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September 29, 2011
United Nations Human Rights Pacific Office congratulates Palau’s human rights progress
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Institute of Developing Economies Japan External Trade Organization(IDE-JETRO).
UN Human Rights Pacific Office congratulates Palau Friday, 23 September 2011, 7:34 pm Press Release: OHCHR scoop.co.nz
MEDIA RELEASE
23 September 2011
United Nations Human Rights Pacific Office congratulates Palau’s human rights progress
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The United Nations Office of the High Commission for Human Rights
(OHCHR) Regional Office for the Pacific congratulates the Government and people of Palau for taking a historic step forward for the promotion and protection of human rights in Palau. President and Head of State, H.E. Johnson Toribiong, showed his country’s commitment to human rights by signing eight of the core human rights treaties in New York this week.
Matilda Bogner, Regional Representative for OHCHR’s Office for the Pacific, said:
“The commitment shown by these signatures is remarkable and gives a clear message that Palau has now started a journey to provide people in the country with a stronger foundation to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms. It also gives a clear message of political will and leadership across the Pacific and supports the spirit of the recent Pacific Island Leaders’ Forum meeting in the area of human rights. I want to join others in conveying my sincere appreciation to the Government of Palau for this progress. I also want to reiterate the Regional Office’s readiness to assist Palau in translating this commitment into a reality on the ground.”
On 20 September, during the United Nations Treaty Event in New York, Palau signed eight human rights treaties: the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (ICRMW), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED). Palau has been a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child since 1995.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
* OHCHR leads global Human Rights efforts and works to promote and protect the Human Rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
* OHCHR is headed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, who coordinates Human Rights activities throughout the UN System and supervises the Human Rights Council.
* OHCHR Regional Pacific Office covers 16 countries: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Posted by jicafriends at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2011
Leadership and Networking Course Starting Soon
The training course, Development of Leadership & Networking of Persons with Disabilities, is soon starting at JICA Tokyo. Seven participants are expected to arrive at Narita Airport on October 11. The detailed program has been confirmed and will soon be updated on our website !
Following induction sessions, the training starts on Monday October 17. The participants are to receive a wide range of training – including lectures, visits, workshops and presentations – at a variety of venues in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Osaka.
They are also to engage themselves in Individual Training, which will be tailored for their respective individual needs and interests. Contents of Individual Training will be finalized with help from their coordinators after their arrivals in Japan.
Bon voyage to the participants !
Secretary of JICA Friends
Posted by jicafriends at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)
September 21, 2011
Report from Mr. Fabio PADILLA -Leadership Course 2006
Below is a message from Mr. Fabio Padilla, a former participant in the 2006 Leadership Tarining Program.
Hello jicafriends!
This to share some news with you:
1. I just started a professional certification program in Harvard - Extension School, doing it on-line meanwhile (with lots of interactions through video, chat, webinars, etc.) and planning to go to Cambridge next year. The program is SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, and the idea is to apply for a Master Program next year (fulfilling other requirements and documents). Big challenge, with many things to do and read, but I'm enjoying it a lot.
2. I recently started the Brasilian Tennis Federation - Wheelchair Tennis Director. That's why I want to asked about training possibilities with JICA in Japan, as you know, I would love not only to go back but also to have the chance of being a lecturer or directing some training sessions for some of your courses or with any other organizations you may know in Asia.
Here's my most recent video on YouTube, FABIO PADILLA - Palestrante "bacana" - Cadeirante que pode Voar!!!
("Cool" Speaker. Wheelchair guy that can fly!!!)
I made it for Brazilian portuguese speaking people, but mos of it is in spanish. I will translate it to english soon. (Images help to understand)
I'll wait for your comments or suggestions.
