PEKAN: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak proposed yesterday that private sector companies reserve two per cent of their jobs for the disabled.

"In this way, more disabled would be able to serve the companies and lead a better future," said Najib.

"It's part of your corporate social responsibility.

"You have been providing financial assistance to them, so now you can offer them suitable jobs in your organisations," he said after attending the Excellence Day ceremony for Pekan Community
Rehabilitation Centre (PDK) at SMK Sri Pekan yesterday.

The deputy prime minister said that countries like Japan had a legal provision compelling the private sector to offer jobs to the disabled.

"If they fail to provide the jobs, then the firm must provide financial assistance to the government to help the disabled.

"This is just my suggestion to the private sector. I hope they will offer assistance to the disabled"

Najib said the PDKs must adopt a culture of excellence to improve further.

"As human beings, we will never be able to achieve our dreams if we fail to adopt the excellence culture.

"We have to always equip ourselves in all aspects as the people will evaluate us through our achievements."

Najib later handed out excellence awards to outstanding disabled individuals and their parents at the function.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/National/2443420/Article/index_html

http://www.ypsa.org/index.php

Two hundred years have elapsed since the birth of Louis Braille and the Braille System he invented in 1824 remains to date the most widely used printed form of communication among the vision impaired. On 4th January 2009, we commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of this ingenious person who developed a system of writing and printing for the sightless when he was only 15 years old. His was an embossing system that was easy to print and read by individuals and thus surpassed those of Valentin Hauy, William Moon and Charles Barbier. With the 63 combinations of the six dots, Braille to the blind is what writing is to the sighted. The fact that the Braille System still has not had a worthy contender lies in its logical and practical design. Since 1824, Braille has undergone several modifications including the introduction of the Nemeth code and the musical notation code which have expanded possibilities of vision impaired persons reaching their fullest potential.

Some believed in the past that computers would pose a threat to the existence of Braille. On the contrary, they have increased the overall availability and use of Braille. Most importantly, they have become common ground where sighted and sightless meet as equals. The unification of Braille codes, making Braille parallel to print, will consequently bring about equitable access to literacy by the blind. Whatever progress Braille has made today with the aid of technology, we owe it all to Louis Braille for, if not for his ingenious invention of the six dot code, the blind may still be in the dark. Almost two centuries gone, his original code still remains the core of the Braille Code we use today. I am sure that it will be so for at least another two hundred years more.

In gratitude to this great Frenchman, the Sri Lanka Council for the Blind (SLCB) organised the national celebrations of his two hundredth birth anniversary on 04th January 2009. The ceremony was held under the patronage of the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka at the Public Library, Colombo. The Chief guest unveiled a photograph of Louis Braille before he addressed the gathering. Guest of Honour, the Secretary to the Ministry of Social Service and Social Welfare and other special guests also addressed the gathering. Proceedings also included the singing of the Louis braille song composed by two blind persons, the award of scholarships to several deserving vision impaired students, presentation of slates to blind school leavers and the presentation of SLCB’s first magazine “Sadisi” on matters related to the vision impaired community to the Chief Guest. SLCB launched the Sinhala Text to Speech Softwre “Nuwana” on the same day. Any vision impaired person can obtain it free of charge from SLCB.

We would also like to inform you that we will be changing our email address to unitedvoiceinfo@gmail.com with effective from 1st January 2009.
You may email us at this address for any future correspondence.

Thank you & wishing you a very Happy New Year!

Regards,
United Voice Team

We hope the year 2008 was fruitful one for all of you. In 2008, we saw a number of suffering caused by natural disasters as well as a great loss of Mr. Ichiro Maruyama in international disability field.

We wish the coming year will unite us jicafriends even stronger and our continuous work in respective countries will bring significant changes in the society.

We hope the global efforts in realization of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will bring firm advancement in each country.

In 2009, we will strive for timely provision of disability related information through our website and newsletter. We highly appreciate the contributions made by jicafriends to the website this year.

May the New Year bring success and happiness to each of you.

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R - 2009- !!!

The Secretariat of jicafriends

At the end of the training course, each participant is required to write Project Plan by applying what they learned in Japan. During this training course, two days workshops is programmed on project plan writing and presentation skill. Ms. Sarajean Rossito is a nonprofit NGO consultant with background in the human rights issues in Asia and she gives these workshops.

Ms. Sarajean explained the items to be covered in Project Plan required by JICA with examples. Some of the participants already had experience of writing projects plans and also obtaining funds.
But with Ms. Sarajean, they could improve their project writing skills.

The resource parson was not only the lecturer in this workshop. The participants also have a rich experiences and valuable opinions, so they were asked to share their ideas with the group and also to work in a pair to discuss and exchange opinions with each other. In this way, they could get more ideas and develop their plans.

