Blueprint for Social Change: Shaping an Impact-Based Strategy - Case Study 2002 – 2020

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people with disabilities:

People with disabilities are the largest minority group in the world, 20 percent of the population, i.e., almost a billion people; People with disabilities encounter a lot of prejudice and stereotypes, and they are underrepresented in all areas of life, including education, employment, housing and community life, even compared to other excluded populations; Inclusion is not perceived as a social justice and human rights issue, but rather as a matter of charity and compassion. The voices of people with disabilities are rarely heard and their needs are marginalized; Decision-makers, professionals and the public are swayed by preconceived notions regarding people with disabilities. This manifests itself in the quality of services they received, attempts to meet their needs and available resources; Because the issue of inclusion encompasses many populations, people with disabilities are liable to face obstacles and serious discrimination, as they may belong to several excluded groups based on gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc.. The issue of inclusion is a wide scope issue and touches upon all areas of life and all types of population. Considering all these factors, the Foundation decided to focus on inclusion and expanded its activity in this area. A few years later, a grandchild with a disability was born into the Ruderman family. This was a sign for the family to continue working diligently to further the rights of people with disabilities and to ensure that our society became more just and fairer to all its members. At first, the Foundation was active only within the Jewish community but, with time, it realized that inclusion has to do with the intrinsic rights of all human beings, and that the mission was a critical one that could not wait. It, therefore, adopted a global perspective, expanding its activity to include other countries and audiences.