India: Education for All ?

Today in Govindpuri, an urban slum nestled among the wealthy residential neighbourhoods of south Delhi, twelve-year-old Sadam sits naked in a plastic chair. He has spent most of his life here, trapped within the blue walls of this two-room shack, a cramped and windowless house that he shares with his mother, father and nine brothers and sisters.

Sadam was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was five years old. 'Then there was hope' says his mother, Nazma who was told there was a chance that her son would walk and could 'do something with his life'. But with a family of twelve living on less than £4 a day Nazma could not access the support and education that her son needed and hope quickly faded.

Seventy percent of disabled children in Delhi have never even been to a rehab centre. Sadam is one of the luckier ones. On diagnosis he was referred to Astha, an NGO that provides outreach support to disabled children in Govindpuri. Outreach care-worker Seema Gurung has been visiting his home for seven years. Before working with Astha Sadam lay prostrate all day, now he has had an operation on his back and therapy that has given him increased muscle-control and the ability to sit. Those who have worked with him acknowledge Sadam's potential for much more. With their support, Nazma has lobbied a local school to enrol her son, demanding the educational support he needs to become part of the community.

In 2005 the Government of India declared that every child from 6-14 has the right to 'Free and Compulsory Education'. In August 2009 that right was enshrined in the constitution. To implement the act the government runs a scheme called Savva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), 'Education for All'. The initiative is working to ensure the inclusion of every child in formalised schooling. SSA is partly funded by the World Bank, EU and DfID and is working to prepare the education system to accept any child regardless of gender, income, caste or disability. SSA is pushing for a more inclusive child-centred curriculum that breaks away from the blackboard and textbook tradition of Indian schools. It provides 3,000 Rupees (£44) per child per year for support services and advocates a 'zero rejection policy'.

But the reality of inclusion is light-years away for families like Sadam's. Many factors complicate the problem for India's poorest. When Nazma approached her local school the principle told her that if Sadam were to attend she would have to sit with him all day. With nine other children to look after this is impossible. Several teachers asked, 'what is the point of bringing Sadam to school? He will just sit here'. The idea that he has the potential to learn and contribute is alien to this society.

The problem also lies deeper within the community. In the beginning Sadam's father brought him to the Astha centre every day. After a week he could communicate with his carers and was learning quickly. But soon after he stopped showing up. When questioned on this Nazma gestures to her back, too weak to carry a twelve-year-old boy half a mile to the centre. His father has fallen victim to drug abuse, which is rife in Govindpuri and he no longer helps. Like many parents of the disabled in India, Nazma finds it easier to keep her son within the safe and loving confines of her home. 'People don't like my family because of my son', she says and repeats the word 'nafrat'-hatred. Social stigmas label families of the disabled unlucky and isolate them, making it hard for siblings to work and to marry within the community.

This is why Education for All is so important for India. 'Where do you see the disabled child?' asks Poonam Natarajan, head of the National Trust, a government body that promotes the rights of the mentally disabled. 'Do you see them in the park, in the public schools? No. That is where the stigma lies. Nobody knows how to deal with them, how to work with them, how to be friends with them.' In 1985 Poonam started Vidya Sagar, an education centre for children and adults with special needs in Chennai, southern India. Vidya Sagar now works with 1,500 children with disabilities all over the city. She is convinced that mainstream education is possible for all.

On an adjacent block to Sadam lives Mohan, an eleven-year-old boy who is more than duly excited about starting school this year. Mohan was diagnosed with unspecific mental disability when he was five and has been working with different NGO's for the past four years. Now he goes to an informal NGO-run education centre in the slum. He has learnt to read and write in preparation for his next year at government school. His father is very proud. 'I have worked very hard to achieve this and now because of Astha my son is going to school'.

However, putting mentally disabled children in mainstream schools is a divisive issue even within a disability sector that, for the most part, works together. Merry Barua is founder of Action for Autism an NGO that works with 25,000 people in Delhi. She is worried about the effect of compulsory education. She believes it encourages special needs schools- that don't follow a recognised curriculum- to close down, pushing children with high support needs back into the isolation of their homes.

Attitudes on inclusion also vary geographically. Some of the southern states like Tamil Nadu, where Chennai is, have achieved much greater strides in inclusive education claiming 98 percent enrolment. Complicated issues arise in each state but in the poorer south more progressive government and stronger civil-state partnerships have increased the efficacy of NGO's working with disability.

The rebirth in India's primary education system will drive development forward. The battle against exclusion of disabled children must be achieved as part of this movement and facilities for educating children with severe disabilities must be an intrinsic part of the system from the beginning. India has to avoid leaving children like Sadam behind and it has far to go.

Last week, two government officials visited Govindpuri to survey the neighbourhood. The slum is to be demolished to prepare Delhi for the Commonwealth Games in September. After living here for nineteen years the family will be forced out to Nazma's village eighteen hours from Delhi. In rural areas less than 1% of disabled children are enrolled in schools.

'How will Sadam access support there?' asks Seema. Nazma shrugs helplessly, 'I don't know.'

This feature was written between 6 March and 30 April 2010 as part of the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition

Disability not a disadvantage in the workplace

By Andrea Riddell, 1 June 2010

© 4774344sean | Dreamstime.com

When looking to fill vacant positions, businesses want to hire the best possible candidate. Often this means that people with disability are overlooked in favour of those who may appear to be more fit and able. Stereotypical but erroneous beliefs can mean employers miss out on a valuable pool of resources and experience – especially when you consider that one in five Australians has a disability.

Basic assumptions are made – often unconsciously – about what a person with disability can or cannot do. However, research has shown that there is little difference in the productivity between people with disability and those without.

