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    • APCD Celebrates 120th Anniversary of Japan - Thailand Diplomatic Relations
    • Regional Workshop on the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families in Asia and the Pacific
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Regional Workshop on the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families in Asia and the Pacific

The Emerging Social Issues Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) co-organized the Regional Workshop on the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families in Asia and the Pacific from 11-13 October 2007 in Shanghai, China.

The objectives of this Regional Workshop were to identify issues of persons with intellectual disabilities as well as their families in the region, and to identify good practices of policies and support systems for persons with intellectual disabilities and their families in the region. The topics which were covered in the Regional Workshop included the following areas:

• A. Review of international and regional norms, and national policies regarding persons with intellectual disabilities and their families;
• B. Identification of issues regarding persons with intellectual disabilities and their families;
• C. Presentation by persons with intellectual disabilities on their issues and recommended actions;
• D. Discussion on good practices regarding community living and empowerment of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families;
• E. Working group discussions on the outcome document and its adoption.

The Workshop was attended by 30 delegates from China, Hong Kong China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. It included policy-makers who were responsible for disability matters, representatives from organizations of persons of intellectual disabilities and persons with intellectual disabilities as well as their family members.

The 8 delegates from Thailand included a person with autism, an intellectual disability, a member of the Association of Parents for Thai Persons with Autism, a member of the Association for Persons with an Intellectual Disability of Thailand, and APCD. Representatives of both Associations including the two self-advocates presented the situation of persons with intellectual disabilities in Thailand and about their potential as well as daily living in the family and the community.

One key expected outcome of the workshop was the statement of recommended actions regarding persons with intellectual disabilities and their families in the UNESCAP region which was formulated by the group of participants and validated by all delegates.

The Shanghai Recommendations clearly mentioned the key issues related to the development of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families such as supporting the formation and development of self-help groups of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families, encouraging the development of self-advocacy, ensuring the participation and decision-making of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families, public awarenessraising concerning positive images of persons with intellectual disabilities, support for persons with intellectual disabilities for an inclusive learning setting and an effective employment system, etc.(For more details, please see the document at http://www.worldenable.net)

Most impressive in this workshop were the selfadvocates who presented and shared their experiences and ideas independently so participants could produce a comprehensive, rights-based document, the "Shanghai Recommendations on the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families in Asia and the Pacific."

APCD believes that the movement of persons with intellectual disabilities will be developed through effective networking and collaboration among self-advocate groups, self-help groups of parents, government organizations, non-governmental organizations and all other sectors in society at different levels.