The care economy is getting more attention worldwide, but that attention doesn’t always include people with disabilities. UNESCAP and UN Womengave this disability care innovation award to the Center for Inclusive Policy (CIP). It recognises CIP’s work to close that gap.
What Was the Award For?
The award organisers named CIP among the “Care Innovators.” This category honours initiatives that have introduced new practices or approaches to care delivery. Other organisations across the region can study and adapt this work. The recognition specifically acknowledged CIP’s efforts to bring a disability-inclusive lens into care policy design. CIP Senior Advisor Meenakshi Balasubramanian traveled to Bangkok to accept the recognition on the organisation’s behalf. She also delivered remarks at the ceremony.
Who Organised the Award?
UNESCAP is the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. It works alongside UN Women to support governments across the region on social and economic policy. This includes the growing push to formalise and better resource care systems. Recognising organisations like CIP forms part of a broader regional effort to highlight practical models for care reform. These models help move the conversation beyond principles.
What CIP’s Remarks Focused On
In her remarks, Balasubramanian pointed to a recurring problem. Global conversations about care too often overlook the needs and rights of people with disabilities. This produces systems that don’t actually support their autonomy or independence. She argued that the current surge of interest in care policy offers a real opportunity. To realise it, support systems must account for gender, age, and disability from the outset, rather than incorporate them retroactively.
Why This Connects to Social Protection
CIP’s recognition ties directly into its wider policy work, where care and social protection are treated as linked systems rather than separate issues. Disability-inclusive care design affects who qualifies for support, how much support they receive, and whether social protection systems account for the extra costs and needs that come with disability, questions CIP has examined in its research across multiple countries, from Indonesia to Malawi to Colombia.
What Comes Next for CIP’s Care Work
Looking ahead, CIP plans to keep working with governments, care workers, persons with disabilities, and other stakeholders. Together, they will push disability-inclusive reforms and build more comprehensive support systems. Data was a recurring theme in Balasubramanian’s remarks. CIP is working to strengthen disability data collection so that care budgets reflect actual need, rather than assumptions. This work also aims to include the most marginalized people with disabilities in the numbers that shape policy. CIP will continue creating platforms where organisations across regions can exchange best practices. These platforms will help them drive innovation in care and support systems together.
About the Recognition
UNESCAP and UN Women presented the Champion Award at a regional ceremony. The ceremony honoured organisations advancing the care agenda across Asia and the Pacific. CIP joined several honourees across different award categories, acknowledging their contributions to care policy and delivery.