The participants brought their computers to the classroom and they started drafting their project in the class. It was an intensive whole-day workshop but the participants could improve their writing skills.
The second workshop is programmed for December 5 and the participants are asked to bring their draft project paper in word and also to prepare their presentation materials.

Yours Sincerely

Saidul Huq
Former Participant 2005

Regional Survey Reports plus other information about the Global Human Rights
of Deaf People Project that are available from:

http://www.wfdeaf.org/projects.html

Seven regions are
- Eastern Europe and Middle Asia Regional Secretariat of the WFD (EEMARS)
- WFD Regional Secretariat for Asia and the Pacific (RSA/P)
- WFD Regional Secretariat for South America (RSSA)
- WFD Regional Secretariat for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (WFD MCAC)
- WFD Regional Secretariat for Eastern and Southern Africa (WFD RSESA)
- WFD Interim Regional Secretariat for Western and Central Africa Region (WFD WCAR)
- WFD Interim Regional Secretariat for the Arab Region (WFD RSAR)

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3rd December, the occasion of UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities*, the opening ceremony of the Information and Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities took place. The center was opened in the compound of Ministry of Labor and Social Development Building in Bishkek under the technical cooperation project between the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, the Government of Kyrgyz Republic, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Around 50 people consists of the representatives of both Kyrgyz and Japanese government, disabled peoples’ organizations, NGOs and international organizations participated in the event.

The Information and Resource Centre will serve not only for providing information and communication on disability to persons with disabilities and their organizations within the country but also function as the hub of network among disabled peoples’ organizations in Central Asia.
At the ceremony, Her Excellency, Ms. Ibraimova Elmira, Vice Prime Minister,
Government of Kyrgyz Republic, thanked the cooperation of Japanese government through JICA.
Referring to the international workshop ‘Capacity Development of Self Help Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (CDSHOD)’ which Ministry of Labor and Social Development conducted 21st - 24th October, jointly with the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), she said “We are grateful for what we have discussed is now being realized step by step.”.

His Excellency, Mr. Yuichi Iizuka, Charge d'affaires, Embassy of Japan in Kyrgyz Republic, praised Kyrgyz Government for their initiative towards persons with disabilities and wished the cooperation between two countries will continue and enhance bilateral relationship.

“JICA believes that persons with disabilities are not target of charity but holder of rights and the agent of change. To be effective agents of change and to increase the ‘capability’, JICA provides persons with disabilities with training, information and opportunities of networking through our
experts, volunteers and training courses. The Centre will be a place of the human resource development.”, Mr. Hideaki Maruyama, Chief Representative,

JICA Kyrgyz Republic Office said in his speech.

Her Excellency, Ms. Uktomkhan Abdullaeva, Minister of Labor and Social Development, wished the center and its activities will be expanded. “The present center is a small one. But by the initiative and unified effort of persons with disabilities, we will make it bigger in the future.”, she said.

At the end of ceremony, Mr. Kalyk Mambetakunov, President of Association of Disabled Persons in Kyrgyzstan expressed gratitude on behalf of disabled community. Ms. Asipa Musaeva, Vice President of Association of Disabled Persons in Kyrgyzstan was handed over the donated items from Kyrgyz Government as well as the key of the center.

The center is equipped with computers and seminar room for information exchange and training. It is also made accessible for wheelchair users. The entrance has ramp and floor is leveled. Toilet has sliding door and hand rails for physically disabled.

“We follow the building code of Kyrgyz Government. We also consulted with local persons with disabilities including wheelchair users. The country already has guidelines and disabled persons who can work as professional consultants. Creating this kind of barrier free environment is easier and
less costly for new construction. I hope the center will be a model for other public facilities. “, said Mr. Minoru Hiramoto, JICA expert, Project for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities into Society in Kyrgyz Republic.

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* The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3rd of December, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and
well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme of the Day is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by General Assembly in 1982. This year’s theme is "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all of us".

http://www.donors.kg/en/news/?news=454

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Four Pacific Islanders get human rights awards
08 December, 2008
Radio New Zealand International

Four Pacific Islanders have been honoured with human rights awards to mark the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Papua New Guinea's Cabinet Minister, Dame Carol Kidu, won the overall award for her outstanding contribution to promoting the rights of Pacific Islanders.

Setareki Macanawai of the Pacific Disability Forum and Andonia Piau-Lynch of the Vanuatu Disability Promotion and Advocacy Association received special citations for advancing the rights of
persons with disabilities.

And Lynnsay Rongokea-Francis, a Cook Islander currently working with the Asia Pacific Forum for Women, Law and Development, received special recognition for her long-standing support for the rights of women.

