A/HRC/31/62 will result in greater efficiency and a more equitable use of resources, leading to improved outcomes for persons with disabilities and their communities. 27. An inclusive society is one that values and celebrates diversity and recognizes that individuals with different experiences, talents and viewpoints bring new ideas and solutions. By bringing complementary and diverse perspectives, persons with disabilities can make a significant contribution to policymaking and decision-making, foster opportunities for innovation and efficiency, and better reflect the diverse demands of citizens. States that encourage the active participation of all their citizens, including persons with disabilities, are more likely to reduce tensions and thus increase social cohesion.20 2. Participation for agency and empowerment 28. Participation in itself can be a transformative tool for social change. Efforts to actively involve persons with disabilities in decision-making processes are important not only because they result in better decisions and more efficient outcomes, but also because they promote agency and empowerment. Through participation, citizens become more involved in public decisions and more informed about how policymaking works and how they can contribute to it. When persons with disabilities get involved in public decisionmaking, they develop advocacy and negotiation skills that enable them to better express their views and realize their aspirations. The more that persons with disabilities participate in such processes, the stronger their voices become. Indeed, an increase in social capital is strongly linked to an increase in participation.21 29. The effective and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities can also promote a sense of ownership.22 Ownership among citizens should not be interpreted narrowly or underestimated, as it reinforces public acceptance and the successful implementation of public policy. Effective participation of persons with disabilities in all stages of policymaking will develop their sense of ownership and responsibility vis-à-vis public decisions and can reinforce the interest of administrations in decision-making driven by public preference.23 Accordingly, such participation may contribute to enhanced public trust and reduced opposition to governments’ decisions. Disability groups would also have the opportunity to develop a closer relationship with decision makers and policymakers and to influence the advocacy of other groups. 30. The participation of persons with disabilities can further enhance their sense of pride, as traditionally they have been either excluded from decision-making processes or included in a way that has not enabled their effective and meaningful engagement. The invisibility of persons with disabilities in public decision-making reinforces misperceptions towards them and, ultimately, contributes to a lack of awareness of their capabilities and rights as equal members of democratic societies. Their meaningful participation fosters respect and support for diversity in society, breaking down stereotypes and strengthening their identity as a group. 31. As persons with disabilities constitute at least 15 per cent of the global population, which equates to 1 billion people,24 their participation in the implementation of policies and programmes can have a profound effect on societies. Their ability to actively participate in the labour market, education, family life, leisure, culture and sport on an equal basis with 20 21 22 23 24 See http://archivo.cepal.org/pdfs/2007/S0700669.pdf (in Spanish). See http://cprn3.library.carleton.ca/documents/12949_en.pdf. See www.msucommunitydevelopment.org/pubs/paul/ Lachapelle%202008%20Ownership%20JCDS.pdf. See http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iap2.org/resource/resmgr/imported/Journal_Issue1_Irving.pdf. World Health Organization, World Report on Disability (2011), p. 29. 9