are working? Without the courage to confront these questions, inclusion work risks becoming a cycle of action followed by hope, only to be repeated without improvement. When evidence enters the process, that cycle becomes action followed by insight and genuine progress.
As we look towards 2026, a year likely to be marked by social and political turbulence across the globe, it becomes even more urgent that disability inclusion is not relegated in the face of competing crises. It is precisely in uncertain times that the rights, dignity and participation of persons with disabilities must be strengthened, not side-lined. The organisations that demonstrate leadership in the years ahead will not be those that produce the longest lists of activities, but those that articulate a clear vision of what they intend to achieve, what they are prepared to change, and who they hold themselves accountable to.
Sustained progress will depend on commitments that can be measured and tracked, on environments shaped by genuine need rather than mere compliance and on a deeper alignment with global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals. Above all, it will require clear insight into why particular initiatives succeed while others fail, fostering cultures of learning, responsibility and continuous improvement.
As the world moves through uncertainty, disability inclusion must stand as a pillar of resilience and justice. It is no longer enough to organise events or draft policies. We must be able to demonstrate evidence of meaningful change in the everyday lives of persons with disabilities. The future will belong to societies and institutions that restore dignity, strengthen rights and refuse to leave anyone behind.
To build a society worthy of belonging, we must create environments where every human being is met with dignity and justice, never one where anyone is made to feel diminished or excluded from the common stream of life. On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we are reminded that inclusion is not measured by the number of activities undertaken, but by the depth of change brought into people’s lives. Those who prove impact, restore dignity and ensure that every voice is heard will shape the path ahead.
Md Shahidul Haque is founder of Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Physically Vulnerable.