Organised by the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team the awards were presented in a ceremony in Suva last Friday by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Secretary General Tuiloma Neroni Slade and International Human Rights Officer Tanya Smith of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=43543

more information about Mr. Setaraki
http://www.jicafriends.jp/projects/project/asiaandpacific/fiji/fiji01.html

Today's lecturer was one of the leading figures in Japanese disability movement, Mr. Koji ONOUE, Secretary General of Japan National Assembly of Disabled Peoples' International (DPI-Japan).

Mr. Onoue started his lecture by sharing his own childhood experiences in an institution with the participants. At that time, the medical approach was prevailing. For example, he was identified by a number “55” and received experimental surgical operations many times regardless of his will which made his disability even severer.

Mr. Onoue then talked how the movements of persons with disabilities have been involved in development of the Japanese welfare measures and services. He explained about the shift from medical model to social model, the development of the independent living movement and postwar policies for persons with disabilities, the International Year of Disabled Persons and dissemination of the idea of normalization. It was only in the 1990’s when the support for the community life or independent living in the actual systems and services started.

From Mr. Onoue's lecture, the participants could learn that the current welfare services and systems which might look very nice to them were not available for persons with disabilities from the beginning. But the strong movements and involvement of persons with disabilities over the last 50 years had played important roles in their development.

http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2008/training/l1107.html

In this evening, the participants watched a film “A Pieace of Your Home” at JICA Tokyo. And it was for free! Not only this course's participants but other participants who are staying in JICA Tokyo were invited.

But what is the importance of this film ?

The nine participants are going to visit a facility which initially started for persons with mental disabilities next week during their regional training in Wakayama Prefecture. The facility is called Muginosato (Barley Village) and it is the model for this film.

“A Piece of Your Home” was filmed to celebrate 30th anniversary of Kyosaren (Japan Association of Community Workshops for Disabled Persons.) It depicts the often misunderstood attitudes that the Japanese people have toward mental health patients. By watching this film prior to their visit, they could learn how this organization started and what kind of frictions with the local community they had faced at initial stages. The film has successfully transformed a serious theme into an entertaining story with a strong message and the audience with different background could enjoy it very much.

Ms. Yoko Kawakubo, Assistant Secretary General of Kyosaren, and Mr. Hiroshi Ueno, Adviser on International Affairs of Kyosaren and chairperson of Planning Committee of this course, were kindly present in today’s event.
This film was already produced with the Spanish subtitle and shown in Costa Rica. So, the participant from Costa Rica had already seen this film before.
After watching the film, many audiences wished to show the film in their own countries or have a copy of the film to bring back home.

At the end of the tonight's show, some participants shared their comments:

• It was a quite personal film and it will take me long time to think about today's film. The father showed a negative image at first but he changed. That point shows the civil society's attitude for persons with disabilities.
• This film showed a negative side of the society's attitude. But persons with mental disabilities are a part of society. They should live in a society. People have a negative attitude in local area. Persons without disabilities have to know about disabilities. This film is a good way to work for local people.
• It was a very educational film. In my country, persons with mental disabilities are neglected for a long time, so now I got an idea to work for mental disabilities.

Now the participants are so expectantly looking forward to visiting the Muginosato, seeing how actually the organization has been developed based in the local community, and learning from their activities. We all thank to Kyosaren for giving this opportunity to watch the film tonight.

http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2008/training/l1113.html

The Day falls a week before the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and both occasions are being commemorated with the theme, “Dignity and justice for all of us.”

Mr. Ban pointed out that the General Assembly has underscored the need to include people with disabilities in efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets, by their 2015 deadline.

“With 80 per cent of persons with disabilities – more than 400 million people – living in poor countries, we need to do much more to break the cycle of poverty and disability,” he said.

Noting that the international disability community’s slogan is “Nothing about us without us,” the Secretary-General called on governments and others to guarantee that persons with disabilities are an integral part of all development processes.

“In this way, we can promote integration and pave the way for a better future for all people in society,” he said.

Mr. Ban stressed that there is much to celebrate this year, with the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in May.

The first Conference of the Parties to the pact met in October, and the resulting progress is due to the “active participation and leadership of persons with disabilities, by ensure that they have access to – and are included in – all aspects of our work,” he said.

Addressing a commemoration in New York today, he stressed the world body’s commitment to promoting accessibility in many forms, such as with communications technologies and political processes.

The Secretary-General also noted the need to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities at UN Headquarters. “I share your frustration, and sometimes I feel ashamed, at how difficult it can be to navigate our building here in New York,” he said, adding that efforts are underway to improve the Organization’s facilities by rebuilding rooms and adding ramps, among other measures.

Events marking the Day in New York included a multimedia presentation by the UN Mine Action Service on disability rights. There were also musical performances by Tamas Erdi, a Hungarian pianist who lost his eyesight shortly after he was born, and Rudely Interrupted, an Australian rock
band almost entirely composed of members who have physical and intellectual disabilities.

