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From: "Dspd Enable" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2010 8:39 AM
Subject: United Nations Enable Newsletter, October 2010
ENABLE NEWSLETTER
October 2010
The Enable Newsletter is prepared by the Secretariat for the Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (SCRPD) at the United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Input has been received
from UN offices, agencies, funds and programmes, as well as from civil
society. It is also available on-line at: http://www.un.org/disabilities.
In this issue:
§ Status of the Convention
§ Highlights
§ Upcoming events
§ Other news
STATUS OF THE CONVENTION (UNCRPD)
95 ratifications of the Convention
147 signatories to the Convention
Optional Protocol to the Convention
58 ratifications of the Optional Protocol
90 signatories to the Optional Protocol
Recent signatures and ratifications:
Sierra Leone ratified the Convention on 4 October 2010.
HIGHLIGHTS
IASG-UNDG Guidance Note on Disability for UN Country Teams
The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) endorsed the “Guidance Note on
including the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in UN programming at
Country Level” on 6 October 2010. The guidance note was developed by the
United Nations Inter-Agency Support Group for the Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities (IASG) to support UN country level engagement
in the implementation of the UNCRPD. The Guidance Note is intended to
facilitate the inclusion of disability issues in the common country
assessments (CCA) process through the design and implementation of the
United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), as well as through
individual agencies in their areas of work. More information: Guidance
note:
http://www.undg.org/docs/11534/Disability---Guidance-note-for-UN-Country-Teams.pdf
; Guidance note annexes:
http://www.undg.org/docs/11534/Disability---GN-Annexes.pdf. The published
version of the Guidance Note will be issued, shortly.
New draft resolution on realizing the MDGs
The Third Committee of the General Assembly deliberated and negotiated a
draft resolution on “Realizing the Millennium Development Goals for Persons
with Disabilities toward 2015 and beyond”, which will be presented to the
General Assembly for adoption, shortly. The resolution will work to promote
mainstreaming disability in the MDGs, encourage greater
disability-inclusive international cooperation and enable further
participation of persons with disabilities in development processes. The
resolution also urges Governments and the UN system to strengthen data
collection and statistics on disability. Furthermore, the resolution
requests the Secretary-General to improve accessibility and the inclusion
of persons with disability within the UN Secretariat. The final resolution
will be posted on the SCRPD website when adopted.
DESA – First meeting of the UN Secretariat-wide task team on accessibility
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) co-chaired the
first meeting of the Inter-Departmental Task Team on Accessibility along
with the Department of General Assembly and Conference Management.
Representatives from UN Secretariat offices with accessibility-related
functions met to discuss the development of a United Nations Secretariat
accessible to all: delegates, visitors, staff and others. The Team will
draft their Terms of Reference to further develop a coherent UN
Secretariat-wide accessibility policy, as well as consider provisions for
accessibility in the 2012-2013 UN budget-cycle.
DESA – Discussion on women with disabilities, peace and development
On 20 October 2010, the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities (SCRPD) of the UN Department of Economic and
Social Affairs (DESA) in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Mexico
and the Permanent Mission of Liechtenstein, held a panel discussion at UN
Headquarters entitled “Our Forgotten Sisters: Women and Leadership in Peace
and Development”. The event commemorated the 10th anniversary of UN
Security Council Resolution 1325. The discussions highlighted the role of
women with disabilities in promoting peace and development, particularly in
post-conflict situations. Panelists included representatives from Blue Law
International, Human Rights Watch, Women’s Refugee Commission, the Global
Partnership for Disability and Development and the Office of the Special
Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women
(OSAGI). The speakers shared evocative stories to urge for the inclusion of
women with disabilities in reconstruction and peace-building efforts. More
information:
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?navid=13&pid=1514#20oct10_panel.
DESA – Increased collaboration on implementation of the UNCRPD
Representatives from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(DESA) and the Organization of American States (OAS) met on 27 October to
discuss future collaborations based on synergy of the experience in
implementation of the OAS Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (1999) and
the UNCRPD. More information on the OAS disability convention:
http://www.oas.org/juridico/english/treaties/a-65.html.