The benefits

There are many benefits in choosing to hire people with disability. The Australian Network on Disability (AND), an organisation that promotes the inclusion of people with disability in all aspects of business, encourages employers to tap in to the diverse range of skills, experiences and abilities of people with disability to gain new perspectives.

‘Organisations that understand the impact of disability on their customers will reach a wider market. Businesses that fail to make their products and services accessible to people with disability, or don’t build their expertise in welcoming customers with disability, risk missing out on a great deal of business,’ says AND spokesperson Rachel Butler.

Hiring people with disability also helps businesses to embrace their corporate social responsibility (CSR), promote a diverse workplace and raise team morale.

Safeway in Rosebud West, Victoria, is one of the many businesses leading by example and hiring people with disability through Disability WORKS Australia (DWA), an organisation that helps to find placements for people with disability.

Assistant store manager Simone Blake says, ‘We wanted to help someone with a disability in our local community. Employing somebody with a disability gives the whole team a lift and helps to positively change the store culture.’

Apart from enhancing the reputation and brand of the business, employing people with disability can also have long-term fiscal benefits. According to a Safe Work Australia study, workers with disability have lower rates of absenteeism, a lower number of workplace injury and, as a result, lower workers’ compensation costs than people without disability.

AND has also stated that people with disability tend to stay loyal and committed to their employer and show higher retention rates than employees without disability. Increased tenure reduces the costs of training and integrating new staff into the business.

‘By accommodating people with disability organisations are gaining loyal and committed employees who will support them in achieving their business objectives,’ says Butler.

It’s easier than you think

Common misconceptions are the biggest barrier that people with disability battle in attempting to gain employment. Employers often believe that the costs associated with hiring people with disability are high. More often than not only simple adjustments are required to make the business disability-friendly.

‘Many adjustments are cost-neutral while research has identified that where costs are incurred, around 80 per cent of those adjustments are under $500,’ says Butler.

Research has even shown that many employers believe the benefits of hiring people with disability outweigh any associated costs. In some cases no adjustments need to be made at all. Disability can come in all shapes and forms and while some disabilities may be obvious to the naked eye, many others are more discreet.

Another method of creating opportunities for people with disability includes job splitting or carving. This involves breaking off certain tasks from other positions that are hard to fill to create new roles for people with disability.

Holden Hill Police Station, South Australia, turned to DWA when they couldn’t find a permanent employee with transcript typing skills willing to perform the repetitive tasks of the position.

Administration manager Doris Andrew hired Sonja Veitinger, who was referred to her by DWA. Veitinger’s vision impairment meant that she could not fill the administration role so Andrew split the task of transcript typing from the general role and employed Veitinger on a part-time basis.

‘By being creative with the role we’re getting retention in this job, providing a solution to one area of skill shortage and proving to be more cost-effective,’ says Andrew.

Veitinger required computer program JAWS and a dual headset to transcribe the police tapes and the police station conducted an assessment of the workplace to identify and make any adjustments.

‘By investing in the right person you will reap the benefits. There is room in generic jobs to carve duties and provide opportunities for people with a disability as well as assisting businesses with areas of skill shortages,’ says Andrew.

Recruiting

There are many organisations dedicated to helping employers recruit people with disability. These organisations can help you to make any necessary adjustments to the workplace and can provide ongoing support.

The Australian Network on Disability (AND) is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes the employment of people with disability. AND works with employers to help them become ‘disability confident’ and engage with people with disability as stakeholders, employees and customers. 

Disability WORKS Australia (DWA) is a national body that facilitates the provision of employment for people with disability. DWA is a point of contact for employers looking to recruit people with disability. You can alert them of any job vacancies you have and they will match the position to an appropriate worker with disability.

With long-term benefits not only to the business but also to society and the economy, hiring people with disability is an investment in the future.

The Importance of Community

By: Sandy Lahmann

Is there a disability community?

Some people have told me they don't think so. But oh, yes, there is. It's fragmented, but it's there.

No, there's no disability community in which people who use wheelchairs, people who are blind, people who are deaf, and people who have traumatic brain injury, etc., etc., all join together for common goals.

The disability community is fragmented but people who have similar disabilities can be found gathering together at every opportunity. The Deaf community is it's own culture, a culture rich in it's own traditions and values.

I'm a member of the adaptive sports community, in which athletes with disabilities gather together to ski, bike, play basketball, etc., in our own unique ways. And everywhere there are support groups, where people with specific types of disabilities gather together to encourage each other, support each other and offer wisdom.

Adults with disabilities always find each other. We need each other, so we find each other.

When kids have disabilities, the focus is on inclusion, that they are given the opportunity to learn with their non-disabled peers. This is important because as adults we are always working and interacting with our non-disabled peers and we want the same opportunities they have. So inclusion is important, but can it be carried too far?

There is danger in isolating children with disabilities from their peers with similar disabilities. They need each other. Let me explain.

When a person with a disability, child or adult, is interacting with their non-disabled peers, it is always a performance. Their non-disabled peers are generally looking to see if the person with the disability can do “it.” Can she open the door by herself? Can he push his wheelchair up the hill? Can she pass that test? Can he manage his job adequately? Their non-disabled peers often assume the person with a disability will not be able to do many things, so they are frequently wondering, “Can he or she do it?”

Then the person with the disability is often in the position of having to prove they can do it, whatever it is. God forbid we stumble. God forbid we hesitate. If we hesitate they will think we can't do it. This is a performance. We are being watched, so do it well and do it quickly. (And please don't let me start spasming while I'm doing it!)

This can be exhausting.

So I am always eager to join my disability community, which is the adaptive sport community. Finally, a break from the performance. I don't have to prove myself here. I can just be me because all my friends with disabilities already know I'm a capable, worthwhile, wonderful person, even if I stumble, hesitate or fall flat on my face.

