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The Human Rights Workshop
16-18 March 2004, Nakorn Prathom, Thailand

Despite great initiatives concerning human rights advocacy in the Asia- Pacific Region, participation of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PID) and Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities (PPD) are significantly less, compared to other disability groups. Although their human rights tend to be neglected and/or violated, their own voices have seldom been heard and their collective power has not been utilized, especially in developing countries.

Voices of Marginalized Disability Groups

The Human Rights Workshop on Marginalized Disability Groups: Voices of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities was organized by APCD in Thailand from 16-18 March 2004. The purpose was to empower PID and PPD to promote their own Human Rights as well as to establish a human rights advocacy network among the participants and their supporters.

There were 17 participants in the PPD group from Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, and 15 participants in the PID group from India, Nepal, Viet Nam, and Thailand as well as resource persons from Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand.

The workshop culminated with powerful statements by each group and a very moving song composed by a Malaysian participant.

A sincere thank you to all who encouraged and facilitated this meaningful and fruitful workshop. A big thank you to all participants too for sharing so freely of yourselves.

Voices of the Resource Persons
Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities (PPD) Course

Ms. Suchada Sakornsatian, Thailand

"As the facilitator for the PPD group in this workshop, I was very proud and happy to carry out the tasks. The outcome was beyond my expectation; it was excellent. We had full participation from all the participants as well as their personal assistants. The discussion was very fruitful and valuable and should be announced to all the stakeholders. It is one way of raising public awareness and decreasing stigmatization for persons with psychiatric disorders. It has been proven that they have the same needs as other people and can voice them by themselves."

Dr. Pattama Sirivech, Thailand

"The declaration statement by the PPD recommended each country should create activities to promote and protect their rights. An exchange of experiences and the progression of the activities should be extended to other countries."

Ms. Deborah Wan, Hong Kong

"I was extremely pleased with the active participation of the representatives of the PPD group who courageously spoke of their bitter and hard struggle against illness and overcoming the mounting obstacles of recovery.This workshop enabled me to use my "old" skills of being a group leader generating discussions and sharing. I found myself totally involved with all the participants and I found true friendship and network with representatives and supporters from the four countries."

Ms. Makiko Kato, Japan

"I was very honored and pleased to join this pioneer Workshop. In order to further facilitate the rights-based approach, more resource persons with disabilities need to join the Workshop in the next year."

Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (PID) Course

Mr. Chakkrit Metchanun, Thailand

"I would like to say that this was the first workshop where all participants shared their experiences and really participated. The mechanisms were, small groups of participants, good teamwork of the resource persons and taskforce members, and good project coordination between APCD and our participants. I'd like to say that if we give a chance and/or opportunity to our friends, and accept both PID and PPD which some people love to call "People with Different Disabilities", they will have self-esteem and it will be a "driver" for them to do incredible things like the result of this workshop."

Ms. Emily Fung Wai Ting, Hong Kong

"We play, we share, we laugh, we joke, we discuss. Language is never a barrier for understanding and sharing. We connect with our heart and love. In nature, we lose the sense of time, we discard our impatience and we gain our freedom. To know you, is a way of having a better understanding of ourselves. To see you working in the community, is a light to guide our path. If you can, it is a declaration of confidence. If I can, it is a statement to everyone. The way you live your life, is a way to reflect your understanding of human rights. Cognitive or imaginative, structure or leisure, it is up to all of us to explore and try. Let us connect and share our movement to the end of time. We are in action. Join hands and have fun!"

Voices from Resource Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

Mr. Yuen Kin Ming, Hong Kong

"For me, I am overjoyed because I am an advocate and my story is shared."

Mr. Yim Man Ho, Hong Kong

"Friends from other countries admire our courage and congratulate our success after our sharing. Salute to the parents, they will not wait for the government's change of policy. They find their own resources and have their own training centre for their dear children. Great! Well! Our dear parents in Hong Kong, please consult our views before you fight for anything for us!"