Warm hugs,
--
Fabio
Posted by jicafriends at 10:44 AM | Comments (0)
September 16, 2011
Job Vacancy at UNICEF
The following information was retrieved from the website of UNICEF
VACANCY POST: Programme Specialist (Children with Disabilities), P-4, New York
Vacancy Number: E-VN-2011-001469
Duty Station: New York
Position #: DPP12005
Country: USA
Region: NY HQ
Contract Type: Long-term Staff (FT)
Application Close: 27-Sep-11
Purpose of the Position
Based within the Disability Unit, under the guidance of the Senior Adviser on Children with Disabilities, you will provide technical support to UNICEF’s work on children with disabilities and particularly to devise and implement a strategy for the roll-out of the revised 2007 programme guidance note on inclusion of children with disabilities to regional and country offices; initiate and guide the development of training tools as well as advocacy for UNICEF’s support to the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as they relate to children with disabilities; and to coordinate efforts in supporting UNICEF's engagement with the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and for the promotion of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Key Expected Results
1. Provides expert advice to support UNICEF in integrating the rights of children with disabilities into programme and policy formulation
Working in coordination with Division of Policy and Practice (DPP) and Program Division (PD), devises and implements a strategy for the roll-out of revised 2007 programme guidance note on inclusion of children with disabilities to regional and country offices. Prepares draft policy documents, operational and technical guidance for UNICEF programming sectors on children with disabilities issues.
End Result (s): Strategy for the roll-out of the programme guidance note on inclusion of children with disabilities fully developed. Improved support and resources for the implementation of the international human rights treaties, in particular the CRPD, CRC and CEDAW, through UNICEF programmes and policies.
2. Partnerships and Initiatives
Participates in and coordinates UNICEF’s involvement in intergovernmental processes and liaise with partners from the disability community and other strategic organisations working on disability, including the World Bank, WHO, Save the Children and Handicap International. Taps into these partners’ expertise in shaping UNICEF’s advocacy and programming around disability;
Represent the Senior Adviser on Children with Disabilities on the Inter-Agency Support Group on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Proposes strategies and contributes to advocacy with human rights institutions/mechanisms and the UN system at global level on disability issues and for bringing those issues into their agendas. Using the principles of human-rights based approach (HRBAP), provides support to the inter-agency policies, strategies, monitoring and accountability mechanisms for integrating the disability issues in UN operations and programmes.
End Result (s): Strengthened leadership in intergovernmental processes and human rights institutions as well as in interagency initiatives will increase attention to the rights of children with disabilities in partners’ agendas at international level.
3. Data collection and analysis on the situation of children with disabilities
In coordination with country and regional offices, supports PD and DPP in identifying major gaps with regard to data on the situation of children with disabilities. Liaises with the Statistics and Monitoring Section and other relevant sections to identify the most appropriate ways to fill these information gaps; Conducts policy and legal research and analysis as it relates to disability issues, including analysis of the CRPD as legal instrument. Interprets CRPD articles for UNICEF application on disability issues for UNICEF policy development as required by Executive Staff.
End Result (s): Rights perspective incorporated in research and policy analysis for enhancing the realization of the rights of children with disabilities and elevating UNICEF’s credibility in policy debates.
4. Capacity building
Provides technical support to UNICEF field offices. Guides the development of an organizational capacity building strategy and tools on children with disabilities. Develops training tools and facilitates training to support the roll-out of the revised disability guidance note to regional and country offices; develops and facilitate learning sessions on disability for HQ-based staff. Contributes to the review and assessment of UNICEF programme analysis, planning and monitoring tools to assess the application of HRBA framework.
End Result (s): Strengthened analysis and feedback of UNICEF programme performance on disability issues at all levels leading to better organizational performance, strengthened mechanism to monitor implementation of CRDPD in UNICEF policies and programmes.
5. Inter-Divisional Collaboration
Supports the HQ-based inter-divisional working group on children with disabilities.
Prepares inputs for UNICEF strategic planning processes, including and for briefings and talking points for senior managers on disability issues. Contributes to the development and implementation of global capacity development efforts around disability issues and the application of a human rights based approach. Advises staff and partners on disability issues/approaches and facilitate training as required.