My friends with disabilities similar to my own get it. They understand me and the world we all must deal with. Big sigh of relief. So I can go ahead and play wheelchair basketball and it doesn't matter if I make the basket or not. And it doesn't matter to my friends if I start spasming or not. Some of them are spasming as well. I'm home.

So when we raise children with disabilities, make sure there are plenty of opportunities for inclusion, because they need the same opportunities as every other kid. However, don't forget to give our children with disabilities the chance to be around each other, because they will encourage each other and support each other. And only then will our children breathe freely.

Yes, there is a disability community. It's alive and well and critically important. 

Don't Write about Me Just Because I'm with disability

According to Statistics Canada's 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, there are 4.4 million people with disabilities in Canada. Despite representing such a large percentage -- 14.3 per cent -- of the Canadian population, people with disabilities often feel isolated, in part because they seldom see or hear people like themselves in the mainstream media.

The media as a whole plays a key role in shaping and perpetuating public attitudes and values. However, more often than not, people with disabilities are viewed as objects of fear and curiosity rather than as productive members of society.

The media has the power to be a platform for social change. Historically, the media has encouraged debate and supported those who stand against oppressive practices. By continuing to stereotype people with disabilities, however, the media perpetuates myths, isolates millions and neglects to present an accurate picture.

The way people with disabilities are covered is problematic because it suggests attention is merited only when a person with disabilities can be portrayed as a superhero or a victim.

Don't feel sorry for me

For example, I was labeled a superhero. In an article that appeared in Kamloops This Week in May 2007, shortly before my graduation from Thompson Rivers University's social-work program, the reporter portrayed me as "a climber of a Mayan temple." He said I had been climbing pyramids since the day I was born.

In my view, receiving a social-work degree is something anyone can do. I was doing what I wanted to do. It wasn't something that should enable me to be elevated to a higher pedestal. My portrayal in the story made me feel everyone was placing expectations on me and I had to accomplish them. I could have inspired other people or I could have made them feel they were not capable of accomplishing the same. (On the other hand, sometimes I feel as though I have climbed many mountains, so it is a bit of a contradiction.)

At other points in my life, such as when I was featured in an article in the Elliot Lake Standard, I have been portrayed with pity as well as having superhero status: "Though bound to a wheelchair, unable to move her limbs, her voice silenced by a severe form of cerebral palsy."

When I see myself portrayed this way, I feel uncomfortable because I do not want people to feel sorry for me. I do not feel mentioning my disabilities was necessary. By stating I was wheelchair-bound, the reporter made it sound as though I'm not able to participate in daily activities.

The media places much emphasis on portraying people with disabilities as victims and heroes, which causes people with disabilities to feel they might not be normal unless they fit into one of these stereotypical categories. Others probably view people with disabilities the same way. This creates a distorted picture of our society.

A 2000 study conducted by British researchers Caroline Cooke, Liz Daone, and Gwilym Morris, entitled "Stop Press -- How the Press Portrays Disabled People," recorded the number of times negative words were used in news media to describe disabled people. Negative terms were often used in stories involving people with developmental and psychiatric disabilities. Words regularly used included handicap, cripple, wheel-chair bound/confined and sufferer. Other words used included vulnerable, abnormal, damaged, retarded, hopeless and afflicted.

It is essential the media portray people with disabilities fairly and properly in order to educate and change society's perceptions. Triumph over tragedy has a place but journalists should be selective in the areas in which this frame is used. People with disabilities should be portrayed accurately and not over-the-top.

Below are a few suggestions open-minded journalists can use to write engaging stories involving disability issues:

Replace passive words with active words. Avoid using terms like (the) handicapped, afflicted by, suffers from, victim of, confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound, mentally handicapped/subnormal, cripple, invalid, the disabled, able-bodied. Use instead, disabled people, has (the condition or impairment), wheelchair user, has a learning disability, disabled person, disabled people, person who has cerebral palsy, non-disabled.

Mention a person's disability only if it is necessary to the story. Explore the context. Beware of accenting negativity and loss.

The same is true when it comes to medical details. There's nothing wrong with discussing when someone is experiencing difficulties, but try to avoid exaggeration and assumptions.

Speaking of assumptions, journalists should never assume their assessment of a person's disability is correct. Ask the person directly.

The British study also found disabled people and disability issues were not recorded accurately or objectively. When people with disabilities were portrayed in the media, their medical conditions were often sensationalized, again placing people with disabilities on a pedestal.

The study found national newspapers tended to focus on health, medical research and legal issues while local newspapers emphasized stories dealing with fundraising in connection to people with disabilities. The most common categories were the "brave disabled person raising money for a worthy cause" and "the family member advocating on their behalf." In the brave disabled-person category, subjects were seen as heroes with superhuman qualities or individuals needing charity.

Missing from the press was any exploration of why disabled people and their families were forced to fundraise for necessary services or equipment in the first place. None of the papers paid much attention to issues like education or employment.

A cancelled conversation

What society needs to realize is that people with disabilities are concerned about their everyday happenings like everybody else.

From 1998 to 2007, the CBC produced Moving On, which was broadcast across Canada and reported how issues like the workplace, health, technology, relationships, arts, sports and recreation related to disabled people in their everyday lives. At its prime, the program's weekly audience averaged 200,000 viewers.

But, after a decade on the air, CBC cancelled the program, attributing the decision to low ratings. The Canadian Media Guild, which represented workers with the show, said the cancellation reflected other factors including how far off the public agenda disabilities issues had fallen.

