Disability in developing and post-conflict nations is an understudied and often overlooked area of
development. However, literature indicates that persons with disabilities in developing and postconflict
nations are among the most impoverished, and are a sizable, vulnerable social group facing
immense social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental barriers. The aims of this study are:

• to understand disability in a country specific context
• to examine societal barriers faced by persons with disabilities
• to examine the extent to which existing policies and practices support persons with disabilities
• to identify local and global strategies to increase inclusion in Cambodia and Sierra Leone, with
recommendations potentially applicable to other developing or post-conflict nations
The social model of disability serves as a conceptual framework for this research, as it explores and
addresses larger societal contexts in order to dismantle barriers to inclusion. This desk based study
adopts a comparative case study research design to examine disability in Cambodia and Sierra Leone,
two countries sharing similar recent histories and living conditions for persons with disabilities.
Qualitative research methods were used to collect primary data from local and international
organisations working with persons with disabilities in Cambodia and Sierra Leone. Secondary data,
drawn from existing reports and research, are included to strengthen the study. Study findings reveal a
tendency for the general populations and local governments of both countries to understand disability
through the individual models (medical, religious, and charity), as opposed to the social model or
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) perspectives which are
commonly adopted by academia, and national and international organisations. This disconnect may be
amplifying challenges for persons with disabilities. Furthermore, findings highlight a range of social,
political, economic, cultural, and environmental barriers to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in
both countries. These barriers demonstrate the multidimensional aspects of poverty, and support a
connection between disability, poverty, and conflict. Findings also show that certain social groups with
disabilities face multiple barriers, making them further susceptible to marginalisation. Furthermore, the
majority of services for persons with disabilities focus on physical impairments, excluding a significant
segment of the disabled population and reinforcing a narrow, individual model perception of disability.