June Newsletter: Spreading Word Around the World – COSP Edition
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The COSP will celebrate ten years of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with disabilities and discuss implementing disability in the SDGs
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The 9th Annual Conference of the States Parties Celebrating Ten Years of the CRPD
The countdown is over. The COSP has arrived – one of the major events on the disability advocates’ calendar. With the implementation of the SDGs last fall, this COSP has concentrated on ‘Implementing the 2030 development agenda for all persons with disabilities: Leaving no one behind’.Over the course of three days (14-16 June), delegates from all over the world will focus on:
i) Eliminating poverty and inequality for all persons with disabilities;
ii) Promoting the rights of persons with mental and intellectual disabilities;
iii) Enhancing accessibility to information and technology and inclusive development;
iv) Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the CRPD.“RI Global is looking forward to a good discussion among sister organizations at the COSP, and new initiatives, including a remedy to lack of data and information on disability and the situation of persons with disabilities at the national level, which has contributed to the invisibility of persons with disabilities,” RI President Jan Monsbakken said.
Leaders will also elect nine members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to replace those whose terms are due to expire in December 2016.
The complete COSP Programme is available here. A list of all COSP Side events is available here.
RI Global Presidential Award: As a commemoration of its 23rd World Congress and ninety-fourth anniversary, RI Global President Jan Monsbakken will present a Presidential Plaque to H.E. Ambassador Oh Joon of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, in appreciation of his exemplary dedication to disability and rehabilitation. The award ceremony will take place during the 9th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). 14 June, 6pm, UN Secretariat Conference Room 4 before the Concert in Celebration of CRPD.
RI Global Co-Presents WHO Panel on Access to Assistive Technology for Inclusive Development: Following the launch of the WHO’s Priority Assistive Products List, international leaders in the development, use, procurement and provision of assistive technology, will present diverse perspectives and discussion on the policies, priorities and possibilities of assistive technology in achieving the 2030 Agenda and the UN CRPD.
Speakers: Chapal Khasnabi (WHO)
Venus Ilagan (RI Global)
Rosangela Berman Bieler (UNICEF)
Judy Heumann (USAID)
Carmen Reyes Zubiag (Management Sciences for Health)
Tuesday, 14 June 10-11:30am, Conference Room 4, United Nations
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RI GLOBAL AROUND THE WORLD
RI Attends WHO Sixty-Ninth World Health Assembly: More than a billion people live with some form of disability, corresponding to about 15 percent of the world’s population. In the 21st century, people with disabilities still remain vulnerable to deficiencies in health care services. In May, RI President Jan Monsbakken traveled to Geneva for the WHO’s World Health Assembly (WHA), in which he helped launch – with eight UN Member States – the list of the 50 most essential assistive devices as a part of the GATE (Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology) initiative.
‘This launch could be the starting point for a much more inclusive future for Persons with Disabilities,’ Monsbakken said. ‘But the important part of the work starts now with the national implementations.’
The APL includes 50 priority assistive products, selected on the basis of widespread need and impact on a person’s life. The list will not be restrictive; the aim is to provide Member States with a model from which to develop a national priority assistive products list according to national need and available resources. Like the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the APL can guide product development, production, service delivery, market shaping, procurement, and reimbursement policies.
“Disability is something that is essential to the agenda of every public health agency in every nation around the world,” Monsbakken said. “The SDGs are all interlinked; the SDGs surrounding health are all linked in preventing or treating many disabilities due to preventable diseases or man-made causes.”
Read more about the GATE Initiative and the Priority Assistive Products, as well as theaccomplishments of the WHA in disability. |
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Upcoming UNITED NATIONS
UN ECOSOC – HLPF on Sustainable Development (11-20 July): The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is United Nations’ central platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. The ECOSOC Forum adopts a Ministerial Declaration (Ministerial Days 18-20 July) and will begin its mandate ‘Ensuring that no one is left behind’ by providing political leadership, guidance and recommendations on the 2030 Agenda’s implementation and follow-up; keeping track of progress; and spurring coherent policies informed by evidence, science and country experiences. All people can participate in HLPF through the major groups and other stakeholders format. Stakeholders are also invited to organize side events, and register multi-stakeholder partnerships and voluntary commitments in support of the SDGs. Click on the link for more information.
