ENABLE NEWSLETTER
November 2009
The Enable Newsletter is prepared by the United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) with input from UN offices, agencies, funds and programmes. It can also be read on-line at:
http://www.un.org/disabilities.
In this issue:
- Update on the Convention
- Highlights from the UN system
- Upcoming events
- Other news
UPDATE ON THE CONVENTION
143 signatories to the Convention
87 signatories to the Optional Protocol
72 ratifications of the Convention
45 ratifications of the Optional Protocol
Latest news: Islamic Republic of Iran acceded to the CRPD on 23 October 2009.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE UN SYSTEM
SCRPD/DESA
General Assembly adopts resolutions on disability
The Third Committee of the General Assembly adopted the draft resolution “Realizing the Millennium Development Goals for Persons with Disabilities” (A/C.3/64/L.5) by consensus during its morning session on 10 November. This resolution had 105 countries as sponsors and co-sponsors. The draft resolution was introduced by the Republic of Tanzania, and considered the preparations for the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Review process in 2010. The resolution also calls upon the implementation of the MDGs to be accessible to all, and highlights the importance of data and statistics on persons with disabilities in MDG implementation. The General Assembly also adopted a resolution on the Status of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The resolution calls upon Governments, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations to continue to disseminate information on the Convention, including to children and young people to promote their understanding of the Convention. More information:
http://www.un.org/disabilities.
Preparation of Report of the Secretary-General
SCRPD is preparing a Report of the Secretary-General entitled, "Mainstreaming disability in the development agenda". The Report is being prepared for the 48th session of the Commission for Social Development that will meet from 3-12 February 2010. An unedited draft will be posted on the UN website shortly.
Are you ready for 3 December?
International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)
Special events at UN Headquarters to commemorate the Day
The Secretary-General will open the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and announce the newest United Nations Messenger of Peace. The Under Secretary-General of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs will be present to invite the Secretary-General to open the Day. The World Bank will be linked via Video Conference.
Panel Discussion: The panel discussion will take place under the theme of the Day “"Making the MDGs Inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world"”. The discussion will be moderated by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Panellists will include representatives from the Governments, World Bank, World Health Organization, UNICEF and civil society organizations.
Disability discussion and Film screenings: The Day’s discussion on disability issues continues with local disability professionals presenting on a range of issues. Included in the discussion is the Disability Commissioner of the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York, a representative of the New York State Bar Association and others. Following the discussion will be the screening of disability-related films.
New York State Bar Association: Multiple events will be held in Rochester, Albany and New York City entitled “Finding the Bottom Line – Rights of Persons with Disabilities” On 4 December, the event will be held in Manhattan at the Hilton from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. that will enhance the provision of services by attorneys in relation to persons with disabilities at all levels. Participation will be by invitation only.
You tell us about your IDPD event: The theme for this year promotes the empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities through the MDGs. Include! Organize! Celebrate! Take Action! If you are commemorating 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. Find out more at:
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1484.
Activities to commemorate the Day at World Bank’s Headquarters
A series of events will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the World Bank to commemorate the Day. A panel presentation will be held to discuss how persons with disabilities have been included in the work of the Bank, the lessons learned and the impact on achieving the MDGs. Also included in the panel is a guest speaker, Ms. Kathleen Martinez, head of the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the United States Department of Labor. The event will also include a performance by Raul Midуn. During the event, a Transit Access Training Toolkit will be launched.
OHCHR
Second session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The second meeting of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was held in Geneva from 19 to 23 October 2009. The Committee adopted its working methods, rules of procedures and reporting guidelines. The Committee also held a day of general discussion on Article 12 of the CRPD, the Right to equal recognition before the law. A new Bureau was elected and Mr. Ron McCallum (Australia) will become the Chair of the Committee from its third session onwards. More information:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/CRPDIndex.aspx.
OHCHR - Consultation on national mechanisms for the implementation and monitoring of the Convention
On 26 October, OHCHR held an open-ended consultation on national implementation and monitoring frameworks under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The consultation discussed the national experiences of Germany, Kenya, Mexico and Thailand. The event took place in the context of preparation of a study for the Human Rights Council which will be discussed at the March 2010 session. The informal report of the consultation and other information on the study are available at
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/disability/consultation26102009.htm.
Inter-Agency Support Group to meet at UNHCR Headquarters
The Inter-Agency Support Group (IASG) for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that coordinates the work of the United Nations system in support of the promotion and implementation of the Convention will have its fourth meeting at UNHCHR Headquarters in Geneva. The meeting will discuss good practices, challenges and opportunities to support the implementation of the Convention. Participants will also share experiences on mainstreaming disability issues in displacement, as well as work to develop guiding principles to include disability in the work of UN country teams. Civil society organizations have been invited to participate. More information at:
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=448.