End Result (s): UNICEF’s strategic planning processes on disability issues strengthened and human rights-based framework reflected in reports and advocacy messages. Advocacy around disability issues strengthened by implementation of effective capacity development strategy.
6. Advocate for UN human rights mechanisms to integrate the rights of children with disabilities
Brings the issue of children with disabilities to the attention of the CRPD Committee through written inputs, assisting the Committee in days of general discussion and in the drafting of General Comments. Encourages and supports country offices in countries that are coming up for review to prepare alternative reports and offer support to the State Party and other actors in drafting and presenting reports. Produces reporting guidelines for country offices.
Supports country offices in reporting to the CRC Committee on disability and advocacy towards the State Party on this issue. Advocates with the NGO Group on the CRC to encourage participation of DPOs in child rights NGO coalitions.
Supports UNICEF’s participation in the Human Rights Council’s annual half day panel on disability. Supports country offices in reporting on disability and advocacy in the Universal Periodic Review mechanism of the Human Rights Council.
End Result (s): Strengthened advocacy for UN human rights mechanisms to integrate the rights of children with disabilities will increase attention to the rights of children with disabilities in UN human rights mechanisms’ agendas.
7. Key Liaison between UNICEF and AusAID for the REAP Project
Working in coordination with (and as member of) the Project Implementation Team, draws up project implementation plan which will prioritise and detail the work to be undertaken over the three-year period of the project. Responsible for the reporting requirements for AusAID, coordinating UNICEF country and HQ reports on the project
End Result (s): Successful implementation of REAP Project, which will increase UNICEF’s expertise and capacity to lead on issues relating to children with disability, and translating to improved policies, programmes and advocacy across developing countries.
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
Advanced university degree in social sciences with a specific focus on children and disability. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Eight years of professional experience of working on issues of childhood disability, at least six years of which should be in the context of low and middle income countries. Experience of national and international level advocacy on disability issues, of programme planning and implementation, and of guiding monitoring and evaluation efforts in a development agency context is required. Clearly demonstrated ability to conceptualize development issues and write high quality technical reports, analytical materials and project proposals is essential. Direct field and community level experience in programme execution, involving government and international development agencies is highly desirable.
Competencies of Successful Candidate
• Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
• Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
• Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
• Analyses and integrates potentially conflicting numerical, verbal and other data from a number of sources.
• Negotiates effectively by exploring a range of possibilities.
• Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
• Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
• Contributes and tries out innovative approaches and insights.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.
For more information, go to UNICEF's website - http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index.php
Posted by jicafriends at 04:24 PM | Comments (0)
September 15, 2011
International Leadership Conference of Persons with Disabilities, Oct 3-5, 2011
Mr. Muhammad Atif Sheikh, a former Pakistani participant in the Leadership Training Course in 2002, is organizing a three-day international conference on disability in Islamabad early next month.
The event is organized by Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP), of which Mr. Sheikh acts as the President, in collaboration with Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan, Sightsavers, Telenor Pakistan, Plan International, Concern Worldwide, CBM/CHEF International, Light for the World, British Council and Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN).
At this conference, leaders of disability movements and key stakeholders in the field will explore dimensions of inclusive society and formulate recommendations for effective implementations of disability policies in South Asia and beyond.
The conference has an overall theme – Implementation of UNCRPD – and aims to devise a mechanism to implement UNCRP, which Pakistan has recently ratified, learning from the experiences of developed countries. Attendence has already been confirmed by many individuals from a number of countries including UK, USA, Japan, Korea, India, Thailand and Afghanistan as well as many from within Pakistan.
The conference will consist of Keynote Speeches and Panel Discussions on a range of topics. A brief program is shown below.