Meanwhile, with an estimated 1 billion people on course to gain access to the Internet in the coming years, it is essential to ensure that people with disabilities are taken into account, a senior UN official said today in Hyderabad, India.

“The access needs to take into account the diversity of the world’s population, the diversity of languages but also the diversity of people with different abilities,” Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said at the opening of a gathering of the Internet Governance Forum.

The four-day meeting is bringing together representatives from government, the private sector, civil society, the Internet community, international organizations and the media to discuss how to make the web accessible to the greatest number of people while guaranteeing that cyberspace remains safe, secure and reflective of the diversity of the world’s people.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29168&Cr=Disab&Cr1=Human+rights

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Dear members,

It is marking the first UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities since the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol. This is a special year, since we also celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

The press release has been sent today to media contacts, which we hope you will use to raise awareness about the rights of persons with disabilities and urge States to follow up with their commitment to the disability community worldwide. Please feel free to modify the press release for your own organization, to increase our media outreach and public awareness of disability rights and inclusion.

We would be very grateful if you could share with us any media articles, photos or information on events commemorating December 3 in your country.

Best regards,

Anne Hawker, RI President
Venus Ilagan, RI Secretary General

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On International Disability Day, Emphasis is on Universality of Human Rights

Global Disability Network Calls on Governments to Take All Steps to Implement Disability Rights

(United Nations, New York, 3 December 2008): Today marks the first UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities since the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol on May 3, 2008. This year’s theme “Dignity and justice for all of us” is linked with the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, emphasizing the universal nature of disability rights and the need to include the disability perspective within the human rights agenda.

“Given that at least 10% of the world’s population – even more in developing countries – lives with a disability, today draws attention to the rights of persons with disabilities and the importance of treating all people with dignity and respect. We must continue to work together to ensure that persons with disabilities are treated as equals in society and are fully included in the community,” said Venus Ilagan, RI Secretary General.

To date, more than half of the world has signed the CRPD and its Optional Protocol and over 40 countries have ratified the treaty into national law; reflecting the broad commitment of governments to disability rights. RI continues to urge all countries to ratify the CRPD and the Optional Protocol as soon as possible and without reservations and declarations – and calls on States to undertake the necessary efforts to comprehensively implement the Convention.

RI President Anne Hawker noted, “The important factor now, however, is how well States implement the rights in the CRPD through the development of effective laws, policies, programs and action plans, to bring about real change in the lives and communities of persons with disabilities.”

At its first meeting last month, the Conference of State Parties elected the 12 members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities—nine of whom are persons with disabilities – who are charged with monitoring and evaluating States’ implementation of the Convention. The CRPD, the first human rights treaty of the 21st century, represents an important legal instrument prohibiting discrimination against persons with disabilities in all areas of life, and includes specific provisions related to rehabilitation, habilitation, education, employment, health and access to information, public facilities and services. The Optional Protocol concerns how individuals or groups can seek redress for violations of the CRPD once national remedies are exhausted.

For more information on the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities and a complete, up-to-date list of signatories and ratifications, please visit: http://www.un.org/disabilities.

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About RI

Founded in 1922, Rehabilitation International (RI) is a diverse, global network of experts, professionals and advocates working together to advance the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. RI is currently composed of over 1000 members and affiliated organizations in 93 nations, in all regions of the world. For more information about RI, please visit our accessible website: http://www.riglobal.org

This week the participants have a long-awaited one-week regional training in Hiroshima and Wakayama!

This morning they left JICA Tokyo at 8 am for the Haneda Domestic Airport and flew to the world famous City of Hiroshima.

After an enjoyable flight of one and a half hour, the participants arrived to the Hiroshima Airport and there a bus equipped with a lift was waiting for them. Then the participants moved to Miyajima, an island with a world cultural heritage “Itsukushima Shrine” and the participants observed the barrier-free tourism.

Some participants commented that their countries also have a lot of beautiful places and sightseeing spots, however, they are not made accessible so they have not been able to enjoy those places. Others mentioned that the cultural and social side of the life of people with disabilities were often neglected or seen as luxury, but it's related to the quality of life and it's their rights to enjoy social and cultural aspects of human life.

One of the participants also commented that he expected the Miyajima to have applied a modern technology to make it accessible, but what they've observed was rather low cost devices for example wodden slopes. Other participant also mentioned about the possible economic contribution that the barrier-free tourism could bring as barrier-free tourism can widen the range of customers and consumers. It could possibly create new employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

In Hiroshima, the leaves were turning its colors from green to red, yellow and brown and the participants were blessed with a lovely autumn weather today. They fully enjoyed the beauty of Miyajima and it became an unforgettable memory.

http://www.jicafriends.jp/leaders/gi2008/training/l1117.html