Country Engagement

A woman helps a young girl put on a hearing aid indoors

Country engagement

Enabling access to assistive technology through local leadership.

©UNICEF

ATscale supports country-led action to close the gap between demand and supply for assistive technology and the systems needed to deliver it.

We invest in national plans that are government-led and locally run, with a focus on building stronger, more inclusive assistive technology systems. These plans promote cross-sector coordination and foster collaboration among ministries, service providers, civil society and organizations of persons with disabilities.

Our goal is to create enabling environments – with the right policies, political leadership and sustainable financing in place – so everyone who needs assistive technology can access it.

ATscale’s country engagement approach promotes:

	Government ownership and leadership
	Multi-sectoral coordination
	Inclusive stakeholder partnerships
	Scalable, system-strengthening solutions.

Together, we work to close the gap between demand and supply – ensuring everyone who needs assistive technology can access it.

World map of ATscale supported programmes to date

How we invest in countries

In 2024, ATscale and its trusted partners supported a range of country-level programmes in 22 countries, including three low-income, 12 lower-middle-income, and seven upper-middle-income countries. These programmes fall into two categories:

Foundational support

Short-term investment (12–24 months) for countries in earlier stages of AT programme development.

Foundational support focuses on:

	Raising awareness
	Securing political buy-in
	Building policies foundations
	Strengthening leadership capacity.

^{Farmers with disabilities in Machinga district showcasing carts/trolleys produced from AgriLab with support from the IFAD-funded Programme for Rural Irrigation Development (PRIDE) in collaboration with SPARK Project . Photo credit: ©Procasur}

A woman using a wheelchair works on assembling a wheelchair wheel in a workshop

^{A woman using assistive technology to access work at a factory. Photo credit: ©David Constantine}

Scale-up support

Long-term investment (minimum three years) - Scale-up support helps countries expand access to assistive technology and strengthen systems for lasting impact.

Scale-up support prioritises countries that:

	Understand their needs and system gaps
	Have clear plans for assistive technology
	Show strong government commitment.

Humanitarian support

ATscale works to raise awareness and promote the systematic inclusion of assistive technology in broader humanitarian responses, including through the pre-positioning of essential assistive products. At the request of partners and countries, support focuses on urgent and specific needs – such as the provision of these products in emergency settings – to help ensure immediate access, and address health and protection risks for vulnerable individuals during crises.

^{Watch this short film ATscale and Humanity & Inclusion (HI), highlighting the life-saving impact of assistive technology in humanitarian crises. Also available in French, Spanish and Arabic and audio descriptions on our YouTube channel.}

The countries that have received humanitarian support so far include:
Myanmar | Palestine | Ukraine

Country	Engagement Support	Income Classification	Total population	GNI Per Capital (US$)	AT Unmet Need	Functional domains	Action
Indonesia	Foundational Support	Upper Middle	281.20 Million	4810.00	64.40%	Cross-cutting	Read More
Kenya	Scale-up	Lower Middle	55.30 Million	2115.00	81.60%	Mobility, Vision	Read More
Kiribati	Scale-up	Low Income	0.10 Million	3740.00		Cross-cutting	Read More
Lesotho	Foundational Support	Lower Middle	2.30 Million	1250.00		Cross-cutting	Read More
Federated States of Micronesia	Scale-up	Lower Middle	0.10 Million	4250.00		Cross-cutting	Read More
Mozambique	Foundational Support	Low Income	33.60 Million	540.00		Cross-cutting	Read More
Myanmar	Humanitarian	Lower Middle	54.50 Million	1220.00	72.30%	Mobility, Self-care	Read More
Nepal	Foundational Support	Lower Middle	26.70 Million	1430.00	66.80%	Cross-cutting	Read More
Palestine - Gaza	Humanitarian	Lower Middle	5.20 Million			Mobility	Read More