DAY ONE: Livelihood and Inclusive Business Development
- Leadership in Disability Movement
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Employment Opportunities and Challenges
- Inclusive Business
- Community Based Inclusive Entrepreneur Development
DAY TWO: Disability in Disasters and Emergencies
- Reaching Persons with Disabilities in Emergencies
- Disaster Risk Reduction
- Emergency and beyond (Role of INGOs)
- Children with Disabilities
- Emergency response and DPOs
- Education and Disasters
DAY THREE: International Collaboration
- Implementation of UNCRPD; Challenges ahead
- Mainstreaming Disability into Development
- Adoption of Declaration
The event will take place at Serena Hotel Islamabad, Pakistan, on 3-5 October 2011. More information can be viewed on STEP's website:
Posted by jicafriends at 09:46 AM | Comments (0)
September 12, 2011
Seminar on independent living of persons with disability at Anderas Bello University, Chile
Carlos Kaiser Mansilla, who participated in the 2003 Leadership training program, delivered a lecture on independent living of persons with disabilities at at Andreas Bello University, Chile, on September 3, 2011. His speech took place at the seminar organized by Prof. Alan Martinez, who is also a former trainee of a JICA program and is a great physical therapist.
Carlos comments, “I got to talk about Independent Living. It was a pleasure and a great honor. I talked about the importance of decision making, the great opportunity of building up a fair society.”
Posted by jicafriends at 04:36 PM | Comments (0)
September 09, 2011
UN conference on disabled to focus on protecting rights, promoting development
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
14:03, September 07, 2011
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from member states, civil society, and the UN system will attend a meeting beginning on Wednesday on the rights of the disabled and how empowering disabled people can enhance international development.
Officials briefed the press here on Tuesday on the Fourth Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which runs from Sept. 7-9.
"The Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is unique in the family of human rights instruments," said Maria Larsson, Swedish minister for children and the elderly as she addressed reporters. "Three days of dedicated, substantive debate on the global forefront with all stakeholders present is a moment to cherish and benefit from."
The meeting will bring together 400-500 delegations from states parties, observers, and dignatories to the convention as well as 200-300 civil society representatives. They will be discussing the implementation of a convention that has been ratified by 103 states parties and has been in force since May 2008.
The convention is designed to empower disabled people by articulating their rights and their status as subjects rather than objects of charity and social protection.
"The convention will help build a more inclusive society where everybody wins from the participation of many voices, where equal opportunity for all produces benefits for all," said Larsson.
For its fourth session, the conference will have the theme, " Enabling Development, Realizing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities." The officials all emphasized the importance of people with disabilities to overall international development.
"Returning to the theme of the conference, I would just like to add that enabling development encompasses an objective of the disability community to look at disability and development," said Marten Grunditz, permanent representative of Sweden to the UN.
"There is a feeling in the community that we will not be a the position to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) if there is not commensurate progress among the 1 billion people having one or other form of disability," Grunditz said.
The MDGs are a set of eight international development targets that UN member states have pledged to achieve by the year 2015.
Professor Clive McCallum, chair of UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities emphasized the importance of bringing disabled people sufficient jobs.
"Its only through employment that we can play full roles as citizens in our countries," said McCallum. "It's only through employment that we can use our talents to contribute to the better of society. Its only through employment that we can support ourselves and our families."
He cited a Dec. 2010 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that concluded that in member countries of the OECD, the unemployment rate for disabled people is more than twice as high as the national averages. The situation, he said, is even worse for women, who have a higher unemployment rate than disabled men.
"If you look at the OECD report, far too much is spent upon disability pensions and social welfare benefits," said McCallum. " What we want is money to be spent to get us into employment so that less of us need to be on social security and benefits and in these economic times of downturn when some countries are cutting their social security its even more imperative to have programs to get us out of sheltered workshops, to get us out of our homes, and to get us in full time employment."
McCallum added that the committee looks forward to the three- day conference as an opportunity to communicate with other stakeholders on an important issue.
