Paper short abstract:

This study explores how migrants from Africa and Asia adjust their views on disability after experiencing more inclusive policies in the UK. Findings aim to promote cross-cultural dialogue and support enhanced disability inclusion in both the UK and Commonwealth nations.

Paper long abstract:

In recent years, the UK has seen a significant influx of legal migrants from Commonwealth countries in Africa and Asia. Many of these migrants have experienced disability services in their home countries as charitable rather than as rights, leading to stigma that hinders access to education, employment, and social participation for people with disabilities (PWDs). Transitioning to the UK presents new opportunities for understanding disability and inclusion. However, little research has explored how migrants' views on disability may shift when they encounter better institutional inclusion frameworks in industrialised societies. This study investigates how these new experiences influence migrants' perceptions of disability and PWDs and how this might contribute to advocacy for enhanced inclusion and accessibility in their home countries. This study will look at how migrants from Asia and Africa feel about disability in the UK by using focus groups and surveys to find out what they already think and how disability policies in the UK have changed their views. Findings from this study seek to promote cross-cultural dialogue that can enhance equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives in both the UK and Commonwealth nations, challenging stigma and advocating for more inclusive practices.