Call for Proposals: Inclusion of People with Disabilities

The sixth edition of this call focuses on the inclusion of people with disabilities. This research call aims to close these gaps to effectively address the barriers to social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities in the region.

Objectives

• With this call for research proposals, the IDB Group’s Gender and Diversity Knowledge Initiative, (GDLab) seeks to fund academic studies that provide solid evidence on effective programs and policies to promote the well-being and social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
• Proposals that analyze one or more of the 26 IDB borrowing member countries will be considered. The proposals must apply rigorous quantitative methods that establish causal relationships using structural models or experimental or quasi-experimental evaluations. Proposals that include qualitative analysis will be considered only to the ex- tent that they serve as input for the implementation of quantitative methods. Proposals that generate actionable public policy recommendations for the public sector, private sector, and multilateral organizations are especially welcome.
• The studies funded through this call for proposals will be considered for publication as IDB knowledge products in the working documents series. This publication will require an external peer review process prior to publication in the IDB working paper series. The studies that receive funding are expected to be published in academic journals.

Priority Areas 

• This call seeks research proposals that provide quantitative and rigorous evidence in the following thematic areas:
  • Education
    • Proposals in this area aim to provide causal evidence on interventions that promote real learning opportunities for children and youth with disabilities at all educational levels. In particular, proposals are encouraged to evaluate solutions for promoting inclusive education—for example, through training teachers to educate students with disabilities, providing assistive technology in schools with students with disabilities (such as text-to-speech screen readers or refreshable Braille displays), or the implementation of accessible infrastructure. Proposals are also encouraged to evaluate the causal effects of inclusive education on the educational outcomes and well-being of students with disabilities. This includes evaluating solutions to prevent—and provide support for the victims of—harassment, violence, and discrimination against students with disabilities by their peers without disabilities, administrative staff, or teachers (for example, through staff training programs or the implementation of teaching materials that raise PWD visibility and promote their inclusion).
  • Labor markets
    • Proposals in this area provide causal evidence on interventions designed to reduce bias against workers with disabilities in the workplace. In this regard, it is encouraged the submission of proposals that evaluate the effect of anti-discrimination laws and labor quotas on employment outcomes for PWD, as well as proposals that evaluate the effectiveness of labor subsidies for companies or programs that recognize inclusion by awarding firms’ seals or certificates. Other areas of interest include evaluating workplace support programs, such as personalized on-the-job guidance and support from specialized job coaches or supported employment programs. Also of interest are vocational rehabilitation programs, the provision of assistive technology, or training and skills development programs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), as well as the challenge represented by the development of new technologies adapted to the specific needs of users. Also, more evidence is needed on public and private solutions focused on self-employed workers with disabilities, as well as workers with disabilities in the informal sector.
  • Social protection
    • Proposals in this area may address, among other issues the impact of simplifying processes and reducing barriers related to disability certification and access to disability programs, such as through the implementation of online application systems, expanding office hours, or expanding the geographic coverage of administrative offices handling certifications and applications for disability programs. Proposals examining the effects of disability subsidies, disability insurance and non-contributory transfer programs are also of interest. Additionally, proposals for causal studies that address the effects of personal assistance programs, broader systems of care, as well as the impact of assistive devices (e.g., screen readers, prostheses, smart canes, wheelchairs, etc.) are also encouraged.
  • Health
    • Proposals in this area may focus on the causal evidence of early identification programs for congenital disorders, rehabilitation programs and medical personnel training. Proposals are also encouraged for causal studies to evaluate the effectiveness of sexual and reproductive education programs, as well as programs to prevent, protect and improve care for PWD victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
  • Housing, transportation, and urban development
    • Proposals in this area may evaluate solutions aimed at expanding accessible infrastructure and inclusive delivery of essential services (for example, health clinics, government offices or financial institutions) for the autonomy, well-being, and social and economic inclusion of PWD. This includes addressing transportation barriers that limit the autonomy of PWD and assessing the impact of urban development. Furthermore, proposals examining the accessibility of public and private spaces, as well as government infrastructure and services (including digital services such as accessible emergency lines).
  • Climate change
    • Proposals in this area evaluate the effectiveness of solutions to reduce risks and vulnerability brought on by climate change and to enhance their role as climate action agents with respect to decarbonization and/or resilience to the effects of climate change. In addition, proposals are encouraged to evaluate the effectiveness of solutions that improve opportunities for this population to participate in job opportunities relevant to the transition to a zero-net emissions economy.

Financing Categories

• Category I – Quantitative diagnoses that establish causal relationships. Studies in this category require resources to complement existing funds, or to cover research activities without data collection. Proposals in this category can access a maximum of 20,000 US dollars (USD) and have a maximum of 12 months to complete the study from the signing of the contract.
• Category II – Pilot interventions. Studies in this category require resources to rigorously evaluate the impact of an intervention or pilot program. Proposals in this category can access a maximum of 100,000 US dollars (USD) and have a maximum of 18 months to complete the study from the signing of the contract.

Eligibility Criteria

• Both independent researchers and research teams comprised of entities from the public sector, private sector, universities, or research centers may apply.
• Applicants must meet the following requirements:
  • be a citizen of one of the 48 IDB member countries and not have family members who currently work at the Inter-American Development Bank or IDB Invest (jointly, “IDB Group”) (to the fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including husband or wife).
• Participation of IDB Group specialists in the research teams is encouraged.
• It should be noted that while the specialists may collaborate on the project, they will not be eligible to receive compensation for their contribution.
• The funds will be given exclusively to the members of the research team who are not part of the IDB Group.

For more information, visit IDB.