"We see it as a marvelous way for us to interact with civil society and with states' parties," he said. "We play a small part in administering the convention at the international level, but the real responsibility is on all those states parties that have signed up to implement the convention within their own societies."
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90777/90856/7590893.html
Posted by jicafriends at 01:20 PM | Comments (0)
September 07, 2011
Taking disabled’s plight to Cabinet-Malaysia
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
By ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD
PUTRAJAYA: The Transport Ministry will raise at the Cabinet today the disabled's plea for arobridges at the new low-cost carrier terminal at KL International Airport (KLIA2).
“I am not promising them anything but I am hoping for some positive signs on the issue,” minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said after meeting representatives of disabled groups at his office here yesterday.
Last month, the groups voiced their objection when Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) decided not to install the aerobridges.
They pointed out that the aerobridges were necessary for their safe boarding and disembarkation, even for those who were pregnant.
Kong said he was aware of these problems. “That is why I stressed that airport facilities should be built according to international standards,” he said.
The group's spokesman Christine Lee appealed to the Government to compel MAHB to install the aerobridges.
“We pay full fares just like any other passenger and we want to be treated with dignity and not be carried up and down the aircraft.”
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/9/7/nation/9440999&sec=nation
Related information:http://www.jicafriends.net/archives/2011/08/going_public_on_1.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bB-fHifjr4&feature=share
Posted by jicafriends at 03:48 PM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2011
What independence means to the disabled-Malaysia
We found the following article about United Voice, where the two former participants, Ms. Swee Lan Yeo (Vocational Rehab. 2006) and Ms. Moh Foong Yeong (Decent 2009) work actively for persons with learning disabilities.
It was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
The Star online/ Monday August 29, 2011)
JOHARI Jamali has been president of United Voice, the first self-advocacy society in the country for the people with learning disabilities since its formation in 2004.
I often refer to him as the CEO, and his down-to-earth and humble approach in leading endears him to all who know him.
He recognises that "gaining independence" from Dignity and Services, the parent advocacy movement, that spun off UV some seven years ago, was a big step forward, but there is much work to be done.
As we celebrate our 54th Merdeka Day this Wednesday, I am reminded that independence means different things to different people.
For Johari and members of UV, the freedom to be able to speak out for themselves and to chart their own destiny is truely empowering.
Said Johari: "I would like to see Malaysian education system encourage students, with and without disabilities, to be more outspoken about their future.
"People with learning disabilities should be more confident when spealing out at public forums, preparing for job interviews and fighting for their rights."
This is what their Merdeka is about. Now they can mind their own bank accounts, conduct their own elections and even call their own press conferences. The "non-disabled" friends of UV keep a healthy distance and never intervene.
I have seen Johari grown in confidence and stature through the years. He not only understands the issues that affect people with learning disabilities, but is also able to look beyond his immediate niche group.
In a way he reminds me that freedom for oneself is meaningless if we do not also see how that freedom afects others.
Consider, for example, why disabled groups had to stage a protest last week to remind the aouthorities that aerobridges are necessary at the new low-cost carrie terminal at the KL International Airport or KLIA2.
When I asked Johari about his thought for Merdeka Day, his remarks were forthright: "I want to see more changes among Malaysians so they won't stick with one race. I want the Government to consider our race as Malaysian, not Malay, Chinese, Indian Eurasian, etc."
If you have attended any of the UV activities, you can understand why. The members suffer from disabilities such as Global Developmental Delay, Down's Syndrome, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and cerebral palsy, but they are together as one.
The only time I hear race mentioned is when they are doing an obstacle race,one of the many fun activities they have when they gather to encourage andlearn from each other.
Although he has experienced some form of independence, which many of us often take for granted, Johari also has his dreams to go further. "I wish I could further my studies and get a job that will also allow me to gain overseas exposure as well. Now I am a receptionist at an audit company but I want to do more than just answer calls."
