However I just can't understand how such a statement can be valid when it
fails to recognise that there is no such a thing as a person with a
disability, as disability is not a thing to be possessed but an act of
dispossession. Much though the statement is to be welcomed, in its use of
the English language it encapsulates a set of attitudes to be combated.
Do the various translations of this statement also contain the equivalent of
so called people first language? Or just a portion of them, that in itself
would be an interesting revelation.
The adopting of the language in itself probably betrays a whole structure of
power relationships in negotiation, a very discourse of cultural
imperialism. Any comments?
Where can I find this statement in other languages to get some sense of
comparison as to how it is expressed in them?
Larry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:DISABILITY-
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Frank Hall-Bentick
> Sent: 02 February 2010 21:37
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: DPI adopts Disability Promotion, Community Awareness, Media
Reporting, Fund
> Raising, Marketing & Communication strategies Policy Statement
>
> In November 2009 Disabled Peoples' International www.dpi.org adopted a
> Disability Promotion, Community Awareness, Media Reporting, Fund Raising,
Marketing
> & Communication strategies Policy Statement
> 1. Introduction
>
>
>
> 1.1 Disabled Peoples' International (DPI) is a human rights organization
and the peak
> international cross disability organization of people with disability.
>
>
>
> 1.2 This Policy Statement reflects our concern that fundraising, community
education,
> awareness campaigns, media reporting, health campaigns, marketing &
communications
> strategies around the world, have not always depicted people with
disability in a manner
> that is positive, dignified and respectful. Too often, these practices
have focused on the
> negative impact in people's lives, rather than the restrictive
environmental and social
> barriers people face.
>
>
>
> 1.3 We require all agencies, organizations, media and governments to
uphold the principles
> of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to
overcome
> discrimination and negative cultural and ethnic beliefs and practices, and
educate the
> community by providing information and depicting people with disabilities
in a manner
> which promotes positive images by focusing on opportunity, independence,
empowerment,
> achievement and respecting human rights.
>
>
>
> 1.4 We affirm that as mandated in the CRPD, all people with disabilities
have the same
> rights as others to be regarded with utmost respect and treated with
dignity.
>
>
>
> 2. Principles
>
>
>
> 2.1 People with disabilities are individuals who have the same rights as
other people and
> who may have specific needs as a result of their disability and who may
not have the
> resources to meet their own needs. Governments at all levels, National,
State and Local
> must ensure the allocation of resources to address the specific needs of
people with
> disabilities regardless of age, race, sexuality or religion.
>
>
>
> 2.2 The human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people with
disabilities are sacred
> and must not be compromised in any way in fundraising, media reporting,
marketing or
> community education projects. These rights include:
>
> 1.. the right to community understanding and acceptance of their
individual situation and
> differences as part of human diversity. The United Nations, governments
and non-
> governmental organizations, including disability, academic, scientific and
medical
> organizations, must use the human rights model of disability, abandoning
all concepts of
> the medical or charity models.
> 2.. the right to be recognized and valued as equal members of the
community,
> 3.. the right to have their contributions to society recognized and
valued, and
> 4.. the right of informed consent regarding involvement in any
fundraising, marketing or
> community education project.
> 3. Policy Actions
>
>
>
> 3.1 These principles should govern the practices of any organization
reporting news,
> raising awareness, providing services or raising funds for people with
disability around the
> world. As the peak cross disability international organization of people
with disability,
> DPI calls upon organisations, agencies, media and governments, to ensure
that news
> reporting, fundraising or community education undertaken about people with
disability
> accords with the above principles.
>
>
>
> 3.2 We call upon individuals, employees, staff, organisations, agencies
and media to:
>
>
>
> a. monitor the news reporting, awareness campaigns, fundraising
practices and policies
> of agencies, organisations, governments and media and if they break these
principles to
> publicly speak out against these practices.
>
>
>
> 3.3 We call upon agencies, organisations, governments and media to:
>
> 1.. ensure that their media reporting, awareness campaigns and/or
fundraising practices
> honor the principles set out in this statement and the CRPD.
> 2.. ensure that all practices are age appropriate to the people with
disability directly
> affected. Where an agency or organization provides services to, or
represents a wide age
> range their general portrayal of people with disability must be balanced
to reflect positive
> images of all those people with disability (i.e. images of children should
only be used to
> the percentage they are provided services and not be used to represent
adults).
> 3.. ensure photographic exhibitions do not dwell on tragedy and are
balanced with
> positive images of how people with disabilities are contributing to their
communities.
> 4.. ensure people with disabilities are involved in every aspect of
these activities as equal
> partners.
> 5.. ensure only people with disabilities be used to portray people with
disabilities in these
> events.
> 6.. enable and resource consumer reference groups that will monitor the
development and
> implementation of fundraising, community awareness, media campaigns by
agencies and
> government according to this policy.
> 7.. ensure that "competition" between agencies to secure what they see
as an appropriate
> "slice of the cake" is not detrimental to those whose needs are to be
served, or to other
> agencies working in similar or related areas.
> 8.. prepare and present all fundraising, promotional or educational
material in such a way
> that it reinforces full human rights and promotes the basic truth that
"people with disability
> regardless of cultural background are individuals with the same right to
dignity, respect
> and opportunity as all other members of society".
> 9.. ensure all fundraising, promotional, educational and media material
reinforces the
> immense cultural and linguistic diversity of people with disability around
the world.
> 10.. implement an accessible, informed consent strategy that enables
individuals, families
> or groups to make an informed decision about their involvement in each
specific project.
> 11.. recognize and address the need to break down the myths,
misconceptions and
> negative images regarding people with disability held by the community.
> 12.. ensure strategies are in place for people using minority languages
to reflect positive
> images of people with disability.
> 13.. accept the challenge to enhance community perceptions of people
with disability and
> their contribution to society.
> 14.. avoid negative, pitiful and patronizing wording, etc.
> 15.. ensure consultations and prior consent are made with the peak
disability body via
> DPI and our National Assemblies regarding correct description of the
disability.
> 16.. provide appropriate and accessible format of promotional or
educational materials
> relating to persons with disabilities.
> 17.. Ensure the issues raised in this policy paper are part of the
curricula of schools
> teaching marketing and advertising.
>
> November 2009
>
> http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/details.php?page=991
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Frank Hall-Bentick
>
> www.hallbentick.net
>
> www.adipef.org.au
>
> for Australian Indigenous Arts & Crafts go to www.tiwidesign.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________End of message________________
>
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