ILO - Panel Discussion on the economic crisis and persons with disabilities
The International Labour Organization's Employment Sector's Disability Team organized a panel presentation and discussion on the "People with Disabilities in Times of Economic Crisis". The aim of the event was to examine how the current economic downturn is affecting women and men with disabilities and to advocate that they be included in measures to tackle the crisis. Marlee Matlin, the youngest winner of an Academy Award for Best Actress and an advocate for persons with disabilities, was the special guest headlining the impact of the global economic crisis on women and men with disabilities. ILO Director-General Juan Somavia, Employment Sector Executive Director Josй Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs and other experts spoke on the issue and the importance of including people with disabilities in the measures to tackle the crisis. More information:
http://www.ilo.org/skills/what/events/lang--en/WCMS_115119/index.htm.
UNMAS moves forward on accessibility
UN Mine Action Services (UNMAS) conducted a survey in ten UN-managed mine action programmes on accessibility of premises for and recruitment/employment of persons with disabilities. Findings indicate that premises are often not fully compliant but minor yet effective improvements can be implemented in a cost-effective manner. With regard to employment, nine persons with disabilities are currently employed for various positions including administration and operations. For more information, please contact ikeda@un.org.
Global Partnership for Disability and Development (GPDD) Forum 2009
The GPDD Forum was organized by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Torino, the Department for Development Cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Bank. Presentations were made on mainstreaming disability in development with a focus on the MDGs. The meeting included a Global Partnership Forum and a workshop on mainstreaming disability in development cooperation, organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The workshop discussed disability-inclusive development through the analysis of good practices. More information:
http://gpdd-online.org/events/2009/gpddmm_10-2009.php.
UNIC Russia launches new website for persons with disabilities
A pilot version of “Bezgraniz.ru" (Life without borders) web portal was launched in Moscow by Alexandre Gorelik, Director of the UN Information Center (UNIC). The accessible portal would help persons with disabilities interact within a social network, as well as have access to goods and services. The portal was created by the firm Marketkompas and has been an achievement of an informal working groups set up in 2007 under the aegis of the UN Country Team in Russia called “Friends of the Convention”. The project covers: education via distance learning/e-learning/virtual classroom, job opportunities, barrier-free tourism, sports and leisure activities, music, arts, barrier-free architecture, fashion, and much more. The Bezgraniz portal will also be available in English and German language versions. More information:
http://www.bezgraniz.ru.
WIPO - Pledging support for India’s visually impaired community
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director General met representatives of India’s visually impaired (VIP) community at a conference on the “Right to Read of persons with print disabilities and copyright challenges”. He reaffirmed WIPO’s commitment to supporting international attempts to improve access to copyright protected works by visually impaired persons (VIPs). During the meeting, members of the Indian VIP community endorsed WIPO’s role in steering the VIP Initiative at the international level. The Director General said that WIPO was ready to explore options to support training/capacity building activities in India for VIPs within the framework of the VIP initiative. The meeting was opened to a larger audience of authors, publishers, collective management organizations and librarians, among others. More information:
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2009/article_0048.html.
UPCOMING EVENTS
14 November: World Diabetes Day
The Day represents a global awareness campaign that highlights the diabetes epidemic and draws attention to the 285 million people living with diabetes around the world. Over 800 iconic monuments around the world will be lit in light blue to mark World Diabetes Day. More information:
http://www.worlddiabetesday.org.
18-19 November: 4th UN Inter-Agency Support Group for the CRPD
(See above)
3 December: International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)
(See above)
10 December: Human Rights Day
Human Rights Day is observed each year on 10 December. It commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. More information:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/HumanRightsDay.aspx3-12 February 2010: 48th session of the Commission for Social Development
The Commission will meet at UNHQ in New York to discuss issues under the priority theme "Social Integration". The Provisional Agenda and documentation for the session is available at: Visit
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd/2010.html.
3-5 March 2010: Second Continental Congress on CBR
The Pan-American Health Organization and the World Health Organization in coordination with the CBR (community-based rehabilitation) Network of the Americas and the Caribbean will organize this event on CBR in Oaxaca, Mexico. The Congress will be sponsored by the Government of Mexico. More information:
http://www.riadis.net/a-world-for-all/12-13 April 2010: 26th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference
The Conference will explore new directions through scholarship, best practice, and international networking, as well as include an International Forum on the Rights of People with Disabilities, an international film festival and more. More information at:
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu.