By reporting fairly and accurately and knowledgeably, journalists can play a major role in reshaping the way people with disabilities are viewed by themselves and by others in the community and returning the issue to the public agenda. It absolutely needs to be done. 

Are you ready and able?

On first glance at CSR tools such as the UN Global Compact, the GRI guidelines and ISO 26000, disability does not jump out as one of the big issues that companies should be thinking about. This seems to be because even though the need to promote and respect the human rights of people with disabilities is impliedly included in the “human rights” sections of these tools, it is not always expressly referred to in them.

However, there are 470 million disabled people of working age in the world, 238 million of whom live in Asia. Moreover, in 2000 it was estimated by the World Bank that the annual economic cost of depriving disabled people from the workplace is US$2 trillion. When this is taken into consideration it becomes clear that all businesses should be thinking about how they can best respect and promote disabled people and their rights when formulating and implementing their diversity strategies.

Businesses will inevitably face a number of challenges in the process of integrating specific disability related policies and practices into their CSR strategies and corporate culture, but the opportunities of doing this are huge, not only in terms of risk and brand management, but also taking into account the potential new markets that could be opened up as a result.

 Is all of this enough to persuade you to do more to respect and promote the rights of disabled people? If so, then read on, because in the rest of this article we are going to show you how you can go about this in four easy steps.

 

1.  Get out there into the community

In order to foster a corporate culture in which disabled people are truly accepted and integrated, businesses should first take steps to raise awareness of disability issues and to dispel any anxiety that their employees and stakeholders might hold about how to react if any when they come into contact with disabled people.

For example, UBS Singapore arranges talks and events on various special needs such as autism. These events are open to families and other organisations and help to raise awareness of the issues relating to people with disabilities as well as giving all involved valuable opportunities to interact socially on an informal basis. In December 2006 UBS Singapore also helped to raise awareness of the potential and benefit of employing persons with disabilities by sponsoring the Equal EmployAbility Alliance forum.

Corporate events such as these can really help to promote understanding of disability and to dispel any preconceptions that employees or other stakeholders might hold. Conversely, they can also help promote your organisation to disabled people themselves as a place that they might want to work in the future. This in turn will go a long way towards fostering a truly diverse and inclusive culture within your organisation.

 

2.  Help promote fair competition

Lack of access to education and rehabilitation is a big issue according to UNESCO, with more than 90% of children with disabilities in developing countries not attending school. Whilst it is the primary responsibility of governments (and sometimes NGOs), and not businesses to provide disabled people with the resources necessary to get them to work, it will often be in the interests of promoting and embracing diversity for businesses to engage with the bodies which provide these services. 

This can be done by forming partnerships with government bodies or NGOs whereby the business hands over its money, resources, or skills (if appropriate), and the organisations use these to improve their services, by widening access and/or improving quality.

A good example of this is a partnership that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) reports it set up with the UK charity Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) in Galle, Sri Lanka. According to GSK, the LCD Disability Resource Centre was set up in the wake of the 2004 Asian tsunami. This centre was the first of its kind in the area to support access to health and rehabilitation services, provide inclusive education, and create livelihood opportunities for young disabled people. Direct results from this partnership can be seen through the eyes of one young man who the centre helped – he now owns his own business selling spices to local people. By helping to provide access to rehabilitation and education for this man, GSK therefore also helped him find work, enabling him to lead a normal life.

This project demonstrates very well how partnerships can be formed between businesses and public sector organizations to help disabled people develop the necessary skills to be able to compete with able bodied people for jobs, demonstrating their commitment to diversity and improving their competitiveness in the marketplace at the same time.

 

3. Make your workplace accessible

Disabled people are often excluded from society not directly because they are disabled themselves, but indirectly because we live in disabling environments: think of all those times you have walked up a set of stairs to get into a “disabled friendly” lift, and then think about how someone in a wheelchair would get up the stairs. To the extent that organisations are able, it is therefore important that they make their workplaces accessible for disabled people.

Some businesses are obviously not going to have the funds to make big adjustments to their working spaces, but there are often government incentives available to assist with this. For example, the Singapore Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports created the “Open Door Fund” in 2007 providing employers of disabled people, amongst other things, with financial support to modify workplaces to accommodate the needs of disabled people.

Feedback can also be obtained from the people with disabilities themselves as to what accommodation needs to be made for them whilst at work; businesses might find after doing this that the adjustments actually required are much more minimal than they had anticipated, or that it is not actually the business’ responsibility to make the necessary adjustments but that of its building management company. For example, UBS obtained feedback from its disabled employees, and as a result of this has persuaded the company managing its building to make a number of modifications to increase accessibility.

 

4. Accept, embrace and harness the skills of disabled people within your business (and outside it)

A number of Asian states, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam included, already have disability discrimination legislation in force, and so businesses there are not currently able or allowed to discriminate against disabled people either in the recruitment process or whilst they are at work. However, as you have heard from us many times, CSR is all about going beyond the law.

In an ideal world, if businesses have made efforts with the suggested steps above, then by the time disabled people come to a job interview or join the business its workforce will have let go of any preconceptions they may have had about disability. However, this is sometimes easier said than done. Ultimately, no matter what good intentions they have, people are always going to be curious and a little bit apprehensive about anyone they perceive to be different. So how should this be overcome?

This is a difficult question, and the only real answer is to give it time. All human bonds and relationships are built on common experiences and develop gradually over a period of weeks or months. Think about the person who sits opposite you at work. When you first met them it is likely that you noticed every day what kind of clothes they were wearing, what accent they had, etcetera; all the surface things. But then, as you got to know the person better, you probably stopped noticing all of those things.

