RI Global Newsletter, February 2019

11 March 2019

 

UN Women held the Multi-Stakeholder Forum in the preparations for the CSW63

The sixty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63) will be held from 11 to 22 March 2019 in New York, under its priority theme “Social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls”.

The Multi-Stakeholder Forum, held on 1 February, served to engage a wide range of stakeholders in the preparations for the CSW 63. More specifically, the Forum aimed to 1) raise awareness of existing commitments, and identify key areas and issues that should be considered by CSW63 in the context of its priority theme, as well as the ways and means to address them; 2) create a platform for sharing approaches and strategies that bring results and highlighting areas that require enhanced commitments; 3) foster dialogue, build alliances and galvanize partnerships for action in support to social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls and subsequently for accelerating implementation of the expected outcomes of CSW63.

Social protection systems, public services and sustainable infrastructure are integral to achieving the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development and the Paris Agreement. Heeding the spirit of the 2030 Agenda’s cross-cutting commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, their provision must also be geared towards transforming unequal power relations between women and men. The commitment to leaving no one behind, in turn, requires that the needs and rights of women and girls facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination are addressed as a matter of priority.

In line with existing international commitments, policies must safeguard all women’s and girls’ access to social protection, public services and sustainable infrastructure while ensuring that their design and delivery is transformed to prevent discrimination and to support the empowerment of women and girls. Close attention must be payed to the gender-differentiated risks that women and girls are exposed to over their life course. Greater policy coherence across the three areas can produce powerful synergies, making individual policies work better and addressing the rights and needs of women and girls in a holistic way.

Ms. Venus Ilagan, Secretary General of Rehabilitation International, participated at the panel discussion on “Ensuring synergies and addressing intersecting inequalities for enhanced results” of the Forum, where she highlighted the importance of paying attention to women and girls with disabilities, especially those in rural and remote areas

Ms. Ilagan will also speak as a representative of Rehabilitation International and the global disability community in the UN’s official commemoration of International Women’s Day, on 8 March 2019, under the theme “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change”, at the UN Headquarters in New York.

RI Global: Around the World

RI Global President spoke at an event during the HCR40

During the 40th session of the Human Rights Council, the European Union and China jointly organized a side-event titled “Leaving no one behind – the important role of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)”. Madame Haidi Zhang, president of Rehabilitation International and chairperson of China Disabled Persons’ Federation spoke at the event. “Persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected by poverty. Their exclusion from the labour market contributes significantly to explaining these poverty levels”, said Madame Zhang, “Of 85 million people with disabilities in China, more than 6.5 million live in poverty”. She called for enhanced efforts in promoting the rights and well-beings of persons with disabilities, especially for women and girls with disabilities and persons with several disabilities,  and proposed further coordination and collaboration between EU and China on rehabilitation services and technologies for persons with disabilities. As the president of RI Global, she also highlighted the work of RI in expending the global disability and rehabilitation networks and promoting high-quality social services for persons with disabilities around the world.

Mental Health Australia report on the NDIS approach to psychosocial disability

Mental Health Australia (MHA) has released a report on the existing National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIS) approach to psychosocial disability. Built on a series of consultation workshops across Australia and a teleconference with health professionals, MHA provides advice on the broader strategic issues facing the NDIA as it seeks to ensure the national disability scheme fulfils its promise as a key element in the wider system of mental health supports and services across Australia. More specifically, the report provides a rationale as to why a different approach is required by the NDIA for people with psychosocial disability than for people with other disabilities, the key elements of a psychosocial response for the scheme, and the principle design features which would bring these elements to life within the NDIS pathway context. For the full report, please visit: https://mhaustralia.org/our-projects/ndis-psychosocial-pathway-project?mc_cid=ed6c2dee0f&mc_eid=b3167a1cc2

Eden engaged volunteers to implement CRPD in its work

The Eden Service Center continued engaging volunteers from around the world to their work for persons with disabilities at the community level. At the end of January, students from the Chinese Center took part in Eden’s volunteer program, through which they developed better understanding of the work of Eden Service Center and the essence of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Prior to the beginning of the program, the volunteers received a comprehensive training on the needs and well-beings of persons with disabilities and the CRPD. During the program, the volunteers  served at Eden Yishou Elderly Service Center, where the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, was truly implemented.  To learn more about of the work of Eden Welfare foundation for persons with disabilities and elderly people, please visit: http://eden.international/index.php

Volunteers at the Eden Yishou Elderly Service Center

RI Global: News to Use

Launch of learning toolkit on Collecting Data for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action

The project on Disability Data in Humanitarian Action led by Humanity & Inclusion launched a new e-learning module on Collecting Data for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action – The Application of the Washington Group Questions (WGQs), as part of a learning toolkit providing guidance on the application of the WGQs. The development of the toolkit was benefited from the consultation with 59 staff from 29 different organizations working in 22 countries, and the findings from the action-research. Specific attention has also been paid to the development of open source materials that are accessible with screen readers, on mobiles, and in hard to reach locations. To access the learning toolkit, and learn more about the project, please visit: https://humanity-inclusion.org.uk/en/disability-data-in-humanitarian-action.

