As we celebrate the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this month, we also reflect on the impact that this powerful law has had throughout the world.
In our 45 years, MIUSA has worked with people from over 135 countries, many of whom traveled to the United States where they experienced firsthand the impact that the ADA has had on the everyday lives of people with disabilities. Many of our alumni and partners were able to meet with some of the disability activists who were instrumental in writing and passing the ADA.
We celebrate these activists, from the U.S. and around the world, as we celebrate the ADA, because we believe that we are all part of a global disability family.
Recently, MIUSA’s inaugural cohort of MIUSA Global Fellows gathered virtually for a dynamic session on Advancing Disability Policy and Legislation. During this session, Fellows shared strategies and lessons that have led to successful passage of disability rights laws in their countries, at the local, provincial, state or national levels. Common threads included:
- Disability community leaders must lead the process.
- Be clear and specific about what you want from the law.
- Engage, learn from and educate the broader disability community, to expand advocacy and support.
- Build relationships, find allies and educate lawmakers and the executive government.
Muhammad Shafiq ur Rehman, a MIUSA Global Fellow from Pakistan, discussed the influence of the ADA and its champions on his organization’s journey to pass a rights-based disability law in the province of Punjab:
“One of the most significant turning points in Milestone’s journey came we had the unique opportunity through MIUSA to meet leaders from the U.S. who had played a role in the development and implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): great leaders like Michael Winter, and my big hero, John Wodatch. I learned from John how to draft [legislation]. I’m not an expert on this; I’m just a very ordinary activist, but from John, I got the idea of how to draft the law and learn the process. Their experiences inspired us and demonstrated that strong disability legislation is achieved through strategic advocacy, partnerships, and persistence.”
Thank you to all of those who worked tirelessly to create the ADA and who keep it alive today. Thank you also to all of our Global Fellows and other disability activists around the world for all of their efforts to make this a more just and equitable world.