HABITAT III – Disability and accessible and inclusive urban development (17-20 October, Quito, Ecuador: Habitat III – the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – will take place in Ecuador this October bringing together people from around the globe to design a transformative and inclusive “New Urban Agenda” for the world cities. Habitat III provides an important opportunity for those working in the field of disability to review current progress and practices and consider opportunities for change. Last year, disability experts put together the Right to Adequate Housing for Persons With Disabilities Living in Cities Report that was launched on the occasion of World Cities Day 2015. Online applications for side events close 15 June.
#Envison2030 – SDG 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable: Imagine the world in 2030, fully inclusive of persons with disabilities! Forward your comments, suggestions, references and/or new information on how SDG 11 can make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, by 2030 to enable@un.org or follow @UNEnable on Facebook and Twitter and use hashtag #Envision2030 to join the global conversation!
UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY EVENTS
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Mohamed Dalo transports himself from his surroundings in Gaza to his wheelchair through the art of Japanese Anime
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NEWS TO USE
Public Health Corps: Web Resources for Disability
PublicHealthCorps, an online hub of reputable and useful public information on health topics, has been working on a new section of its website dedicated to the best resources on the web for individuals and families affected by disabilities. The team is comprised of volunteers driven to educate and empower others to action and elevate the quality of available health resources. Experts, researchers, everyday perople are invited to send any helpful articles to add to this new section of the PublicHelthCorps site to information@publichealthcorps.org. Here is a taste of the information so far:
Crossing Boundaries in Gaza through Anime
Anime, unlike other forms of art, does not follow rules guidelines; it has no boundaries. When Mohamed Dalo, 21, from Gaza, Palestine, who was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy as a child, could no longer attend school, he pulled out his A4 drawing pad and pencils “to live out my dream” of drawing Anime – Japanese animated productions featuring hand-drawn or computer animation. Inspired by artists Naoki Tate and Masashi Kishimoto, Dalo has become a minor celebrity in Palestine with the opening of his first solo show ‘Anime is my Life’ last fall in the Craft and Fine Art Village, west of Gaza City. Dalo exhibited 90 paintings addressed a variety of topics from cheerful, childlike natural scenes to paintings commending the Palestinian resistance. ‘Don’t hide or suppress your talent, nothing is impossible, be proud of who you are and what you contribute to society,’ Dalo has expressed to others. ‘People with disability have a vital role to play in shaping the world and influencing the attitude and perception others have of disability.’ See more of Mohamed Dalo’s work on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. |
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The Family and Friends Society of Persons with Disabilities — a member of RI Global — promotes the acceptance and empowerment of people with disabilities in Jordan.
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MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
Community-Based Rehabilitation in Jordan: (FFSPD)
The annual closing ceremony of the Students Association of the Families & Friends Society of Persons with Disabilities (FFSPD) has become one of Amman’s signature events in the past 16 years. Last year’s was no exception as members of royal family watch students with a range of disabilities from cerebral palsy to blindness presented a short play and danced in the Tbekat folk tradition to a cap off a year of learning. Princess Muna al-Hussein, the mother of King Abdullah and the honorary president, is a regular attendee.
Founded more than 20 years ago, the headquarters of the FFSPD has become a second home to many families affected by disabilities in Amman and the surrounding areas of Jordan’s capital. To promote the acceptance and empowerment of persons with disabilities and their families, FFSPD programmes range from therapeutic riding to Best Buddies Jordan (BBJ) which enhances the lives of children with Intellectual Disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships, starting in schools. FFSPD further aims to spread its message by providing therapeutic support groups and counseling meetings for parents of persons with disabilities to help them cope better and to to further develop the professional skills of those who work with disabilities. |
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The Zero Project is looking for the most innovative solutions to further break down barriers for disabled people. Those selected will present at the organization’s 2017 conference
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AWARDS/NOMINATIONS/CONFERENCES
The Václav Havel Human Rights Prize
Awarded annually by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in partnership with the Václav Havel Library (Prague) and the Charta 77 Foundation (Prague) for outstanding civil society action in the defence of human rights in Europe and beyond, the prize consists of 60 000€, a trophy and a diploma. This Prize is open for nomination of any individual, non-governmental organisation or institution working to defend human rights. The Prize is awarded in memory of Václav Havel, playwright, opponent of totalitarianism, architect of the velvet revolution of 1989, President of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic and an enduring symbol of opposition to despotism. The 2016 Award Ceremony will take place in Strasbourg on 10 October 2016. The deadline for nominations for the 2016 edition of the Prize has been extended to 30 June at midnight.
