Empowering youth with disabilities through community-based approaches: a scoping review protocol on livelihood and...

Youth with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face persistent exclusion from education, employment and social participation. Those affected by leprosy often experience additional stigma, discrimination and structural barriers that further restrict empowerment, livelihood opportunities and social inclusion. Community-based approaches, including Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and Community-Based Inclusive Development, aim to promote inclusion by empowering individuals and addressing barriers. However, evidence on how these approaches contribute to empowerment, livelihood development and social inclusion among youth with disabilities remains fragmented. This scoping review aims to map and synthesise evidence on community-based approaches that support empowerment, livelihood development and social inclusion among youth with disabilities including those affected by leprosy in LMICs.

This scoping review has been developed in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodological framework for scoping reviews and is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines for review protocols. The protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/QG6UD). The literature search was conducted between April and June 2026. The completed scoping review will be reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines.The review is primarily informed by the WHO CBR Guidelines, which provide the conceptual and analytical framework for examining community-based disability inclusion, livelihood development, empowerment, participation and social inclusion. Critical Disability Studies will serve as a complementary interpretive lens to examine structural inequalities, power relations, stigma, discrimination and the broader social barriers influencing the experiences and participation of youth with disabilities.Eligible studies will include youth aged 15-35 years with physical, sensory, intellectual or psychosocial disabilities in LMICs, including disability associated with leprosy where reported. Peer-reviewed and grey literature published in English between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2026 will be searched in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ERIC and relevant organisational grey literature repositories.Data will be synthesised using a hybrid deductive-inductive thematic analysis, with deductive coding guided by the CBR Guidelines and Critical Disability Studies, and inductive coding used to identify emerging themes. NVivo V.15 software will support data management and analysis.

Ethical approval is not required, as this study involves secondary analysis of publicly available literature. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, policy briefs and stakeholders' engagement.