07/09/2025
SDG 3 and Disability ♿
The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 aims to “Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-being for All at All Ages”.
The goal of SDG 3 is to guarantee universal access to quality health , reduce preventable deaths, and promote mental and physical well-being for everyone. For persons with disabilities (PWDs), this goal is particularly significant because they often face systemic barriers in accessing , rehabilitation, and wellness services.
📌 Disability and Health – The Link
1. Higher Health Risks:- Persons with often experience poorer health outcomes due to lack of timely care, inaccessible services, and poverty-related conditions.
2. Barriers to Access:- Physical barriers (inaccessible hospitals, lack of assistive devices), barriers (absence of sign language interpreters, inaccessible information), and attitudinal (discrimination and stigma in healthcare settings).
3. Financial Barriers:- PWDs are more likely to live in poverty and may not afford healthcare, medication, or .
4. Intersection with Other SDGs:- Poor health outcomes also limit (SDG 4), employment (SDG 8), and participation in society (SDG 10 & 16).
📌 Disability Inclusion in SDG 3 Targets
Some key SDG 3 targets directly relate to disability inclusion:
Target 3.4: Reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health and well-being – critical for who are more vulnerable to chronic illnesses and mental health challenges.
Target 3.7: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive services – many PWDs, especially women, are excluded from these services.
Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial protection, access to essential health-care services, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines – ensuring UHC is inclusive of PWDs is key.
Target 3.c: Substantially increase health financing and recruitment, development, training, and retention of the health workforce – training must include disability and inclusive practices.
📌 How Disability Inclusion Strengthens SDG 3
1. Inclusive Health Services:- Ensure , clinics, and pharmacies are physically accessible, provide disability-friendly services, and accommodate different needs.
2. Accessible Information:- Provide health education, awareness campaigns, and service in braille, large print, easy-to-read formats, and sign language.
3. Capacity Building for Health Workers:- Train health professionals on disability , inclusive care, and non-discrimination.
4. Assistive Technology & Rehabilitation:- Ensure to wheelchairs, hearing aids, prosthetics, therapy, and rehabilitation centers.
5. Data Disaggregation:- Collect health disaggregated by disability to monitor gaps and progress.
6. Mental Health Support:- Prioritize psychosocial support, counseling, and community-based rehabilitation .
📌 Key Message
Without disability , SDG 3 cannot be fully achieved. Ensuring persons with disabilities have equal access to healthcare and well-being services is not just a health issue but also a matter of human rights, equity, and sustainable .
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Global Disability Innovation Hub Disability Not A Barrier Initiative Disability Rights Fund British Council Nigeria Sightsavers JonapwdNational DRP Initiative Billion-Strong Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) National Commission for Persons with Disabilities- NCPWD, Nigeria Disability Rights Advocacy Center - DRAC Inclusive Friends Association Humanity & Inclusion US DFID Nigeria Global Goals for Sustainable Development Jobberman Nigeria UN Sustainable Development Platform KANO CIVIL Society FORUM Kano Network of NGOs - KANET Disability:IN International Disability Alliance Skill Acquisition Institute for People with Disabilities African Clean Up Initiative African Clean Up Initiative - Abuja Chapter
