PHA-Exchange> Statement for World Disability Day

[Claudio]

From: "Alison Sizer" <sizer.a at healthlink.org.uk>

> Statement for World Disability Day
> ----------------------------------
> 
> December 3rd is the International Day of the Disabled. See below
> for a statement developed by participants at the recent meeting
> "Disability, Poverty and the Millennium Development Goals" held
> in Lilongwe, Malawi on the 2-4 November 2004. The meeting, or-
> ganised as part of the Department for International Development
> funded Disability Knowledge and Research programme (visit:
> http://www.disabilitykar.net), was hosted by the Federation of
> Disability Organisations of Malawi (FEDOMA) and Healthlink
> Worldwide (visit: http://www.healthlink.org.uk).
> 
> UN International Day of the Disabled 2004
> 
> The 3rd of December sees developing and developed countries of
> the world, the UN and its specialized agencies, people with dis-
> abilities and their organizations, the international community
> and other development agencies commemorating the world disabil-
> ity day, officially known as the International Day of The Dis-
> abled.
> 
> This is an important day on our calendar whose theme this year
> is 'Nothing About Us Without Us.' It is a day when we review and
> acknowledge the plight, achievements, contributions, commitments
> and aspirations of millions of people with disabilities in the
> world; a day when we take stock of the performance of our gov-
> ernments, development partners, civil society organizations and
> other relevant players in terms of their contribution towards
> disability and development.
> 
> Historically people with disabilities have been the most disad-
> vantaged group and they continue to be viewed as such in many
> countries. Thus as result of negative attitudes, inaccessible
> environments and insensible policies and practices, the situa-
> tion of people with disabilities is commonly associated with
> poverty, lack of education, lack of employment, lack of inde-
> pendent living and lack of empowerment. It is history character-
> ized by marginalisation and oppression.
> 
> During the last 20 years people with disabilities have, through
> their own organizations, strived to make their voices heard in
> many countries by advocating for their rights and ensuring that
> disability issues become a priority and part of the disability
> agenda.
> 
> Through lobbying and advocacy, a new paradigm has emerged that
> recognizes that people with disabilities have the same rights as
> non-disabled people. The human rights model, as it is called,
> does not expect children with Cerebral Palsy to learn to walk in
> order to have the right to be educated. It does not expect blind
> people to regain their sight in order to work; and deaf people
> need not talk in order to be heard.
> 
> However, recognition of rights alone is not enough to improve
> the living conditions of people with disabilities. It is not
> just a question of prohibiting discrimination and expecting
> their situation to improve the following morning.
> 
> A rights based approach to disability and development is about
> leveling the playing field so that people with disabilities can
> access jobs, education, health and other services. A rights
> based approach is about the removal of physical and social bar-
> riers; it is about attitude adjustments for policy makers, em-
> ployers, teachers, health care professionals and even family
> members.
> 
> A rights based approach is about ensuring universal design, ac-
> cessible technology, and coordinated public programmes and ser-
> vices. The approach requires governments to provide the re-
> sources necessary to implement these goals and to enforce penal-
> ties for those who refuse to cooperate.
> 
> At a Roundtable Forum organized in Malawi by Healthlink World-
> wide UK and FEDOMA from 2 to 4 November 2004, participants from
> Africa, Europe and South East Asia deliberated on a range of is-
> sues that are of concern to people with disabilities.
> 
> They noted with great concern that the process of developing
> poverty alleviation strategies in developing countries, for ex-
> ample, and genuine progress towards achievement of the Millen-
> nium Development Goals (MDGs) have not included the full par-
> ticipation of Persons with Disabilities.
> 
> The Round table Forum strongly felt that disability should be
> mainstreamed into the social, economic and political agenda of
> Governments, United Nations and funding agencies at national,
> regional and international levels, including civil society or-
> ganizations (CSO's).
> 
>   The forum observed that despite considerable work that has been
> done by DPO's, Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations,
> including development agencies on disability, meaningful tangi-
> ble results and lasting change have yet to be achieved.
> 
> In view of the above, the Forum called for urgent measures to be
> taken to facilitate indepth and participatory research on key
> issues identified during this 1st Round Forum.
> 
> Alison Sizer
> Programmes Officer - Asia
> Healthlink Worldwide
> http://www.healthlink.org.uk
> Source International Information Support Centre
> http://www.asksource.info
> 
> Healthlink Worldwide has moved. Our new address is:
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