Disability and poverty have a clear association. Dr. Kamal Lamichhane told The Povertist, referring to his research in Nepal, when people with disability have at least 9 years of schooling, they are not likely to live in poverty. Education plays a vital role in poverty reduction. Ignoring disability would take the teeth out of the post-2015 agenda toward inclusive development.

“If to achieve development, we need to reduce poverty. If to reduce poverty, we should not forget disability.”

He has published a book ‘Disability, Education and Employment in Developing Countries: From Charity to Investment‘ from Cambridge University Press. There are a number of findings on poverty and disability in several developing countries.

*Kamal Lamichhane, Associate Professor, University of Tsukuba, is a world-leading researcher in disability and development, and the only Nepalese with a visual impairment to earn a PhD.