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Regional News

January-march 2008

  1. Nepal Signed the UN Convention and Optional Protocol!
    United Nations
    3 January 2008

    Nepal has become a state party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Some countries in South Asia, which are Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Nepal, signed the Convention. On behalf of the Nepal government, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Madhu Raman Acharya on 3 January 2008 signed the Convention and its optional protocol 2006 at the UN Headquarters in New York. Under the Convention, states parties would guarantee that persons with disabilities enjoy their inherent right to life on an equal basis with others. Children with disabilities would have equal rights, would not be separated from their parents against their will, except in their best interests, and would in no case be separated from their parents on the basis of a disability of either the child or the parents.

    Please check http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid =12&pid=166#N for more detail.
    Source: Mr. Ghulam Nabi Nizamani, DPI AP

  2. China Approves Draft Law Revision on Protection of the Disabled
    China
    24 January 2008

    China's State Council, or Cabinet, approved in principle a draft law revision for better education, better rehabilitation, a higher standard of living and more jobs for the country's disabled persons. The revised draft deepened the concept of putting people first and focused on improving or adding stipulations guaranteeing the rights and interests of the handicapped. Improvement included:

    • Establishing andimproving the rehabilitation service system for disabled persons; encouraging and supporting the establishment of such institutions.
    • Setting up educational institutions for disabled persons and providing financial support for disabled students and children with poor disabled parents.
    • Setting up more public welfare jobs for disabled persons, providing free employment services, and encouraging employers to arrange jobs for them.
    • Adopting necessary aid measures for families with a person with disability who still suffer from poverty but can enjoy the guarantee of subsistence allowances for urban residents.

    The draft also added stipulations on the improvement of the disabled- friendly facilities and the building of an easy environment for the persons with disabilities to equally participate in social life.The revision further clarified the legal responsibilities for the infringement of disabled people's rights and interests.

    Please check http://en.ce.cn/National/Politics/200801/24/t20080124_14345410.shtml for more detail.
    Source: China Economic Net

  3. DAISY Training for Trainers of Autism and Low Vision
    Philippines
    February 2008

    After a successful Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) seminar held last year wherein 53 attendees composed of librarians, authors and publishers participated in a one-day seminar, the Philippine DAISY Network (PDN) conducted another DAISY training which was held at the Legend Hotel in Mandaluyong City. The training started on February 18 and culminated on February 22, 2008. The participants selected were ten DAISY trainers of autism and low vision. This training was sponsored by DAISY for ALL and supported by Nippon Foundation and DAISY Consortium. PDN is composed of governmental and nongovernmental agencies, namely the Department of Education (DepEd), the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP), Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP), the National Computer Center (NCC), ATRIEV, and the National Library of the Philippines and Resources for the Blind, Inc. (RBI). The objective was to teach the autistic and visually impaired trainers how to produce digital reading materials for those who are print disabled. Through DAISY, people with disability will benefit most because it assures them of equal access to information and knowledge.

    Please check www.blind.org.ph for more detail.
    Source: Resources for the Blind

  4. Human Rights United Nations (UN) Adoption of Arab Disability Day
    United Nations
    8 February 2008

    Endorsing a proposal by the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Disability, Hissa Al Thani, the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs has adopted a resolution marking 13 December as Arab Disability Day. This resolution marks a significant step towards widening the circle of concern for the rights of persons with disabilities in the Arab region. The date of 13 December, which is also the date of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, will allow for a unified campaign across the region to highlight and advocate for the signing, ratification, implementation and monitoring of the Convention. The theme of Arab Disability Day for 2008 will be "Equal Rights and Full Participation through the Implementation of the Convention."

    Source: DPI e-update-8 February 2008

  5. The First Youngest Blind Person Seated in the Upper House of Thailand
    Thailand
    19 February 2008

    Thailand's Election Commission (EC) announced the 74 appointed senators, who have been selected by an EC-appointed seven-member panel. Mr Monthian Buntan, President of Thailand Association of the Blind and Member of the Executive Board Committee of the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability, was one of the 74 appointees to the Upper House to serve a three-year term. Under the 2007 Constitution, the Senate is authorized to supervise the government's work as well as propose amendments to the bills.

    Please check www.apcdproject.org for more detail.
    Source: Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability

  6. Guaranteeing Rights of Disabled Persons Obligation for All
    Bangladesh
    29 February 2008

    The chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, has said despite resource constraints, Bangladesh is firmly committed to addressing the diverse needs of persons with disabilities within and outside the country. He said it has become both a challenge and an obligation for all to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. The head of the military-controlled government made the remarks while inaugurating the 3rd General Assembly and Conference of Asia and Pacific Disability Forum at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, jointly organised by the National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled and APDF. The theme of the conference was 'Disability and Development-Practical Strategies'.

    Please check www.independent-bangladesh.com for more detail.
    Source: Independent Bangladesh

  7. Cambodian Disabled Arts Festival Promotes Equal Rights
    Cambodia
    7 March 2008

    A festival aimed at promoting disabled artists in Cambodia has just ended in the nation's capital, Phnom Penh. Despite having one of the world's greatest number of disabled persons, social, political and economic discrimination against disabled persons is widespread. The aim was to try to help change popular perceptions of disability in Cambodia by promoting disabled people's. abilities rather than their disabilities. Hundreds of mainly disabled children took part in the opening parade of the Spotlight Festival - the first of its kind in Cambodia aimed at promoting the rights of the disabled. Spotlight Festival featured performances and workshops from a number of acclaimed disabled artists from Cambodia and the wider region. Performers included the blind Cambodian musician Kong Nay, master of the so-called "Mekong Delta Blues," who some call the "Ray Charles of Cambodia" because of his trademark sunglasses. Also performing at the festival was the acclaimed drumming team, Koshu Roa Taiko from Japan. All of the drummers were deaf and performed by feeling the drum's vibrations. As well as showing how disabled persons can play a full role in the arts, the festival succeeded in bringing some joy into the lives of some of Cambodia's most vulnerable disabled children. Organizers hope that festivals like Spotlight can help to bring about a general shift in attitudes towards disabled persons in Cambodia and the wider region.

    Please check www.voanews.com for more detail.
    Source: VOA News

Regional News: Upcoming Events
(Apegional-june 2008)

  1. The 3rd Annual International Shafallah Forum
    Qatar
    20-22 April 2008

    Please check www.awdhk-conf.org/home.html or email valeriek@brownlloydjames.com. for more details.

    Source: Shafallah Center

  2. Training Programme for CBR Managers
    India
    7-17 April 2008

    Please check www.cbrnetworksouthasia.org/index.html or email cbrnet@airtelbroadband for more details.

    Source: CBR Network

  3. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: a Call for Action on Poverty, Lack of Access and Discrimination
    Ethiopia
    19 - 22 May 2008

    Please check www.lcint.org

    Source:Leonard Cheshire

  4. MIUSA's 4th International Women's Institute on Leadership and Disability (WILD)
    United States of America
    12 August - 2 September 2008

    Please check www.miusa.org or email womenleaders@miusa.org.for more details.

    Source:MIUSA

  5. 2nd International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology,i-CREATe 2008
    Thailand
    13 - 15 May 2008

    logo i-CREATe 2008

    i-CREATe 2008 conference is jointly organized by the Thailand's National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (NECTEC) and Singapore Therapeutic, Assistive & Rehabilitative Technologies (START) Centre. The conference aims to address current and future developments in the areas of rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology through workshop sessions, scientific platform sessions, interactive poster presentations, integrated demonstrations and a Clinical Practicum.

    Please check www.start-centre.com/i-create2008/index.php or email

    Source:i-CREATe 2008

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