To truly embrace disability both within and outside the workplace, businesses should therefore ensure that able bodied and disabled people work together on an equal basis, and simply leave them to it. Eventually the nature of the relationships will change, and whilst the disabled people will stop noticing what colour shoes their colleagues are wearing to work every day and will instead start noticing who their colleagues really are as fellow workers and what they can bring to the business, the able bodied people will in turn stop noticing the disability itself, and will start to see who the disabled people really are as fellow workers and what they can bring to the business.

A good way for organisations practically to achieve this without having to make a firm commitment from the outset might be, as is done often before employing able bodied people on a permanent basis, to offer disabled people internships. UBS has taken this approach in its Singapore office and thinks that it serves as a useful “courtship” period, giving both parties the opportunity to get to know each other. 

This approach can further be replicated in the course of your business’ relationships with external contractors, suppliers and other stakeholders and in this way you can facilitate a change in attitudes towards disability not only within your own workforce but also on a stakeholder- wide basis.

True acceptance and understanding of disability and disabled people is still a very long way off, especially in many countries in Asia. However, by following the four easy steps set out above, businesses can play a very large part in helping us to get there. ■

The role of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities in the activities of cooperation to development

by Giampiero Griffo, member of the world executive of Disabled Peoples' International 

The United Nations and the condition of persons with disabilities

      In the world there are about 650.000.000 persons with disabilities (10% of the world’s population) and 82% of them live in developing countries. 98% of persons with disabilities that live in poor countries do not have access to rehabilitative services and appropriate basic services, more than 85% in the world are unemployed and only 20% of the minors with disabilities have access to a formal education. 

      The condition of disability is the cause and effect of poverty  because persons with disabilities are subject to discrimination and to lack of equal opportunities that produce limitation of social participation  and violate their human rights every day.  The negative vision that society transfers on persons with disabilities produce a strong social stigma that has consequences in all fields of economic, cultural, political and social life.  In case of war, of natural and human calamities persons with disabilities are the first ones to suffer the terrible consequences of emergencies, often death and the lack of attention to their condition.  For this reason persons with disabilities represent the most excluded among the excluded, the most discriminated among the discriminated, the poorest among the poor.  In quantitative terms about 550 million persons with disabilities that live in developing countries represent almost half of the poorest in the world.

      The attention that the international has given to the condition of persons with disabilities has grown, first with the year 1981 dedicated by  the United Nations to persons with disabilities, then with the decade (1982.1991)¹ for persons with disabilities; then it was the turn of the Standard Rules for the equal opportunities of persons with disabilities (1993)² and finally the approval of the International Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (2006)³.

      In the same world summit of the Millennium Development Goals of New York (2005) particular attention was dedicated to this theme within the paragraph 129 of the final document that says: “We recognize the need of persons with disabilities to be guaranteed full enjoyment of their rights without discrimination. Reaffirming moreover the necessity to finalize the draft of a complete convention on the rights of persons with disabilities".

      It is the UN Convention included  in article 32 the theme on cooperation to development introducing innovations in the method and in the contents of the actions and of the projects.

Cooperation to development and persons with disabilities

      Many problems have been created for many years on an international level regarding the use of international cooperation funds respective of the rights of persons with disabilities.  In fact on one hand the activities of cooperation to development do not deal with persons with disabilities (a research brought forth that in European Community countries about 2-5% of the funds are destined to projects addressed specifically to persons with disabilities), on the other hand the projects  financed by national and international agencies do not include mainstreaming of disability in the ordinary activities, guaranteeing accessibility and equal opportunities.  The theme has become objective of the initiative of the organizations of persons with disabilities and was included on the agenda of the governments and the agencies and international donors.

      Even the European Commission recognized this approach on twin tracks in the Guidelines⁴ on disability and cooperation to development. A Resolution of the European Parliament in January 2006 commits the European Commission to be more active on this theme and to take concrete measures to actuate the Guidelines in future thematic and geographic programmes⁵. The decision of EuropeAid to commit itself in the period between 2007-2013  20% of its resources for social projects is a first commitment. Moreover a project financed by the European Commission is being carried out, that involves 12 countries, and that promotes initiatives of mainstreaming of disability in cooperation to development⁶.

      On the basis of this international debate and of initiatives of projects in various European countries⁷,  some national governmental agencies have defined documents addressing the theme⁸.

      The approval of the UN Convention has marked a turning point in the attention of the human rights of persons with disabilities even on policies of cooperation to development.  Article 32 of the UN Convention for the rights of persons with disabilities introduce new principles in the activities linked to cooperation to development⁹. In particular, recognizing the role of the organizations of persons with disabilities in the activities of cooperation to development, on the basis of the principle “nothing about us without us”, foresees that international cooperation to development:

• Includes persons with disabilities and guarantees the accessibility of the intervention of the same persons with disabilities, including programmes of international development
• Help and support training of action capacity, even by means of exchange and sharing of information, experience, training programmes and best practices;
• Help cooperation in research and access to the scientific and technical knowledge;
• Offer, in appropriate measures, technical and economical assistance, also facilitating  access and sharing of accessible technologies and assistance by means of the transfer of technologies.

Action proposals

      The construction of new attention towards persons with disabilities in cooperation to development projects a series of initiatives are reserved that can contribute to transform the current situation in syntony with the international debate.  Following we will list the priority points that we ask to be put on the government agenda, the agenda of the donor entities and of the NGOs that deal with cooperation to development:

1. Inclusion of the principles of Art. 32 of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities within the national legislation of cooperation to development
2. Increase of the funds destined to projects addressed to persons with disabilities, financed by the national and decentralized cooperation to development 
3. Introduction in all projects pertaining  mainstreaming of disability in all the areas that regard persons with disabilities (not only health therefore, but education, work, transport, etc.)
4. Strengthen the ability of intervention of the safeguarding organization in developing countries, by means of empowerment of their ability and potentiality, in support of the ratification process of the UN Convention and the safeguarding of human rights
5. Development of a camping on sensitization and training of operators of the sector to the new models of approach to disability.