In his role as president of UV, Johari has been to numerous conferences overseas where he not only talks about the Malaysian situation but learns what other countries have done to fully include the disabled into the society.
Having just attended one such conference in Geelong, Australia, Johari hopes that all Malaysians with learning disabilities one day be able to further their education in vocational training centers and universities.
And that Corporate Malaysia will also do more to hire them. Real independence, after all, is not about charity, but getting a real salary so that they can persue their own dreams.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/29/business/9388987&sec=business
Posted by jicafriends at 09:41 AM | Comments (0)
September 05, 2011
Remembering Fred Fay, Upcoming USICD Events, and Other August News
http://www.usicd.org/template/index.cfm
Posted by jicafriends at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)
Child Laws Should Be Enforced-Zimbabwe
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
24 August 2011
Zimbabwe: Child Laws Should Be Enforced
There is no doubt that children are mankind's greatest asset; not only do they keep the human race alive, they also perpetuate the transmission of the body of knowledge, and hence development, from generation to generation.
They are our most enduring legacy, guarantors of our civilisation, past and present, and need to be nurtured with meticulous care and accorded all the support necessary so that they can reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully towards the realisation of a world fit for all.
Of late, however, there has been a disturbing upsurge in reports in the press of children with disabilities being abandoned by their parents soon after birth. While in other cases of abandonment, care has been taken to find the culprits and bring them to book, in the case of children with disabilities, however, abandonment reaches its lowest point.
Here, we are confronted with a situation where, after the mother has given birth to a child with disability, the father summarily abandons the family without any feeling of compassion, openly declaring that there is no way that he can give birth to a child with disability.
Worse still accusing the wife of infidelity and dabbling in witchcraft. The father is allowed to abandon his legal, moral, financial and emotional obligations with impunity by an indifferent society that conveniently chooses to look the other way.
On February 4, 2011, H-Metro reported the case of a mother who gave birth to a child with teeth. The father rushed to distance himself from paternity of the child, saying there was no way the child could have been his, and that the mother must have strayed from the marital bed. As is the norm in such cases, the mother will be left holding the baby as it were she will be the one to care single-handedly for the child till it grows up, thus creating a number of psychological problems for the child from which he or she seldom recovers.
There was not the slightest response from the authorities, or a whimper from human rights organisations, and not even a concerned groan from child protection societies. Zimbabwean child help societies remained sublimely supine in the face of this first form of violence on the rights of the child, choosing, as usual, to play the role of the innocent bystander. The church, though preaching that children a gift from God have also choose to remain mum on the matter.
Continue reading:http://allafrica.com/stories/201108240032.html
*The writer is Information and Communications Officer with the National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped an umbrella body of organisations of and for people with disabilities in Zimbabwe.*
Posted by jicafriends at 02:55 PM | Comments (0)
First Leadership Training of Family Member of Persons with Disabilities– Joint Training for Lady Health Workers and Primary School Teachers – Pakistan
August 15-20, 2011
A STAR (Abbottabad Social participation Through Awareness Raising) Project in Pakistan has conducted four leadership training programs for persons with disabilities and their family members. However, the participation rate of family members has been significantly low, which has achieved no formation of family group so far. To improve the situation, a leadership training of family members was planned and conducted on Aug. 15–20, 2011, for six days. This training targeted not only family members of persons with disabilities living in six Union Councils in the region of Abbottabad, but also Lady Health Workers and Govt. Primary School Teachers as local resources. The program of the training was as follows:
Day One
- A STAR Project Briefing
- Objective of the Training
- What is Disability?
