APCD Mission Reports
Sharing APCD with Disabled Leaders from All Over the World
Regional Workshop on Disability and Development, ADB Headquarters, Manila, Philippines
2-4 October, 2002
Distinguished participants at the Regional Workshop on Disability and Development, Manila, Philippines
The Asian Development Bank organized a Regional Workshop on "Disability and Development" on 2 October 2002, at the ADB Headquarters in Manila, Philippines. After the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack in New York City, developed countries planned to promote prevention of terrorism by working on the prevention of poverty, as well as poverty alleviation. ADB was planning to promote poverty alleviation on the disability population in the Asian and Pacific Region. The World Bank estimated that 20% of poorest population belongs to persons with disabilities. The keynote address delivered by Senator Eita Yashiro, Ex-Minister of the Japanese Government and Past Chairperson of Disabled Peoples' International, was titled "Promoting Inclusive Strategies for Disability Issues in Development".
He emphasized that ADB should collaborate with APCD in a poverty reduction program. APCD Chief Adviser, Akiie Ninomiya, presented a paper "Strategies for Mainstreaming Disability Issues in Developing Assistance Program" (PowerPoint Presentation, 440KB), which emphasized various strategies of the APCD Project such as multi-sectoral, participatory decision-making with persons with disabilities, collaboration with GOs and NGOs; process-oriented, human resources development, grass-root recruitment, community-based, policy advocacy, South to South, as well as collaboration with ADB for poverty alleviation. After showing the APCD introductory video and Mr. A. Ninomiya's speech, Governments and NGOs representatives expressed their wish to cooperate with APCD.
Participants in this workshop were mainly high-level representatives from governments, multilateral development banks, disability organizations, United Nations agencies, and other donor agencies. Disability issues in the Asia-Pacific region were discussed among participants. The following recommendations were given to assist people with disabilities to integrate into society: 1) They must be "visible", 2) They must have the freedom to express their "voice", especially between governments and disabled people's organizations (DPOs), 3) Remove main barriers for people with disabilities and establish an accessible and barrier-free environment, 4) under the UN Charter of Human Rights, people with disabilities have the rights to an equal quality of life, rights, dignity, and services as other citizens. The regional workshop's outputs were the following: 1) short and long term goals for including disability issues in development work, 2) regional action plan to address disability issues with a poverty reduction strategy, 3) reports on mainstreaming disability issues into development policies, and 4) recommendations to the ADB based on workshop findings.
Highlights of the workshops include: 1) strategies on rehabilitation, inclusion and empowerment, architecture and design, the provision of cost-effective assistive technologies and support for disabled people's organizations, 2) identification and development on cross-cutting issues and 3) workshops comprised of keynote addresses, panel presentations, workshop groups, and presentation of reports. The APCD is seeking collaboration with ADB in the future.
[ See more detail: http://www.adb.org/Documents/Conference/Disability/disability.pdf
Disabled People's International Asia- Pacific Region, The 8th Regional Assembly and the 20th Regional Training Seminar on Capacity Building of Person with Disabilities Shanghai, China, October 8-12, 2002
The regional assembly and training seminar consisted of participants from 28 countries within the Asia-Pacific region. On the opening day, APCD Chief Adviser, Prof. Akiie Ninomiya, introduced APCD at the Plenary III session. He encouraged persons with disabilities to be active and cooperative stakeholders in the APCD project, as well as policy-makers; he also encouraged Disabled Peoples' International, Asian and Pacific Region to support and collaborate with APCD.
The 20th DPI Asia Pacific Regional Training Seminar, Shanghai, China
On the third day, Ms. Venus Ilagan, Chairperson of DPI, Asia-Pacific Region chaired a panel discussion on "Post Decade Action in Connection with APCD, Convention and the Millennium Framework of Action". Ms. Yukiko Nakanashi, Chairperson of the APCD Committee Japan, Mr. Topong Kulkhanchit and Mr. Prayad Punong-ong, Thai APCD Sub-committee members, and Mr. Shoji Nakanishi, APCD HRD Collaborator, as well as Mr. Akiie Ninomiya participated in creative discussion. The Shanghai Declaration of DPI clearly stated that "DPI will collaborate with APCD and its program in order to promote the empowerment of persons with disabilities and a barrier-free society.