The contribution of the DPOs in competencies an interventions

      The Art. 32 of the Convention assigns an important role to the organizations of persons with disabilities affirming that the States “will undertake appropriate and effective measures (...), as appropriate, in partnership with relevant international and regional organizations and civil society, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities”. The recognition of the essential role of the DPOs is in various parts of the convention strongly recognized¹⁰, as is recognized by art. 18 of the Standard Rules.   In fact the processes of social inclusion that are behind the promotion, the respect and the safeguarding of the human rights of persons with disabilities, are based on the direct participation of excluded and discriminated persons to construct a participative and inclusive society. The slogan of the International disability caucus, that unified in a single voice 70 organizations of persons with disabilities at the Ad Hoc Committee, nominated by the UN General Assembly to write the text of the Convention, was: “Nothing about us without us”.

      The direct involvement of the Organizations of persons with disabilities in cooperation to development projects is essential to guarantee that interventions are based on human rights, actuate actions of empowerment and capacity building of the local organizations, favour the transferring of best practices in the framework of the human rights of the UN Convention. The DPOs have developed the ability and competence in policies on disability that are extremely useful to overcome the medical model of disability, still prevalent within the activities of the NGOs that operate in the area of cooperation to development. In fact the NGOs that have correct competences in the are of disability and inclusive planning are still few.  Moreover the DPOs are the main experts in the promotion and realization of actions of social and individual empowerment of persons with disabilities.

      The individual empowerment of persons with disabilities regard various aspects : emotional (reformulation of the emotions on building and transforming other than on limiting and destroying), perceptive (redefinition of life experiences on the basis of the social model of disability), intellectual (comprehension of the cultural instruments to be in possession of, understanding the language), behavioural (transformation of human and social relations on the basis of new awareness), qualificative (understand and do things in a different way), informative (recognize and know how to use laws and resources of one’s own territory).

      Social empowerment on the other hand regards prevalently actions of advocacy of the associations of persons with disabilities and their families. In fact it is the recognition of the role of promotion and safeguarding of rights that the associations of persons with disabilities are not recognized and enhanced that produces lack of policies on disability and wrong policies in society. Social inclusion cannot be carried out without the direct involvement of the same excluded and discriminated persons.  Therefore it is necessary to strengthen the ability of the organizations of persons with disabilities to confront themselves with society in its complexity.  It is no longer the time to think about solely about the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, but to the rehabilitation of the whole society, on which the DPOs are experts.

      Among the other international organizations the role that Disabled Peoples’  International (DPI)¹¹ has carried out in these last years was decisive: all the most important battles of emancipation and cultural, political and social transformation on disability have found this DPO on the front line, with a contribution of battles and extraordinary ideas: from the CBR¹² in rehabilitation to the ICF¹³, to the equalization of opportunities , to non-discrimination, from bioethics to the battle against poverty.

      Following we will list some actions that can be carried out by the organizations of persons with disabilities.

 

Empowerment of the associations of persons with disabilities

      All the main processes of attention to rights and of change in national and local policies have occurred where there existed an independent voice of persons with disabilities capable of claiming respect of rights, proposing technical and political solutions to guarantee social inclusion, develop sensitization campaigns and lobby actions to carry out policies of mainstreaming.  The strengthening of the ability of intervention of the associations of persons with disabilities and of their relatives in beneficiary countries is therefore a strategic objective of any project of cooperation to development.

      In this direction it is essential to build an independent and competent voice that represent persons with disabilities within the policies that regard them.  Among the other possible actions we suggest :

• training addressed to the formation of leaders in the field of policies based on human rights, of the fundamental concepts linked to disability, of the international instruments of safeguarding, of lobby actions, of links with foreign experience¹⁴
• projects of increase in the ability to work in a network, to diffuse information, to enhance internal resources, to strengthen the networks
• training addressed to the construction of specific legislations, policies of mainstreaming, the creation of services in specific  areas (work, education, information, etc.)

National initiatives based on principles of respect of human rights

      The Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities of the United Nations has transformed the vision of the condition of persons with disabilities, inserting it in a context of human rights.  This requires a new approach to policies and a new ability of monitoring the results.

      It is important to strengthen the awareness of the DPOs and of the governments and to offer new instruments to report the continuous violation of human rights, of discrimination and lack of equal opportunities. In this sense it is possible to organize :

• Training and technical support for the elaboration of national and local reports that evaluate the condition of respect of human rights of persons with disabilities and photograph the state of application of the UN Convention of the rights of persons with disabilities
• Support for the realization of national and local campaigns aimed, addressed to the growth of awareness of the entire society
• Training and technical support for the gathering of reports of violation of the human rights of persons with disabilities on the model of Amnesty International

Diffusion of best practices of support to independent living

      Article 19 of the Convention recognizes the right to live in an independent form and participate in full to community living.  It is an obvious right for all citizens, but substantially denied to persons with disabilities.

      To better the awareness of one’s own condition and favour the bettering of the quality of life of persons with disabilities it is important to introduce best practices  addressed to the support of independent living of persons with disabilities.  The DPOs are competent in realizing actions for:

• The training of operators with disabilities that become experts in peer counselling and peer support activities
• The support of the construction of Centres for independent living, capable of promoting individual empowerment of persons with disabilities

Inclusion of persons with disabilities experts in projects and in disability

      The competences that the DPOs have developed in the field of promotion of human rights, of the actions of social inclusion and support for the full participation are often excellent. Disability is a life experience transferable with difficulty to whom does not have experience.