OHCHR – Thematic study on international cooperation and the UNCRPD
In recognition of the necessity to increase awareness about the role of
international cooperation in support of the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, the Human Rights Council in its resolution 13/11
requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a
study on this topic. The study will be presented at the 16th session of the
Council in March 2011. More information:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/disability/thematic_study.htm.
UNESCAP – Governments support a new decade to for disability rights
Governments in the Asia-Pacific Region, UN offices and civil society,
including organizations of persons with disabilities joined together for an
event entitled “Make the Right Real”, at the recent Committee on Social
Development at the United Nations Centre, Bangkok. For the first time, the
Committee in its 2010 session focused specifically on “Mainstreaming
disability into the regional development agenda in Asia and the Pacific.”
Nearly 200 representatives from 23 Governments, 18 civil society
organizations and seven UN and intergovernmental entities participated in a
lively sharing of experience and views. The Committee strongly supported
the proclamation of a new decade to promote the rights of persons with
disabilities for the period 2013-2022. The Committee highlighted the
importance of ensuring that the voices of persons with disabilities are
taken into account at all stages of policy and programme development,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation, as a part of mainstreaming
disability into the regional development agenda in Asia-Pacific. More
information: http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2010/oct/g51.asp.
WHO – New CBR guidelines launched at Network Conference in Africa
New guidelines on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) were launched at the
fourth CBR Africa Network Conference held in Abuja, Nigeria from 26 to 29
October. The new guidelines are designed to empower persons with
disabilities by supporting their inclusion in health, education,
employment, social, skills training and other community services. The new
CBR guidelines were produced by the World Health Organization (WHO), the
International Labour Office (ILO), the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and International Disability
and Development Consortium (IDDC), in close consultation with other key
stakeholders on disability and development globally. The new guidelines
provide guidance on using CBR programmes to implement the UNCRPD in low and
middle income countries and promote a strategy for community-based
inclusive development. The guidelines help the shift away from excluding
persons with disabilities from society, to a new approach that seeks to
empower and include them in decision-making and promote dignity and rights
for all. More information:
http://www.who.int/disabilities/cbr/guidelines/en/index.html.
ILO video on disability
An informative video that considers opening pathways to training and
employment for persons with intellectual disabilities in Africa. Persons
with intellectual disabilities represent nearly two per cent of the world's
population, or some 130 million people. Because of stigma and
discrimination, a majority are excluded from education, training and
employment. In this short film, the International Labour Organization (ILO)
examines what is possible for persons with intellectual disabilities, so
that they can access opportunities to obtain decent work and a better life.
More information: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xcZAqOajaE. See also:
http://www.youtube.com/ilotv
IDPD2010 – You tell us!
International Day of Persons with Disabilities is 3 December! Include!
Organize! Celebrate! Take Action! Plan and organize events everywhere to
showcase - and celebrate - the contributions by persons with disabilities
to the communities in which they live as agents of development and change.
A major focus of the Day is practical action to mainstream disability in
all aspects of development, as well as to further their participation in
social life and development on the basis of equality. If you would like to
commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in your
community and would like to share an innovative idea that includes other
stakeholders, such as your Government, a UN agency, an NGO/DPO or a
community, please let us know about it. We will showcase the idea on our
website to inform and inspire others to do the same. Please send your ideas
to [log in to unmask] More information:
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1540.
UPCOMING EVENTS
30 October - 3 November: International Conference for Universal Design
The International Association for Universal Design will organize the
conference in Hamamatsu City, Japan. The theme of the third conference will
be “For the People and the Earth of Tomorrow - Towards a Sustainable
Co-existence”. The conference organizers invites educators, product
planning and developers, administrators, consultants, civic activists and
students to submit research papers, as well as reports and editorial
articles. More information: http://www.ud2010.net/index.en.html.
