IPA team at the 2026 WDRC (World Disability and Rehabilitation Conference) 2026

Inclusive Practices Africa (IPA) UCT is an academic partner for the 11th World Disability and Rehabilitation Conference (WDRC) 2026, taking place in Bali, Indonesia, on 10–11 August 2026. IPA advances disability inclusion through research, advocacy, education, and community engagement, working with persons with disabilities, communities, and partners to co-develop innovative, evidence-informed solutions that reduce inequity and promote participation. Its work challenges barriers to inclusion and influences policy, practice, and societal attitudes to create more inclusive communities. IPA’s work thus aligns with the intention of WDRC 2026, which seeks to bring together educators, researchers, policymakers, activists, and industry professionals to discuss advancing disability rights and inclusive rehabilitation practices worldwide, as well as evidence-based policymaking. This year’s conference theme is The Sustainable Advantage: Human Relations, Technology, and Mental Health for Disability Inclusion. The Research Director of IPA, Professor Harsha Kathard, has been invited as a guest speaker, and her address will focus on Disability Inclusion as a Pathway to Health Equity; Implications for Research, Practice and Education. Several other UCT colleagues and IPA members will attend and showcase their research at this year’s 11th WDRC.

IPA members presenting at the WDRC

Prof Harsha Kathard
Title of presentation: Disability Inclusion as a Pathway to Health Equity; Implications for Research, Practice and Education

Prof Roshan Galvaan (IPA co-director) and Dr Kristen Abrahams 
Title of presentation: Exploring the Contribution of Community-Based Inclusive Development to Support Youth with Disabilities in Marginalized Contexts

Dr Unati Stemela-Zali
Title of presentation: Communication Barriers and Career Construction: Lived Experiences of Hearing Parents Supporting Deaf Learners in Rural South Africa

Mrs Sumaya Gabriels 
Title of presentation: Building the Mid-Level Rehabilitation Workforce: Graduate Experiences from the Higher Certificate in Disability Practice

Dr Nafisa Mayat
Title of presentation: Minimal Inclusion, Mostly Exclusion: Understanding the Experience of Disability Inclusion in the Muslim Ummah (Community) in South Africa