 

Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan. HI

The 11th International Disability Law Summer School at NUI Galway

The Center for Disability Law and Policy of National University of Ireland Galway will hold its 11th International Disability Law Summer School from 17 to 21 June 2019 in Galway. This year the focus will be on persons with disabilities and the right to family life, and more specifically, it will consider how solidarity can be built across a wide range of social movements to address particular challenges faced by persons with disabilities in exercising their rights to family life. It will include the experiences of LGBTQI activists, adopted persons, reproductive justice advocates, child rights advocates, migrants and refugees, and ethnic minorities, including members of the traveler and Roma communities. The Summer School seeks to equip participants with the insights and skills necessary to translate the generalities of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into tangible reform for persons with disabilities. For further information, please visit: https://cdlp.clr.events/event/127934:11th-international-disability-law-summer-school.

The 11th International Disability Law Summer School at NUI Galway

Symposium on Disability Rights, hosted by the Institute for Human Rights at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Under the theme “Disability rights are human rights”, the Institute for Human Rights at the University of Alabama at Birmingham organized a symposium on disability rights from 21 to 22 February 2019. Addressing the needs of the disability community through the removal of social, economic, and environmental barriers that limit accessibility to basic services and prevent persons with disabilities from participating fully in their communities, getting a quality education, achieving employment, and having their voices heard is at the center of a human rights approach to disability. The symposium gathered a stellar panel of disability right activists and experts, including Judy Heumann, John Kemp, Dr. Victor Pineda and Keller Thompson. For the programme and the details of the symposium, please visit: https://www.uab.edu/cas/humanrights/symposium/programs-and-events

Workshop on Accessible Information Communication Technology and Web-Based Vocational Skills in Macau

The Rehabilitation International Asia and Pacific Regional Conference (RICPRC2019) offers a workshop on Accessible Information Communication Technology and Web-Based Vocational Skills, in conjunction to the upcoming annual conference in Macau from 23 to 25 June 2019. The workshop aims to provide a training opportunity on accessible information and technology as well as a platform for exchange and sharing of disability-inclusive innovation. It will also contribute to the promotion of an inclusive and harmonious community through web accessibility and information.

The application for the workshop will be open till 15 March 2019, and for more information please contact RIAPRC 2019 Secretariat at rimacausecretary@gmail.com.

RI Global: Mark Your Calendar

7 March 2019, Brussel, Belgium, European Conference for Socio Professional Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation International (RI), the European Platform for Rehabilitation (EPR) and the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (NIHDI) will host the European Conference for Socio Professional Rehabilitation on 7 March 2019 in Brussel, Belgium.  The organizers of the Conference now welcome interested experts, scholars and persons with disabilities submit abstracts of their research by 1 February 2019.  For registration of the conference, please email to: secr-uitk-dirgen@riziv.fgov.be

15-17 April 2019, Berlin, Germany The 15th Congress of EFRR and the 28th Reha-kolloquium, German Congress for Rehabilitation Research

The Council of European Forum for Research in Rehabilitation (EFRR) regularly bring together a wide range of rehabilitation professionals from different countries to share their knowledge, scientific ideas as well as best practices to promote closer collaboration across Europe. From 15 to 17 April this year, the 15th Congress EFRR will be held together with the Reha-kolloquium, the major German conference in the field of rehabilitation in Berlin, Germany. Under the theme “Rehabilitation – Shaping healthcare for the future”, it marks the first time that the two conferences join forces to provide an international and interdisciplinary platform. The deadline for online registration is open till 24 March 2019. For more detail, please visit: https://www.efrr2019.com/en/Startsite/.

26-28 June 2019, Macau, RI Asia and Pacific Regional Conference 2019

Under the theme  “ Together, leaving no one behind, in disability inclusive and rights-based progress” the 2018 RI Asia and Pacific Regional Conference will organize plenary sessions focused on key issues including disability inclusive disaster risk reduction and post disaster rehabilitation, gender and disabilities, education, work, employment and social enterprise, and accessibility as well as international frameworks such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Incheon Strategy adopted for  the Asia and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities and  the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For registration , please submit at: https://www.rimacau2019.org/registration-request/ (Deadline for abstract submission is 28 February 2019).

14-16 August 2019, Sydney, Australia, Access 2019 – Inclusion by Design: Equality, Diversity and the Built Environment

ACAA launched Access 2019 – the conference for access consultants and all people working to establish inclusive communities. Access 2019 will provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences on a range of topics that bridge the gap from access. It will also incorporate an exhibition of products and services that support and bring it all together to create inclusive environments that welcoming and responsive to people’s needs and intuitive to access and use. Access 2019 call for papers are open till 15 February. For further details, please visit: https://www.accessconference.com.au/call-for-papers/.

7-11 October 2019, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, The 7th Africa Forum on Visual Impairment

“Achieving the SDGs through innovation, access, and lifelong learning”, the 7th Africa Forum will be held from 7-11 October 2019 in Addis Ababa. The Conference is open to individuals and agencies with an interest in blindness in Africa. The five-day programme will engage participants from diverse backgrounds across the globe to exchange ideas and products or the advancement of the well-beings of blind people in Africa. For registration of the Conference please visit: https://www.perkins.org/get-involved/events/africa-forum

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