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Agents
of Change: Workshop on Self-help Organizations of Persons with Disabilities
(SHOs), Related Family and Parents Associations and Women with Disabilities
towards Biwako Plus five |
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Materials :
Country Papers :DPI-Japan - Position Paper on Self Help Groups
Japan National Assembly of Disabled Peoples' International |
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Contents
Appendixes
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PrefaceSince its establishment in 1986, Japan National Assembly of Disabled Peoples' International (DPI-Japan) has believed that Self-help Groups (SHG) and Disabled People's Organizations (DPO) should be centered among all the stakeholders to promote the human rights and the better living conditions of persons with disabilities. Without SHG, individuals with disabilities are easily isolated in the community, or institutionalized without any advocacy. To realize "mainstreaming", "inclusiveness", "barrier-free", "rights-based", "partnership" and other key concepts used in social development, the "empowerment" of persons with disabilities through the activities of SHG is indispensable. 1. SHG is effective for the advocacy of individuals with disabilitiesAn individual with disabilities usually faces barriers in society and as a result he/she is made vulnerable and kept within the socially disadvantaged group. Organizing SHG is a key activity at community level as it is an agency of social change and empowerment of such individuals. Through SHG, individuals with disabilities can contribute to community in general and disability community as well; this means they become actors/actresses of social change. For example, Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD) explains the realization of empowerment of persons with disabilities through creating SHG and its self-advocacy efforts (Fig. 1-1).
Fig.1-1 Empowerment of PWD can be realized through SHG
Source: APCD website, http://www.apcdproject.org/others/conceptChart_enlarged.html Management and financial support to such SHG is significant for its sustainable development. SHG is, of course, a gold mine of resources. However, without enough fund, even if SHG propose good plans which benefits persons with disabilities at the community level, it is quite difficult for SHG to implement. DPI-Japan strongly urges the government both at national and local levels to support SHG financially. 2. UN Convention and the challenges of the national legislations/policiesIn relation to UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that is expected to pass the UN General Assembly this year, some articles may be applied to BMF priority areas (a) and (b) (Appendix A-1). Article 4-3 clearly states that the State Parties should collaborate with SHG and DPO to plan, implement and monitor disability policies and other policies which may contain disability issues. Regarding women with disabilities, although Article 6 specifically stipulates the issues of women with disabilities, the concept of gender equality (Article 2) covers overall this convention. Activities mentioned in Article 6 also aim to enable women with disabilities to enjoy all the rights stipulated in this convention on an equal basis with men with disabilities. UN Convention is expected to be adopted at the UN General Assembly by the end of this year. All the nations including Japan should ratify this convention to ensure all the human rights of persons with disabilities. In the process of ratification, Japanese Government should amend related laws in order to match the criteria of this convention. Through Japan Disability Forum (see section 5 below), or JDF in short, DPI-Japan is working for identifying the laws/policies which should be amended, including education system. (Appendix A-2) 3. Good practices of SHGIn Appendix B, five good practices in relation to SHG and DPO are introduced. The first case (Appendix B-1) deals with accessible transportation and grass-roots activities in Japan. In this case, we can see how activities at grass-root level have changed the transportation policy through the collective action of DPI-Japan's nationwide campaign. The second one (Appendix B-2) is Independent Living Movement in Japan. During 1990s, IL concept rapidly spread all over Japan. Thanks to that movement, personal assistant services have been provided that realize the community living of many persons with severe disabilities. Such concept developed by JIL (Japan Council on Independent Living Centers) is now spreading in Asia-Pacific Region. Thirdly (Appendixes B-3 and B-4), two self-help organizations run by persons with intellectual/psychiatric disabilities are introduced. Both organizations, People First Tokyo and Koraru Taito, are DPI-Japan's memberships. Usually, movement for persons with intellectual/psychiatric disabilities is represented by parents' organizations and family organizations in Asia-Pacific region. DPI-Japan believes these cases should be good role models in this region, as such kind of self-help movement is not seen widely yet. The last case (Appendix B-5) deals with an example of data collection from the SHG's perspectives. DPI-Japan Advocacy Center succeeded in the disclosure of the government's employment-related data and conducted the sample survey targeting the companies which did not meet the employment quota in 2001. This case shows how SHG can utilize the data effectively to improve disability policies. 4. Partnership toward disability-inclusive international cooperationIn the field of international cooperation, the partnership of civil society and donors is very important to ensure human security. Recently, thanks to the initiatives of the World Bank, the issue of "Disability and Development" has been emerged among the development agencies. In Appendix C, DPI-Japan will introduce three examples of activities done by Japanese donor agencies, i.e. Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In late 2005, JBIC conducted four researches regarding disability and development: Analysis of Activities by Other Donors, Review of JBIC ODA Loan Projects, Review of Disability Policies in Japan and Cost Analysis of Barrier-free Construction. DPI-Japan consulted the review of JBIC ODA Loan Projects conducted from 2002 to 2005. From one of its outcomes, Sector Strategy Development Department of JBIC developed the handout for the recipient governments in order to raise the awareness of the importance of disability-inclusive development and collaboration with SHG in their respective countries (Appendix C-1). JICA also has promoted the mainstreaming and empowerment of persons with disabilities through various projects of technical cooperation. Among these projects, since 2002, DPI-Japan has contracted a training course targeting ten Southern African countries, which include Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Appendix C-2). The latest training course was conducted in August/September in 2006. Ten leaders with disabilities from that sub-region had three-week training in Japan and one-week additional training in Thailand. They learned the idea of disability-inclusive development from several development agencies, including the participation in the TV conference on HIV & AIDS and Disability hosted by JICA and the World Bank. They also visited IL Centers and experienced peer-counseling. It is expected that they will emerge as new strong leaders of SHG/DPO in their respective countries. 5. Coalition of organizations of/for persons with disabilities in JapanIn October 2004, a new coalition of umbrella organizations, called Japan Disability Forum (JDF), was officially inaugurated after a one-year formative stage. According to the JDF Basic Outline, the organization's mission is to help "Nationwide organizations of persons with disabilities and its concerned bodies collaborate toward the promotion of the 2nd Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons and disability policies in Japan as well as the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, following the outcomes of International Forum on Disabilities to Mark the End Year of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons." In order to accomplish its mission, JDF promotes the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2nd Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons and the Asia and Pacific Disability Forum (APDF); improve and raise awareness of disability policies in Japan; and assist in the implementation of national legislation concerning the anti-discrimination and rights of persons with disabilities. DPI-Japan, as a representative of grass-root SHG in Japan, is very active in this coalition, especially in the elaboration process of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. For example, since the second session of UN Ad Hoc Committee of that convention in 2003, DPI-Japan has successfully dispatched advisors with disabilities to the Japanese governmental delegations. JDF was designed as a membership organization and hopes to include affiliates of the International Disability Alliance (IDA) as well as major national disability organizations that have participated in the International Forum on Disabilities to mark the last year of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons.96 As of 1 October 2006, there were ten full memberships and three observers. (Appendix D) Appendixes A. UN Convention and the challenges of the national legislations/policies A-1. BMF priority areas (a) and (b) and draft UN Convention (1) Articles of Draft UN Convention related to BMF Priority Area (a): Self-help Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (SHOs), Related Family and Parents Associations
(2) Articles of Draft UN Convention related to BMF Priority Area (b): Women with Disabilities
Note: Excerpted draft text is of Second revised text dated Oct 3, 2006. Footnotes are deleted as they only explain the technical reasons of revising the text. http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/documents/ahc8docs/secrevtxt3oct.doc A-2. Draft UN Convention and the challenges of disability legislations/policies in Japan (Source: JDF discussion paper as of July 14, 2006)
B. Good practices of SHG/DPO in Japan B-1. DPI-Japan's Annual Campaign for Accessible Transportation since 1988 DPI-Japan has been promoted a nationwide annual campaign for accessible transportation since 1988 (Fig. B-1-1). Voices of persons with disabilities mobilized by DPI-Japan successfully have raised the public awareness of accessible transportation. Indeed, there had been a lot of efforts/events done by grass-root movement since 1950s. DPI-Japan has made such efforts done by persons with disabilities at grass-root level into nationwide movement which eventually led to the new legislation in 2000. (Fig.B-1-3)
Fig.B-1-1 Rally in Tokyo in early 1990s In August 1999, then Minister of Transport mentioned the necessity of a new law which ensured accessible public transportation for aged passengers and passengers with physical disabilities. In May 2000, "Law for Promoting Accessible Mobility by Using Public Transportation for Aged Persons and Persons with Physical Disabilities", so-called "Barrier-free Transportation Law", was enacted.Since then, the physical accessibility has been improved considerably. Fig. B-1-2 shows an example that the number of stations which install elevator in railway stations is increasing rapidly. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to eliminate the level differences of all stations which receive more than 5,000 passengers a day with more than 5-meter difference in height between the station floor and the platform by 2010.