Day Two
- Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Disability-related Law and Policy
Day Three
- Seven Habits
- Role Model of Family Members
Day Four
- Role Model of Persons with Disabilities
Day Five
- Disability Model
- Social Participation of Persons with Disabilities and Role of Family Members
Day Six
- Action Plan
- Review
Ms. Nuzhat and Ms. Aftab Alam, who are former participants in the Leadership Training Courses in 2009 and 2010 respectively, acted as Facilitator in this event. Both of them work as staff members of the STAR project while having separate means of earning income – Mr. Alam works for Pakistan International Airlines while Ms. Nuzhat works for the Pakistani government. On completion of training in Japan, each of them designed a project on empowering persons with disabilities in Pakistan: Mr. Alam planned to transmit leadership skills and knowledge to community leaders and their families, and Mr. Nuzhat focused on women with physical/intellectual disabilities who would learn embroidery skills as vocational training.
Posted by jicafriends at 02:31 PM | Comments (0)
September 02, 2011
IIM-A waste to help kids with visual, hearing impairments-India
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
Dayananda Yumlembam, TNN | Sep 1, 2011, 01.07AM IST
Read More:PGPX|Married Students' Hostel|Indian Institute Of Management, Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD: As students of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) make the best of their waste, it will be the visually and hearing impaired children in the country who will be gaining out of it.
Every month, a mail that is circulated among the students of IIM-A fixes a date and points out a venue, usually one of the dorms in the campus. Students will then come individually and in groups to drop their old news papers and old magazines to the venue. The exercise accumulates more than 250 kilograms of old news papers on that single day.
In another corner of the campus, a spouse of a married student is busy accumulating the solid wastes coming out of the many households of the married students living in the Married Students' Hostel (MSH). Around 45 kilograms of wastes including empty bottles, cans, old clothes pile up in a month's time.
These activities are part of a social initiative recently launched by the students of IIM-A's Post Graduate Programme in management for Executives (PGPX). The students are regularly accumulating the institute's wastes. The revenue generated from selling these wastes is then donated to an NGO called Sense International (India) which supports local organizations working with visually and hearing impaired children.
Vikas Guru, 38, a PGPX student who initiated the exercise, said, "We are able to generate around two thousand rupees every month by selling the newspaper to the scrap collector. These amounts are donated to Sense International (India)."
Kothai Ramanathan, spouse of a PGPX student who is collecting the solid wastes from households in the campus said, "We will soon begin to sell what we have collected to increase the fund generation." The exercise which has become regular now is set to grow further. Many faculties and staffs of the institute have decided to join in.
"I always wanted to involve in supporting the underprivileged children. Being a student here and the environment in this campus have enabled me to finally make it happen. The exercise is here to stay as we will make sure that incoming batches carry it on," said Guru who was working as a deputy general manager with MTNL before coming to study at IIM-A.
Posted by jicafriends at 01:40 PM | Comments (0)
Visually impaired students included-Fiji
The following information was downloaded from the mailing list of "Disability and Development" with a cooperation of the publisher, Mr. Soya Mori.
Timoci Vula
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Fiji Times
FIJI'S education ministry is working with non-government organisations (NGOs) such as the Fiji Society for the Blind to ensure children with disability are not deprived of better education.
In a Ministry of Information statement, the ministry said for this year alone, it had successfully integrated 176 special education students into mainstream schools, a handful of whom were from the Fiji School for the Blind.
Fiji School for the Blind acting head teacher Makereta Musukasau said 11 students had been integrated into various primary and secondary schools.
"We've got two Form Four students at DAV Girls College, one Form Six student too at DAV Girls College and two Form Five students at DAV College," Ms Musukasau said in the statement.
"We also have a class five student at the Tagaqe District School in Nadroga, a Form Three student at John Wesley College, a Form Seven student at Dudley High School and two students integrated into the Fiji National University," she said.
Ms Musukasau said it was important that parents sent their children with special needs to school on time so they could be integrated into regular schools when the time was right.
Government has allowed visually-impaired students to be integrated into regular schools to provide them the same opportunities and educational experiences as those provided for children with normal eye sight.
"It is also to allow blind children and their families, neighbours, and friends to interact socially in normal situations. Development of the right educational environment will make integration of blind
children a reality," Mrs Musukasau added.
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=179289
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