      It is important to employ export persons with disabilities in projects, to concretely realize the participation within the same teams that manage the projects of cooperation to development.  In this sense each project that is linked to rights recognized by the Convention of the United Nations should have the attentions to guarantee the respect of human rights of persons with disabilities.  Equally important is to develop training towards persons with disabilities to involve them in activities of cooperation to development. 

Emergency and disability 

      In case of emergency situations and natural and human disasters, persons with disabilities are more at risk that others. This derives on one hand from an humanitarian approach ( that tends to minimize the loss and intervene on aspects essential to survival) that should be reconverted in an approach based on human rights (that tries to safeguard the rights of persons in any situation); on the other hand we signal a great lack of knowledge and competence on the subject of the actors of emergency intervention. It is not by chance that article 11 of the Convention is dedicated to  Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies¹⁵. Recently a “VERONA CHARTER on the rescue of persons with disabilities in case of disaster” was approved, as result of an European project¹⁶. Among the possible actions to be developed with the DPOs we signal:

• Research and studies on actions linked to emergency and humanitarian aids, identifying indicators of social inclusion and of strengthening of abilities, of safeguarding human rights, of accessibility, of answer to specific needs, etc
• Definition of the interventions to guarantee accessibility and the liveability in the emergency activities.

The principles at the basis of the projects of cooperation to development

     The policy of safeguarding human rights is linked to the policy of social change.  There is not safeguarding of human rights in the world that does not imply a policy of social change, of change in the political relationships of power, of change of relationships of national and world force.  The overcoming of the debt of  “poor” Countries compared to “rich” Countries is an example.  Change of the world equilibrium means new relationships between “rich” countries and developing countries, also based on the respect of human rights.  In this framework the change on a national level for persons with disabilities is that to guarantee that they can have a voice, that very often they do not have; the change on a local level goes in the direction of including and enhancing instead of excluding and discriminating.  Why are human diversities negativity, but instead wealth.  The human being is the only species that has built social negativity of some diversities of its own species (of race, religion, culture, psycho-physical, etc.). The globalization, standardization on which economic processes, processes of cooperation to development, processes of widening the market are built, tend to cancel diversities.  The movement of persons with disabilities combat so that diversities are at the basis of the building of society in this millennium.  Only societies based on diversities can build societies of inclusion, societies of universal design, societies of reciprocity. These values seem relegated to the restricted area of disability, because persons with disabilities are excluded and discriminated, because they do not have access to societies’ services, they do not fully live reciprocity; in reality these are values that regard each and everyone of us.  If we read the Standard Rules without prejudice we can see that the principles that are at the basis of their writing up are valid to all.  The same Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities is based on principles valid for any being belonging to human gender¹⁷. The reality of the human species is not reducible to a liberalistic type of individualism, but to the relationship among populations and persons.  Human wealth is made of diversity, of the mixing of unique diversities, capable of producing different societies, different culture, different economies.  These societies in this millennium need new rules, respective of the human rights of all populations and of the wealth of all persons.  Societies in which everyone can live and count on equal conditions and opportunities. 

      In this direction cooperation to development is an important instrument to support the development of poor countries, by means of appropriate policies.  It is important to remember that it is necessary to realize an inclusive development, capable of involving all populations, preventing the social weight of the excluded. It is a new theme on which it is still necessary to promote research and thought. The projects of cooperation to development moreover, are also ethical models  of behaviour and intervention, that promote the uprooting of poverty and the construction of just  and participative societies.

      For this reason it is important that the  principles must be at the basis of the projects of cooperation to development and the emergency and humanitarian interventions.  The framework of disability can be synthesized in these eight principles:  

Principle I : Cooperation to development safeguards the human rights of persons with disabilities (medical model and social model, violation of the human rights, non discrimination and equal opportunities, Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, Standard rules, etc.) 

Principle II : Each intervention addressed to persons with disabilities must be based on social inclusion (overcoming discriminations, enhancing community resources, favouring the preservation of the community, CBR, etc.) 

Principle III : Each intervention in any area  must include interventions for persons with disabilities (identify inclusive solutions, mainstreaming of disability) 

Principle IV :In each intervention persons with disabilities and their organizations as main experts must be involved (Knowledge of the problems, forms of involvement, participated planning, etc.) 

Principle V : The abilities and capacities of persons with disabilities and their autonomous and self-determined and inter-independent life must be enhanced (processes of social and medical qualification and rehabilitation, processes of empowerment, peer counselling and peer support, etc.)  

Principle VI : Adequate training of the personnel involved must be guaranteed (training/quality of intervention and respect of human rights, etc.) 

Principle VII : The respect of human rights of persons with disabilities must be guaranteed from the very beginning in the humanitarian and emergency interventions (accessibility in emergency camps, food, location services, participation in the decision-making in the camps, etc.) 

Principle VIII : The interventions must include qualitative standards and the evaluation of the results obtained and their sustainability (manuals, legislative proposals, rights charter, permanent instruments of empowerment of the community, etc.)

Conclusion
The UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities produce a deep transformation of the approach of disability in International cooperation. Art. 11 and 32 stress that International cooperation need to include disability issue in all activities, respecting human rights and promote social and economical inclusion. All the actors concerned need to work on a base of twin track approach: increase attention on person with disabilities in developing countries and mainstreaming disability in the development projects.
A particular attention in all the intervention, both in development than in emergency, must be dedicated to support the role of the organizations of persons with disabilities.

The recognition of the essential role of the DPOs is in various parts of the convention strongly recognized (art. 4 par. 3 and in the same art. 32), as well in the art. 18 of the Standard Rules.