In 2006, this Law was merged with the "Heartful Building Law" which stipulated the accessibility of built environment. Although the right to move of persons with disabilities is not stipulated even in this new law, persons with disabilities expect to promote barrier-free society further with this new Barrier-free Law. The decree and regulations of this new Law is now under consideration at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. For this purpose, the Ministry established several committees in order to consider basic plan, accessible transportation, publicly-used building, road, urban park and so forth. DPI-Japan sends its representatives to all these committees. Fig. B-1-3 Disability Movement and Public Transportation (Chronology) (Source: textbook of JICA Training Course "Mainstreaming and Empowerment of People with Disabilities in Southern Africa" in 2002)
B-2. Japan Council on Independent Living Centers (JIL) and IL Movement in Japan (Excerpted from JIL brochure) Independent Living Centers are organizations in which disabled people, who have been recipients of services, take the initiative in providing services they really need to live in the community. With their activities at Independent Living Centers, they are not recipients of services any more but they are providers of social services. They have managed to create a work place where disabled people can make use of their expertise most effectively. It became very popular for disabled people to exchange each other internationally since the International Year of Disabled People in 1981. People with disabilities in Japan have visited USA and have learned a lot from leaders there. Especially the seminars in 1983, which several IL leaders in USA came and informed of IL Movement, were worthy of special mention. The IL movement had a big impact on disabled people in Japan. From the IL movement in U.S., they have learned that independence means the right to self-determination and that everyone has the right to live as he or she wishes. Learning from the activities of IL centers in U.S., they established Japanese style independent living centers. The first independent living center established in Hachioji City, Tokyo in 1986 and since then the number of centers is increasing rapidly. There are now 128 centers in Japan as of May 2006. Historical Background of JIL In 1990, the leaders of the several CILs in Japan met to discuss how they could promote establishing more centers in the country. They concluded, at that time, two needed points as follows;
The leaders continued to discuss by putting their ideas together, and a year later in November 1991, they held the first general assembly of JIL joined by 10 CILs throughout the country. CIL defined by JIL An eligible organization for a regular membership has to satisfy those items below:
The purpose of JIL JIL aims at supporting individuals with disabilities to be able to lead an independent life based on their own choice in a discrimination-free society by;
Activities of JIL Since JIL works as a liaison office among all the member of CILs, not as a direct service agency, it does not provide individuals with services except for information referral. The activities of JIL are divided into two categories, which are for CILs and the general public;
B-3. People First Tokyo (Self-help group of persons with intellectual disabilities) (Excerpt from the textbook of JICA Training Course "Mainstreaming and Empowerment of People with Disabilities in Southern Africa" in 2006) People First Tokyo A place of the "heart to heart" communication. 1st Floor of Misawa Bldg. Establishment of People First TokyoTami Osawa, Representative The purpose of our group is to spread activities of "People First" and to support persons with intellectual disability to live ordinary and independent lives in the communities. As our group is not an organization for profit, we perform nonprofit business as activities by persons with intellectual disability. The reason why we decided to prepare a brochure this time is to increase companions. Our group works to broaden a society that enables more persons with intellectual disability to humanly live, not in institutes. As our group is not a workshop, we neither do the same thing everyday nor make articles and deliver them to companies. First of all, please do not hesitate to make contact with us by telephone or to our PC E-mail address! What is People First?"People First" means our wish that "we want to be treated as human beings before anything else (People First)", not as "persons with intellectual disability" or "persons with disabilities". "People First Tokyo" was established to spread such way of thinking of "People First". There arise cases where people with intellectual disability are abused or have their money stolen. Therefore, it becomes important to raise voice against the society (activities by persons with disability themselves). This is the movement carried out by persons with disability themselves. For this reason, we want to spread this movement all over Japan. People First has the opinion that "persons with disabilities want to be treated as human beings before anything else". Intellectual disability differs from person to person. The fundamental point of view of People First is a wish to spread such activity. We perform activities such as mutual consultation, holding of get-together, negotiation with government for the purpose of better life, etc. We also give a speech at organizations for persons with disabilities, universities, etc., with regard to intellectual disability and the movement by persons with disabilities themselves. To be Independent! If you want to be independent, please make contact with People First. We would like to help you. When you become independent, you will face difficulties and troubles such as usage of money, nursing care, etc. However, you can go wherever you want and do whatever you like. Therefore, let's hang on together!!