The Disabled Peoples' International Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly declared concerns on: 1) working towards increasing the national membership with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, 2) organizing a "Leadership Training Seminar" for young leaders in the disability area, 3) empowering women with disabilities as leaders in disability areas, 4) promoting "Independent Living", 5) achieving a barrier-free society for persons with disabilities, and 6) supporting persons with disabilities' grass-root level organizations.
At this event, it was also declared to commit a joint effort in the following areas: 1) the UN International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) targeting Human Rights of People with Disabilities in the Asia-Pacific Region, 2) the implementation of UNESCAP's Biwako Millennium Framework for Action, 3) to collaborate with the Asia- Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD), and 4) to achieve a comprehensive and integral international connection to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
Special Thanks:
FDR's Bust
Ms. Yukiko Nakanishi, who was presented the Itoga award
APCD Project would like to express appreciation for two important contributions towards the APCD project. First, our honor and gratitude
to Thailand's HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for contributing US$ 50,000 from the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) International Disability Award Prize rewarded to Thailand in 2000. We are also delighted to express special thanks to Ms. Yukiko Nakanishi, the President of Asia Disability Institute and Chairperson of JICA's Advisory Committee on APCD, who kindly contributed her reward from the 6th Annual Kazuo Itoga Memorial Prize (¥2,000,000) for the implementation of the APCD project. This prize is devoted "to honor leading figures in the field of welfare for the disabled, in Japan and the Asia- Pacific Region." We are indeed honored to have two prestigious award funds to the APCD project. We, APCD, plan to organize an APCD Foundation for future contributions and support.
Disabled People's International (DPI) 6th World Assembly, Sapporo, Japan
15-18 October 2002
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| DPI 6th World Assembly, Sapporo, Japan |
This DPI World Assembly organized by persons with disabilities had approximately 3000 participants from 109 countries and 4000 volunteers and staff members attending. The main theme of the Assembly was "Freedom from Barriers: Celebrating Diversity and Rights" due to the living conditions of persons with disabilities facing deplorable conditions, isolated and excluded from their communities by barriers of policy, environment and attitudes. Forty different workshops such as Human Rights, Independent Living, Access, etc. were held concurrently.
Ms. Yukiko Nakanishi, President of the Asia Disability Institute and Chairperson of JICA's Advisory Committee on APCD chaired a workshop on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, discussing "Outcomes Learned". This was followed by a presentation and video of the APCD project by Ms. Naoko Ito, JICA Expert explaining APCD's vision, goals and stakeholders. One Japanese participant previously confined to an institution for severely disabled persons stated he was so pleased to learn that APCD will play an important role in promoting independent living of persons with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. Yet another stated, "I am convinced that APCD is a tangible response to the Asia-Pacific regional needs on disability".
Since PWDs rights under the United Nations (UN) Conventions are generally marginalized in monitoring procedures, DPI made the following declarations: "1) We demand a specific international human rights convention that is reflective of the full range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and a strong convention-monitoring mechanism to ensure the credibility, legitimacy, and efficacy of the convention, 2) demand a voice of our own in the development of this instrument and consultation at all levels on all matters of concern, 3) request the UN Secretary-General to continue providing facilities for development of an International Human Rights Convention for disabled persons, 4) urge all UN members to support this convention and establish a Voluntary Fund, 5) educate the public and their political representatives on the need and benefits of the convention, and 6) encourage every country to adopt and implement anti-discrimination legislation and policies that ensure equalization of opportunity for persons with disabilities".
[ See more detail: http://www.dpi.org/en/events/world_assembly/full.htm
Osaka Forum, Osaka, Japan, 21 - 23 October, 2002
Solid Alliance among Disability-Concerned NGOs and their Partnership with APCD
The Osaka Forum was held in Osaka, Japan from 21-23 October 2002 with the theme "Partnership for Disability Rights." Two thousand and four hundred persons of 55 nationalities representing governments, UN agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations working for/with/of people with disabilities participated. The Forum consisted of three international and one Japanese national conferences: 1) the 12th Rehabilitation International, Asia and the Pacific Regional Conference, 2) Campaign 2002 to Promote the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 3) the International Research Meeting on Vocational Rehabilitation, and 4) the 25th National Rehabilitation Conference.
