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] [ ] Collaboration with APCD for an inclusive Barrier Free and Right Based Fiji
Fiji Disabled Peoples Association (FDPA)
P.O. Box 15178, Suva, Fiji;Fiji Disabled Peoples Association was established in 1984 with the Mission to facilitate, realize, support and promote the equalization of opportunities for full participation of people with disabilities by strengthening FDPA through its branches and affiliates into an effective, cross-disabilities, gender-sensitive, service-oriented national organization and collaborating with Government, national, regional and international agencies for the efficient delivery of services, effective advocacy programs and promotion of an inclusive society.
The Association was invited to send participants to the following training
Participants who attended the above course returned have to share their experience and knowledge. One of the participants is playing a key role for such a workshop to be organized in the pacific region. The Association has also started an access audit to evaluate which buildings are accessible to person with disabilities.
Participants to the above course have shared the knowledge and experience which they learnt. Participants have also designed a website which FDPA will use in the future.
Our participant to the above course in new running classes for members to better their skill on Jaws Screen Reader to date he is working with 10 members on a regular basis.
FDPA has used the BMF to lobby Government and other stakeholders. We have designed the BMF in a 4 page information paper as well as 7 brochures an each of the priority areas. We also have a 4 member team who visits various places to promote BMF.
The Pacific sub-regional workshop, which was funded by the UNESCO Pacific Office in Apia, Samoa, was attended by 11 participants with different disabilities from 7 countries namely Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, PNG and Vanuatu. Participants at the workshop were able to share what is happening in their country in regards to ICT for persons with disabilities. They were also given an overview of assistive devices available for such persons including the various ICT policies and legislation. The workshop also involved hands-on training to give the participants a better understanding and practical experience on some of the assistive devices available. At the end of the workshop each country developed an action plan towards information and communication accessibility for persons with disabilities, which they could implement upon their return.
Resources persons for the workshop were from:
Fiji Disabled Peoples Association (FDPA) works for the equal rights of people with disabilities in Fiji. These rights are written in Chapter 4 in the Constitution of Fiji. This Chapter is called the Bill of Rights. It says that people with disabilities have the same rights as all citizen of Fiji.
The whole Bill of Rights has 22 sections. These apply to all people. This Booklet helps to explain some of these sections. If you are a person with a disability the information will highlight your rights under each of the eight sections. These sections were chosen because they were people with disabilities specifically face discrimination when compared with able-bodied people.
Fiji Disabled Peoples Association (FDPA) has also produced a video, an audio cassettes and Braille translation of this information. Most of the sections are also discussed in more detail in FDPA'S set of resources called Know Your Rights.
The collaboration between APCD and the FDPA has been a very fruitful one we have shared the information learnt in our Country. APCD also provided resource persons at the recent ICT Workshop and having APCD resource persons was very beneficial to the participants we also utilized the ex - ICT participants at the workshop as well.
Considering the above we in Fiji have found the collaboration with APCD very useful and enlightening. We hope that this working relationship will continue in the future.
FDPA hopes to continue its work on access to built Environment, Human Rights and ICT Programs for persons with disabilities. We hope to continue the collaboration with APCD.
The office has videos and pictures which can be submitted to APCD at a later stage.
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