The direct involvement of the Organizations of persons with disabilities in cooperation to development projects is essential to guarantee that interventions are based on human rights, actuate actions of empowerment and capacity building of the local organizations, favour the transferring of best practices in the framework of the human rights of the UN Convention. The goal of social inclusion need to be include in the model of development, that not exclude persons and support involvement of all society as actor and beneficiary of development. An inclusive development is the new challenge for the International cooperation. 

Disability and Development

There are eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), representing commitments for development by 2015 made by all nations, through the UN. Disability is not explicitly mentioned, but for the MDGs to be achieved, disability has to be addressed.

Of the estimated 600 million people with disabilities worldwide, 80% live in developing countries. Disability does not only affect the individual, but also their families and communities. Social barriers, stigmatisation and exclusion mean many opportunities are not available to people with disabilities. According to the UK Department for International Development, as many as 50% of disabilities are preventable and directly linked to poverty.

While not all people with disabilities are poor, the poorest members of any community are likely to be people with disabilities and their family members. Poverty limits access to basic services, including health care, rehabilitation and education. This leads to a "vicious circle" of disability and poverty - poverty is a root cause of many disabilities, and disability increases risk of poverty. 

To enhance the quality of life of people with disabilities and to facilitate access to fundamental rights, the root cause – poverty - needs to be eliminated. Poverty reduces economic and social rights such as the right to healthcare, adequate housing, food and safe water, and the right to education.

Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) is a strategy for socio-economic development and one way of addressing the cycle of disability and poverty. Its key principles are poverty alleviation, education, healthcare and rehabilitation, giving people with disabilities their basic human rights.

Consider the issues raised above and develop them further. Given that disability is linked to poverty, why is disability not talked about more widely in the context of poverty reduction? How will the MDGs be reached if disability is not addressed? How can CBR help address the cycle of disability and poverty?

Through your own research and investigative methods, you are invited to look behind the issues and write about what is really happening. Use facts to support your article. We will love to publish your article on this blog with your name.

Program to increase participation of people with disabilities (PWDs) in USAID activities and strengthen the capacities of disabled people’s organizations (DPOs).

Applicants must be qualified U.S. or non-U.S. non-governmental organizations, such as private, non-profit organizations (or for-profit companies willing to forego profits), including private voluntary organizations, universities, research organizations, professional associations, and relevant special interest associations. This APS is issued as a public notice to ensure that all interested and qualified organizations have a fair opportunity to submit applications for funding. Eligible organizations could include, for example, foundations, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations (FBOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), host country organizations, private organizations affiliated with public academic institutions and international non-governmental organizations, private companies, professional associations and consortiums of the above. FBOs and CBOs, in particular, are strongly encouraged to submit applications. USAID has published in the Federal Register (Vol. 69, No. 202/Wednesday, October 20, 2004/Rules and Regulations) new regulations on participation by FBOs in agency programs. This guidance may be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_partnerships/fbci/fbocomments_101304.doc. Applicants are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Federal government. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. If a non- U.S. organization does not hold a DUNS registration number at the time of application, a partner with a DUNS number can be the primary recipient. A non-U.S. organization that does not have a DUNS number can request for DUNS number at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Then, please register it in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) at https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/default.aspx. IMPORTANT: Please limit ‘VENDOR NAME’ AND ‘VENDOR DOING BUSINESS AS’ FIELDS to ONLY 60 CHARACTERS (including space). If a consortium is proposed, at least one partner must meet the above eligibility requirements. 

Agency Name

Thailand USAID-Bangkok

Description

The purpose of this Annual Program Statement (APS) is to solicit concept papers from qualified non-governmental organizations capable of designing and implementing innovative, model projects that will increase the socio-economic participation of people with disabilities (PWDs) in Vietnam and strengthen the capacities of disabled people’s organizations (DPOs). Approved projects will be funded under USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA)/Office of Democracy and Governance (DG) Activities. Funds should be used to support projects and programs that will increase the participation of people with disabilities in USAID’s activities, enhance their participation in the decision making process that affects their lives and strengthen the capacities of disabled people organizations (DPOs). All awards (grants or cooperative agreements) under this request for concept papers will be administered through USAID/Vietnam.. Program areas could include, but are not limited to, education, health, governance (policy and/or administration), civil society strengthening, rule of law, HIV/AIDS, and employment generation. Capacity building programs for DPOs may include organizational capacity, advocacy efforts, coordination of efforts that address the needs of people with disabiltiy, and leadership. Partnerships or consortiums are encouraged, where feasible, but one organization must be designated to lead the proposed effort. Project concept papers should cover an implementation period of no more than 24 months with budget ranging from $20,000-$300,000 per grant/award for the entire life of the project. Any request over $300,000 for the total project period will not be reviewed. Awards will be considered as “one time grants”, with no expectations for follow-on funding USAID/Vietnam expects to award one or more Cooperative Agreements/Grants under this APS and reserves the right to make no awards, at its discretion. Applications must include a budget for the entire proposed program period (not to exceed two years). Subject to the availability of funds, the total amount available for all awards worldwide under this program is approximately $2,000,000. 

Schedule:

Funding Opportunity Number:	USAID-RDMA-VIETNAM-486-10-007-APS
Posted Date:	Jan 22, 2010
Creation Date:	Jan 21, 2010
Current Closing Date for Applications:	Feb 11, 2010
Archive Date:	Mar 13, 2010
Estimated Total Program Funding:	$300,000
Award Ceiling:	$300,000
Award Floor:	$0
CFDA Number(s):	98.001 -- USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas

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Karittha Jenchiewchan Procurement Specialist Phone 6622573025 kjenchiewchan@usaid.gov