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| Dr. Benja Chonlatanon (left) and Mr. Yutaka Takamine (middle) at panel discussion in Osaka Forum |
The theme, "Partnership for Disability Rights", was a symbol of the current trend of disability-concerned work in the Asia-Pacific region. More recently, diverse disability-concerned organizations work together to achieve their common goals, beyond differences of disability, individuals' professional status and organizational status. Dr. Benja Chonlatanon, Chairperson of the Thai Preparatory Committee on APCD gave a presentation on the APCD Project, acknowledging the significant contributions of persons with disabilities thus far. Representatives of Inclusion International (II) and WBF articulated their desire to collaborate with APCD and expressed their deep appreciation for the initiatives of the Governments of Japan and Thailand.
Mr. Yutaka Takamine, Social Affairs Officer of UN ESCAP, stressed that APCD, which targets people with disabilities in its human resource development program, has great potential to contribute to the region. In the Forum, there was an epoch-making dialogue, "Beyond the Asian and Pacific Decade: New Framework for Regional Cooperation", among the Asia-Pacific regional representatives of the International Disability Alliance (IDA)-affiliated organizations.
They were the Disabled Peoples' International (DPI), Inclusion International (II), Rehabilitation International (RI), World Blind Union (WBU), World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB), and the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP). The Meeting declared to: 1) adopt a convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, 2) promote the second Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 3) urge relevant regional and national organizations to participate in and give support to the Asian and Pacific Disability Forum (APDF), and 4) make active efforts to exchange experience and work jointly with the African Decade of Disabled Persons (2000-2009), the Arab Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012) and the European Year of People with Disabilities (2003).
Otsu High-Level Intergovernmental Meeting to Conclude the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993 - 2002)
Otsu, Japan, 25 - 28 October 2002
APCD's Role in the UN ESCAP Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free, Rights-based Society for Persons with Disability in Asia and the Pacific
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| High-Level Intergovernmental Meeting Otsu City, Japan |
The High-level Intergovernmental Meeting to Conclude the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, held in Otsu city, Japan from 25 to 28 October 2002 was opened by Mr. Yoshitsugu Kunimatsu, Governor of Shiga Prefecture. Other distinguished guests included H.E. Mr. Tetsuro Yano, Senior Vice-Minister of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Issei Anan, Parliamentary Secretary of the Japanese Cabinet Office, Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary of UN ESCAP as well as 300 high-level government representatives from 27 ESCAP countries.
Main purposes of this meeting were: 1) to conclude the implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002, 2) to highlight the best policy and program development practices in the implementation of the Agenda for Action, and 3) to adopt the Biwako Millennium Framework (BMF) for Action: Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-Free and Rights-Based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. Leaders of people with disabilities from developing countries actively participated. Mr. Satoshi Fukushima, Associate Professor of the University of Tokyo, who is deaf and blind, stressed in his keynote address that, "An inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society, which respects and supports all the minority groups, will be able to achieve a fully sustainable development". The BMF consists of 21 targets and 17 strategies supporting the achievement towards the framework for action.
The Meeting adopted the BMF for Action as a "clear guide" for the next decade, to ensure that the paradigm shift from a charity-based approach to a rights-based approach be put into practice to protect the civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights of persons with disabilities. The Meeting recognized the importance of the varied sub-regional priorities and acknowledged that greater emphasis on sub-regional activities and their implementation would help facilitate achieving the targets of the BMF for Action. The Meeting also noted that the involvement of civil society, self-help organizations, and related non-governmental organizations are essential to pursue the targets and strategies in the new decade. Various stakeholders of disability issues actively participated in this meeting to conclude the implementation of the Decade and adopt the framework for action which states that APCD is the Asia-Pacific regional center to implement regional collaboration, indicating, " Governments, the United Nations system, civil society organizations and the private sectors should collaborate, support and take advantage of the training and communication capability of the center.
[ See more detail: http://www.unescap.org/Decade/otsu.htm.