World Social Forum: Disability, Deaf Culture and Barrier-Free Society
For the first time, Montreal will host the World Social Forum when nearly 50,000 participants will gather to find solutions to the issue of disability and deaf culture. The World Social Forum invites proposals on any matter relating to disability and deaf culture, with the 2016 WSF Collective and the Disability, Deaf Culture and Barrier-free Society to help with logistics, communications and engaging participants. Contact handicap.mob@fsm2016.org for more information. The World Social Forumtakes place from 9-14 August in Montreal, Canada.
Call for Papers: Intersecting Indigeneity, Colonisation and Disability
There is growing global recognition of the role of disability in shaping the lives of Indigenous peoples and the significance of having an Indigenous cultural identity in shaping the lived experience of people with disabilities. A special issue of Disability and the Global South journal seeks critical debates and reflections on the issues and challenges of bringing together Indigeneity and disability as an intersecting identity, with an overall aim of questioning and challenging existing approaches to modern understandings of disability, and how it is experienced. Submissions are currently being accepted. Email abstracts to Karen Soldatic, ajks123@bigpond.com, and John Gilroy, john.gilroy@sydney.edu.au. Please insert ‘Submission for Intersecting Indigeneity and Disability Special Issue’ in the subject line. Manuscripts will be sent anonymously for double peer review, and comments and recommendations relayed to authors through the editors. Deadline for submission: 1 September 2016.
Zero Project launches call for nominations of Innovative Policies 2017 on Employment
Work forms an inseparable and inherent part of human dignity. The Zero Project has launched a call for nominating innovative laws and policies to promote labour market and work environments, which are inclusive and accessible to all persons with disabilities and that enable an equal contribution to society. The Project in 2017 will focus on work, employment, and vocational education and training. Submitting a nomination is easy:Read the instructions first, complete the nomination form (also available in other languages) and then send the nomination form to:i.heindorf@zeroproject.org by 15 June 2016. Selected nominations will be included as an “Innovative Policy 2017” in the annual Zero Project Report, and nominated organizations will be invited to present at the Zero Project Conference in February 2017 in Vienna (Austria). |
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RI WORLD CONGRESS
Applications for Fellowships:
A limited amount of funding donated by Mr. MB Lee of Hong Kong on behalf of Asia Trust, is made available to support the participation of RI members from low-income countries to the 23rd World Congress of Rehabilitation International scheduled for 25-27 October 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
· Must be from an RI-member organization in good standing in low-income/developing country.
· Have demonstrated leadership and commitment in the pursuit of work on rehabilitation and disability in the national and local levels
· Have the capacity to share lessons learned from the congress and use the learning to reinforce and strengthen ongoing initiatives of his/her organization in his/her country/locality.
· Able to provide or mobilize counterpart funding to support costs not provided for by the RI congress fund.
· Must be 18-45 years of age.
· Can understand English which is the medium for the conference. Application requirements and information:
· Submit completed participation support application on the website.
· Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis (or until the fund runs out).
· Application will not be accepted after June 30, 2016.
· Priority will be given to applications that can provide for costs not covered by the fund.The RI fund will cover costs for air travel (most direct and most economical type of air travel from home to Edinburgh and return), a maximum of 4-nights hotel accommodation from 24-28 October 2016 and conference registration for a total maximum amount of U.S. $1,500. Meals, transit expenses, local transport and visa fees will be the counterpart of the participant.
Submitted applications will be reviewed and applicant will be notified of result including next steps for travel and hotel arrangements within two weeks upon receipt of the funding application by the RI Secretariat office in New York c/o the Secretary General: venusmilagan@yahoo.com. Visit the website for application materials.
Celebrating the theme “Create a more inclusive world”, RI Global has put together a complete training and information program for hotels, restaurants, taxi drivers, police and even border guards in order to make this a truly barrier free and enjoyable experience. Book before 30 June 2016 and join senior politicians, leading academics and leaders from organisations such as the ILO, WHO and UN at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre in Scotland for just £405. Read more about the 2016RI World Congress.
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