Disability Inclusive Youth (DIY) research: an innovative and co-creative programme to improve inclusion of children and youth with disabilities in health research in East Africa

Young people with disabilities are rarely included in research, yet 75% of the East African population is under 30 years old and an estimated 15% have a disability. Without including young persons with disabilities in designing and implementing health research, we will not achieve global development goals. This programme will forge a novel participatory approach to include children and youth with disabilities in health research in East Africa. I will foster and expand my network and build the research capacity of 12 youth with disabilities in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda and partner universities to explore the barriers and facilitators to disability inclusive health research. The youth researchers will interview leading health researchers, key health stakeholders, government and research organisations, health service providers and children and youth with disabilities. Together with the youth I will establish recommendations to make health research more inclusive of children and youth with disabilities. I will establish myself as a regional research lead on innovative disability inclusive health research. I will encourage and facilitate youth led knowledge sharing and awareness raising in partnership with disabled persons organizations and contribute to disability inclusive health care and the creation of a decolonized, equitable, diverse, and inclusive research community.