7-9 September 2010: Third meeting of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (More details forthcoming)
3-14 October 2010: Commonwealth Games – Para Sports
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has officially released the Para-Sports Medal Events Programme for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games following consultation with the International Paralympic Committee. The Commonwealth Games will take place from 3-14 October 2010 in Delhi, India, and will showcase world-class sporting opportunities for elite athletes with a disability. More information:
http://www.paralympic.org/Media_Centre/News/General_News/2008_11_26_a.html.
OTHER NEWS
(The information below from the non-governmental disability community is provided 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 corporation, organization, or individual. The United Nations bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of their statements and opinions.)
Global Report on Inclusive Education
Inclusive International released its Global Report on Inclusive Education “Better Education for All: When We’re Included Too” at a conference on inclusive education in Salamanca, Spain, October 21-23, 2009. The Salamanca event was held to review progress toward inclusive education around the world. The 1994 UNESCO World Conference on Special Education had been held in Salamanca. The report outlines how the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires Governments and international agencies to include children with disabilities in education plans for the future. Of the 77 million children who are not in school at least 1/3 of them have a disability (UNESCO, 2006).
At the conclusion of the conference, Inclusion International, in coalition with many groups and organizations represented in Salamanca, has launched a campaign entitled “Initiative 24” to promote the implementation of Article 24 of the CRPD. More information:
http://www.inclusion-international.org/en/extras/4.html Two Conferences on Inclusive Education in Bonn
Bezev (Disability and Development Cooperation), Enablement, Handicap International and Kindernothilfe are organizing a one-day conference on Global Learning and Activities in Special Schools on November 25 and a two-day Conference on Inclusive Education “Moving Towards Achieving Education for All” on November 26-27, 2009. The conferences will held in Bonn, Germany. More information:
http://www.bezev.de.
Disability Rights Bulletin from the International Disability Alliance (IDA)
The IDA CRPD forum issues a periodic bulletin that is intended for experts advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, in particular within the Geneva-based human rights framework. More information:
http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org.
Equalise It!
A Manifesto for Disability Equality in Development Cooperation has been written to identify the issues for the disability movement and set out a programme for change in order to create real equality for disabled people and our democratic, representative organizations (DPOs) in the development process. More information:
http://www.daa.org.uk/index.php?page=equalise-itNew publication on the CRPD from Finland
The Center for Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Finland (www.vike.fi) has published “United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Multidisciplinary Perspectives” by Jukka Kumpuvuori and Martin Scheinin (eds.). The publication traces the entry into force of the CRPD. The book offers a number of fresh approaches to disability studies and disability rights by exploring the lives of persons with disabilities from multiple perspectives. The book can be utilized as introduction to disability rights or to teach it. More information: jukka.kumpuvuori@abo.fi.
Experts debate implementation and monitoring of the CRPD in Europe
The European Disability Forum (EDF) and the European Consortium of Foundations on Human Rights and Disability (EFC) jointly organized a seminar on National Implementing and Monitoring Bodies described in Article 33 of the CRPD. The seminar explored and analyzed how EU member States and EU Institutions envisage to fulfill their obligations. More information:
http://www.edf-feph.org/Page_Generale.asp?DocID=13855&thebloc=22905. The European Disability Forum had also met on 19 October in the Swedish capital to adopt a proposal for the European Disability Pact. The Pact ensures the mainstreaming of disability in the EU by promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and by developing a strong agenda engaging both the EU institutions and Member States”
http://www.edf-feph.org/Page_Generale.asp?DocID=13855&thebloc=22811A manual on understanding the CRPD
The manual entitled “Understanding the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: A handbook on the rights of persons with disabilities” is a tool for explaining the content of the CRPD and provides detailed information on the negotiation and drafting process. It gives a comprehensive overview of the CRPD, and the positions taken by the different stakeholders involved (government delegates, UN agencies, human rights institutions and other representatives from civil society, most importantly disabled people’s organizations (DPOs)). The publication also provides information on interpreting the text of the CRPD and its implementation at the local, national, regional and international levels. This manual by Marianne Schulz was produced with the support of Handicap International. Available in PDF and Word formats at: www.MakingItWork-crpd.org/resource-libra
ry/crpd.
CONTACT INFORMATION
The Enable Newsletter a prepared by the Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, of the Division for Social Policy and Development, within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) at the United Nations Secretariat in New York.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol are serviced by a joint Secretariat, consisting of staff of both DESA in New York, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva.
Mailing address: Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2 UN Plaza, DC2-1306, New York, NY 10017.
Website:
http://www.un.org/disabilitiesEmail: enable@un.org
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