The Disability Federation of Ireland will launch a resource to support disabled people to influence the development and delivery of policies and services that affect their lives.
It has been designed in line with Ireland's commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ensuring that disabled people participate in public life.
The Self-Advocacy Toolkit, co-designed with disabled people, provides "a suite of resources" to support individuals and organisations to build and sustain self-advocacy.
The federation says it has been piloted by self-advocates and frontline workers from two member organisations across five regions to ensure relevance and usability.
DRI Chief Executive Elaine Teague has described it as a significant milestone in efforts to embed the voices of disabled people in Ireland’s policy-making processes.
"It supports people to speak up, be heard, and help shape a society that reflects their lived experiences," she said.
Ms Teague said people advocating for themselves will help create a more "inclusive and accountable policy environment", where decisions are shaped by those impacted.
