This session, under the theme: “Implementing the Convention through Advancing Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities”, will begin with the election of members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and include substantive roundtable discussions and an interactive informal session with civil society. For more information, click here.

ESCR & Disability: Exploring the Intersections

This side session to the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities considers the opportunities and challenges presented by these new avenues for advocacy and gauges the possibilities for creative joint partnerships between ESCR specialists and disability rights specialists. The panel will present perspectives from disability rights experts working in the ESC rights realm and experts working within the “mainstream” ESC rights community. For more information, click here.

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Secretariat and practical information: Jan S. Johansen, Email: jan.johansen@stab.rm.dk

Postal address: European Conference 2010, MarselisborgCentret, P.P. Oerumsgade 11, building

8, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark

EC Conference 2nd Announcement

EC Conference 1st Announcement

The Inter-Country Meeting on Promotion of Inclusivity in Education, Employment, Health and Well-Being of persons with disability in South-East Asia was held March 3 -5, 2010 and highlighted the following issues: Health Care, Education, Vocational Training & Employment, Research, and Accessibility and Infrastructure.

For more information

The 3Rs CURA (Community University Research Alliance) is planning a Conference to explore the challenges that families, agencies, and advocates face in increasing the awareness of the violations and in setting forth a proactive and preventative path to ensure that this millennium ends the history of abuse. The Rights Agenda will be geared at influencing rights change at many different levels:

·  First, it will set a path to encourage policy makers to advance the rights in policy implantation guidelines in a variety of arenas (health, justice, education).

·  Second, it will explore ways that health practitioners can promote the health rights of persons with disabilities from education to advocacy.

·  Third, it will bring together justice officials to develop protocols to advance accommodations in the justice system.

·  Fourth, it will set standards by which educators can teach and enhance the rights of children, youth and adults within an inclusive system of support.

·  Fifth, it will create an opportunity for researchers to explore new ways to teach people with disabilities about their rights and to examine ways that society can enhance the implementation of rights.

The Conference will attract Educators, Health Professionals, Justice Officials, Policy Analysts, Researchers, Advocates, and Self-Advocates in a common purpose: to expand the awareness of rights education, and implementation for Persons with Intellectual Disabilitie

For More Information:

http://www.3rshumanrights.com

UNESCO, in cooperation with the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict), hosted a consultative meeting on 22-23 February 2010 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The primary aim of the meeting was to discuss how UNESCO could facilitate the social inclusion of persons with disabilities through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The meeting also worked to identify the type of policies and programmes required for the dispositions of the CRPD within UNESCO’s mandate, particular how to best engage Member States in implementing inclusive policies and programmes promoting greater access to information and knowledge for persons with disabilities. In June 2010, the meeting output will be issued in the form of a meeting report/white paper that will present main issues discussed and practical measures to move forward the ICT and disability agenda.

For More information:

http://www.unesco.org/webworld/en/icts-disabilities

4th CBR Africa Conference The theme of this Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR) Conference is ‘Linking CBR with Disability and Rehabilitation’ and will be held in Abuja, Nigeria. The conference aims to  promote better CBR practices in Africa and provide an opportunity for people to share information,  knowledge and experience on how disability concepts, CBR and rehabilitation  programmes can link together to help improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families.

For More Information: Joan Okune (joan@afri-can.org) or Sally Hartley (sally@afri-can.org)

New Ratifications and Signatories:

• United Arab Emirates ratified the Convention on 19-3-2010
• Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified the Convention on 12-3-2010
• Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified the Optional Protocol on 12-3-2010
• Canada ratified the Convention on 11-3-2010

Currently:

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

84 ratifications of the Convention
144 signatories to the Convention

Optional Protocol to the Convention

52 ratifications of the Optional Protocol
88 signatories to the Optional Protocol

What is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international treaty that identifies the rights of persons with disabilities as well as the obligations on States parties to the Convention to promote, protect and ensure those rights.  The Convention also establishes two implementation mechanisms: the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, established to monitor implementation, and the Conference of States Parties, established to consider matters regarding implementation.

States negotiated the Convention with the participation of civil society organizations, national human rights institutions and inter-governmental organizations.  The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on 13 December 2006 and it was opened for signature on 30 March 2007.  States that ratify the Convention are legally bound to respect the standards in the Convention.  For other States, the Convention represents an international standard that they should endeavour to respect.

What is the Optional Protocol to the Convention?

The Optional Protocol is also an international treaty.  The Optional Protocol establishes two procedures aimed at strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the Convention.  The first is an individual communications procedure allowing individuals to bring petitions to the Committee claiming breaches of their rights; the second is an inquiry procedure giving the Committee authority to undertake inquiries of grave or systematic violations of the Convention.

(Source:  United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)

GDDI brings together development professionals and 30 disabled women leaders from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Eurasia, Latin America and the Middle East. Deadline for registrations: April 15, 2010.

Registration instructions:

GDDI attendees must submit a registration form and send $100 USD for the registration fee. The registration fee includes the cost of local transportation, meals and accommodations for four nights at a beautiful retreat center outside of Eugene, Oregon. Options for partial attendance and scholarships are also available. Please contact MIUSA at www.miusa.org for more details.