9 - 10 November: European Conference on Rehabilitation
The 9th European Conference on Rehabilitation will be held in Copenhagen,
Denmark. More information: http://www.riglobal.org/
13 - 15 November: Asia Pacific Community-Based Rehabilitation Convention
The 2nd Asia Pacific Community-Based Rehabilitation Convention will be held
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. More information:
http://apcbrconvention.cbrnetworkmalaysia.org/News/tabid/67/EntryId/1/Asia-Pacific-CBR-Convention-2010-13-15-November-2010.aspx
17 - 19 November: 6th World Conference on the Promotion of Mental Health
and Prevention of Mental and Behavioral Disorders
The Conference will be held in Washington, DC and address the issues young
people with mental health conditions face in justice systems. Around the
world, many young people in the juvenile justice system suffer from mental
health disorders and often do not receive the services and support they
need. Youth in poor and disadvantaged communities are especially vulnerable
to being improperly incarcerated due to a lack of mental health services
available to them. More information: http://wmhconf2010.hhd.org.
3 December: International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
See above.
5 – 8 June 2011: Festival of International Conferences on Caregiving,
Disability, Ageing and Technology
The conference will explore new and exciting strategies to help support our
increasingly diverse population. It will bring together professionals and
experts from around the world to address critical issues and questions
about universal design in a format supporting dialogue and discussion. The
goal of universal design is to make the environment more usable for a
broader range of people in more situations. More information:
https://www.confmanager.com/main.cfm?cid=1559
3 – 8 July 2011: Access Africa – 5th IDP Africa Forum
The IDP-Institutional Development Forum will focus on how the power of
technology can advance equality and rights of persons who are blind and
partially sighted. Participants will include parents, persons who are blind
and partially sighted, representatives from organizations of and for the
blind, universities and Government ministries, international organizations,
vendors, and sponsors of assistive technology. More information:
http://www.perkins.org/international-programs/localexpertise/idp.html#Access_Africa_The_5th_IDP_Africa_Forum
.
18 - 24 July 2011 XVI World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf
This first ever WFD Congress in Africa will held in Durban, South Africa.
The Congress will bring together activists, professionals, interest groups
to share their experiences, knowledge and expertise to be used for welfare
and improving human rights of Deaf people in Africa and around the world.
It will also be a time to review achievements through the implementation of
the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. More information:
http://www.wfd2011.com/information/letter.html.
OTHER NEWS
(The information below is provided by the non-governmental disability
community for informational purposes only; they do not constitute
endorsement of, or an approval by, the United Nations of any of the
products, services, or opinions of the organization or individual. The
United Nations bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or
content of their statements and opinions.)
Persons with disabilities volunteer for London Olympic Games
Six thousand persons with disabilities have volunteered to assist with the
2012 London Olympic Games, representing a significant change in attitudes
as well as the rising profile of the Paralympics. Games organizers had
especially encouraged the participation of volunteers with disabilities, to
ensure the London Olympic Games represented diversity and inclusion. More
information:
http://ablemagazine.co.uk/six-thousand-disabled-people-volunteer-for-london-2012/
.
Motion Disabled screening
Very Special Arts (VSA), an international organization on arts and
disability in collaboration with internationally renowned video
installation artist Simon Mckeown, will conduct a global collaborative
video screening, designed to generate public awareness of and support for
this year’s theme for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
On the evening of 3 December 2010, around the world, people will host
outdoors screenings of Simon Mckeown’s video installation Motion Disabled
(http://www.motiondisabled.com). More information:
http://www.vsarts.org/x6638.xml
New disability newsletter from Nepal
Koshish, a National Mental Health Self-Help Organization, just released its
first newsletter to give a voice to persons with psychosocial disability in
Nepal. Koshish works for better mental health policies, plans and services
that provide for the rights and treatment of persons with mental
disabilities. More information: http://koshishnepal.org.
CONTACT INFORMATION
The Enable Newsletter is prepared by the Secretariat for the Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Division for Social Policy and
Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) at the United
Nations Secretariat in New York.
Mailing address: UN Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities, 2 UN Plaza, DC2-1306, New York, NY 10017, USA.
Website: http://www.un.org/disabilities
Email: [log in to unmask]
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