By Wang Yanfang
Intro: Zhang Haidi, president of Rehabilitation International (RI) and chairperson of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), together with four other RI executive committee members, issued the landmark Beijing Declaration at the opening ceremony of the RI Centennial Celebration.
The centennial of Rehabilitation International (RI) officially got underway on May 21, 2023, at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. Zhang Haidi, president of RI and chairperson of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), together with other four RI executive committee members, issued the landmark Beijing Declaration at the opening ceremony.
The declaration points out that in the past century, RI members worldwide have supported and advocated for the provision of rehabilitation services, barrier-free environments, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
RI has also been a long-term supporter of the Paralympic Games. In 1951, at the Fifth RI World Congress in Sweden, Dr. Ludwig Gutman proposed a special “Paraplegic Olympics,” which sowed the seeds for the Paralympic Games.
Through these efforts, RI has made tremendous contributions to promoting and safeguarding the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities worldwide.
The declaration notes that RI and its members acknowledge disability as part of human diversity and respect the equal rights of all individuals regardless of their conditions and that protecting the equal rights of persons with disabilities, their value, and dignity is an indispensable and integral part of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The declaration states that persons with disabilities, especially women and children with disabilities, continue to face significant challenges around the world, such as discrimination, poverty, and lower educational attainment. In addition, at times of crises, such as wars and conflicts, natural disasters and pandemics, their survival and development face even greater threats and, therefore, they require additional attention and support.
It calls upon all nations and the international community, as well as all individuals with and without disabilities, to appreciate human diversity, respect human rights, and pay greater attention to issues that concern women and men with disabilities, who represent 15% of the world’s population, promote their equal participation and well-rounded development, and build a peaceful, inclusive, and friendly society.
It also urges all nations and the international community to take concrete actions to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and advance disability inclusion in the pursuit of sustainable development, empowering persons with disabilities as both contributors and beneficiaries of peace and development.
The following is the full text of the declaration:
Towards the Next Century: Promote Equal Participation and Well-rounded Development of Persons with Disabilities
Beijing Declaration in Commemoration of the Centenary of Rehabilitation International
On the occasion of the centenary of Rehabilitation International (RI), its members from across the world and stakeholders from diverse sectors gathered in Beijing, China, on May 21, 2023 to commemorate its journey over the past century and develop strategies for a promising future.
In the past century, RI has established its influence as a prominent international organization in the field of disability, working with its members worldwide to support and advocate for the provision of rehabilitation services, barrier-free environments, and inclusion of persons with disabilities. RI has also been a long-term supporter of the Paralympic Games. In 1951, at the Fifth RI World Congress in Sweden, Dr. Ludwig Gutman proposed a special “Paraplegic Olympics,” which sowed the seeds for the Paralympic Games. Through these efforts, RI has made tremendous contributions to promoting and safeguarding the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities worldwide in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The International Symbol of Access, designed by RI in the 1960s, is now widely used worldwide and well-acknowledged as a symbol of respect and care for persons with disabilities. RI upholds a humanitarian spirit across its work, which has shed light on solutions to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and will continue to guide its advocacy for disability inclusion in the future.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” a shared value and vision of all humanity. Over the past century, disability rights advocates and stakeholders, including RI, have made a strong call for the rights of persons with disabilities, achieving increasing visibility of disability issues and significant improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities. Since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the consensus on promoting the equal participation of persons with disabilities and inclusive development as part of the endeavor to achieve fair, inclusive, and sustainable development, has been reinforced among the international community and among stakeholders across sectors.
RI and its members acknowledge disability as part of human diversity and respect the equal rights of all individuals regardless of their conditions. Protecting the equal rights of persons with disabilities, their value, and dignity is an indispensable and integral part of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
We must recognize that globally persons with disabilities continue to face significant challenges. They, particularly women and children with disabilities, are more likely to experience discrimination, live in poverty, have lower educational attainment, and have fewer opportunities in other aspects of life. At times of crises such as wars and conflicts, natural disasters, and pandemics, their survival and development face even greater threats and, therefore, require additional attention and support.
We call upon all nations and the international community, as well as all individuals with and without disabilities, to appreciate human diversity, respect human rights, and pay greater attention to issues that concern women and men with disabilities, who represent 15 percent of the world population, promote their equal participation and well-rounded development, and build a peaceful, inclusive, and friendly society.
We urge all nations and the international community to take concrete actions to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and advance disability inclusion in the pursuit of sustainable development, empowering persons with disabilities as both contributors and beneficiaries of peace and development, with efforts dedicated to:
—Promoting humanitarianism and advocating for a society that is friendly, inclusive, and free of all forms of discrimination and prejudice against persons with disabilities;
—Formulating laws and regulations to guarantee the rights and interests of persons with disabilities, developing and implementing national plans that promote their equal participation and development, and mainstream disability inclusion in all development agendas;
—Providing social security and welfare to persons with disabilities, particularly those living in disadvantaged or vulnerable conditions, and ensuring that they will not be deprived of a life with dignity in all circumstances;
—Promoting the employment and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, especially women with disabilities, by providing vocational training and other services and encouraging and supporting their employment in public and private sectors;
—Providing universal rehabilitation and healthcare services for persons with disabilities, ensuring access to reproductive health services for women with disabilities, and strengthening early detection and intervention for children with disabilities and prevention of disability, with closer attention paid to groups that require stronger support such as individuals with autism, ALS, and psychosocial disabilities;
—Improving education for persons with disabilities by developing inclusive education and providing suitable vocational education and lifelong education, and ensuring their access to sports, tourism, recreational, and leisure services;
—Providing barrier-free physical and digital environments, including accessible facilities, accessible information and communications technologies, and essential services to persons with disabilities, and strengthening disability-inclusive assistance and services in emergency situations such as wars and conflicts, natural disasters, and epidemics;
—Promoting the application of science and digital technologies to develop and provide better assistive technologies and devices for persons with disabilities, enabling them to live independently in their homes and communities, in addition to ensuring persons with severe impairments access to professional, attentive care;
—Supporting the development of organizations of and for persons with disabilities, enhancing the representation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and ensuring their right to participate in decision-making processes, and;
—Calling upon the United Nations to establish a World Disability Organization (WDO) to strengthen the coordination and advocacy for disability rights.
We underscore that disability inclusion is an integral part of human development and the protection of humanity and human rights. We call upon governments and the international community to strengthen collaboration to advance the development of global disability affairs, including increasing financial and technical support to disability inclusion initiatives and projects in developing countries and regions.
We advocate that the well-rounded development of persons with disabilities can only be achieved through equal participation. We call upon governments and all other stakeholders to create an enabling environment and empower persons with disabilities to be equal and active actors in matters that concern themselves and in the broader socioeconomic and environmental development.
Looking ahead, RI will continue to work hand in hand with all countries and stakeholders of the international community and strive tirelessly to safeguard the human rights of persons with disabilities, support their well-rounded development, and contribute to a more united and better future for humanity.
