Office of International Disability Rights Act

Office of International Disability Rights Act

This bill establishes disability inclusion measures at the Department of State, including the creation of the Office of International Disability Rights.

Specifically, the bill establishes the Office of International Disability Rights, which shall coordinate U.S. efforts regarding human rights for people with disabilities and advance the status of people with disabilities in U.S. foreign policy. The bill also requires the State Department to develop and adopt a formal policy for disability inclusion in U.S. foreign assistance programming and disaster response programming.

The State Department must take specified steps to prioritize accessibility practices when hiring, recruiting, and assigning civil service employees and foreign service officers with disabilities. Further, the State Department must ensure that embassies, consulates, and their services are accessible to people with disabilities.

Additionally, the State Department must require mandatory disability inclusion training for all civil service and foreign service personnel, which shall include country-specific and cultural considerations.