We will dispatch a personal assistant who helps persons with disabilities prepare foods, do shopping, or go out to strange places. Costs for such dispatch: \1,000 per hour Please consult with us for a start!! People First's History The year 1995 November Formation of a group to have a discussion in Tokyo December Established People First's association to have discussion The year 1996 January Invited Mr. Daniel Medows and held the workshop August Received subsidy from the Tokyo Social Welfare Development and Promotion Foundation The year 1998 April World convention of People First in Alaska May~ Assumed a membership of the Tokyo Committee for Improvement and Consideration of the Care Management System for Persons with Disabilities Tokyo September~ Carried out the ombudsman of the Tokyo Metropolitan Nanao Nursing Home November TJ Monroe came to Japan The year 1999 August Held the section meeting at the national convention of the National Liberation Liaison Conference of Persons with Disabilities The year 2000 November People First convention in Tokyo The year 2001 August The office moved November The name of the group was changed to "People First Tokyo" The year 2002 Our group became a specified nonprofit organization (NPO). B-4. Koraru Taito (Self-help group of persons with psychiatric disabilities) (Excerpted from the above-mentioned textbook of JICA Training Course) To look into oneself it takes energy to say "Help me"- Each and every one is hurt. All of us have experiences of regretting something that we did, hating someone, or not being able to physically move. Some are starting to feel painful about how to spend the rest of their lives. Doctors diagnose those feelings as auditory, visual, or mental "hallucination". In my case, it seems that all of those things are mixed together. I feel uneasy in the particular season of early spring even if nothing unusual happens. I tend to be sensitive to lights, sounds, and words. Possibly because of the stress out of it, insomnia starts. I may apparently look sociable, but I am actually inert. I can easily be obsessed with the feeling that I am the only one who's wrong and everyone else is right, in other words, regret and guilt. I even hear voices saying "It's your fault!" from within and without. I sometimes feel that I'm nothing and stay in bed, wanting to stop breathing and disappear. Such nature of mine still exists within myself. However, when I was 25 years old and a student, I had an experience that felt like being thrown into light. Somebody endured listening to my desperation for help for as long as 11 hours. That person just kept on listening to me without judging or questioning my experiences that I had considered "shameful" or "wrong", and even with interests. Even when I laughed in my particular way, the person smiled and said, "You are doing OK!" Since then, the call for "Help" is the key word for me that has changed my life forever, just like the Copernicus theory. Just remember. Human has been able to create music, poetry and literature, thanks to the pains and troubles. Only darker shades can make the light brighter. This is how I learned the importance of "listening". "Listening" the important action that leads to love oneself and others "Sharing" in peer counseling can be done anywhere, even for 10 minutes a time. I like the fact that it can be done anytime and anywhere, in the corner of kitchen, in a train, in a coffee shop, or even in bed, as long as there is a consensus between the sharing persons. I think it's convenient and rational. It is something that is not possible in counseling by a professional counselor, in which it is very important when, where, how, for how long, and by whom "counseling" is performed. Some people find it effective and necessary to abide by those rules. Some people prefer peer counseling and some prefer professional counseling. Some may need both. I think that the two kinds of counseling are just different, not competitive. I have come to believe that peer counseling is more like a part of "life" than a medical treatment, and that incorporating it into life works to enrich "life". I think that it can be called "culture". When I was getting used to peer counseling, I was reminded of a poem. When I was sick and withdrawn, I read a book. I forgot the title or the author. There was this story. "In a northern land so far away, a girl was sick in bed. The girl wrote a poem, When I laugh, the child laughs, too. When I am scolded by Mom, the child is sad, too. When I cry, the child cries, too. The name of the child is Jesus Christ.'" I thought that the relationship of the girl and the child named Jesus Christ equaled to peer counseling. Even if it's short at a time, someone listens to my feelings and I appreciate my health of being able to listen to others. The significance of being able to love myself as well as others has become my "power" to be positive for the future life. One is weak when alone, that's why we believe in sharing empowerment When I was little, people always told me I was reserved and weak, which was also the regular comment written on my report cards. When I was a 6th grader, the girl sitting next to me in class kept on saying "there is a secret in your family" to me. She insistently drew pictures of my face with pimples that I started to suffer from, and I was ulcerated before knowing what my "family secret" was. The secret turned out to be the fact that the oldest two of my six older sisters were children of the previous wife of my father, who had been dead. One of my sisters showed me the Buddhist altar in my house and the back side of gravestone, that's when I knew. I was devastated, because it felt like the consideration my parents who treated all seven of us equally and the discreetness of my sisters who kept silent about the issue were all trampled on. From then on, I became scared of "people". At first, I had pimples only on my forehead, but they spread all over the face by the time I was a junior high school student. The medical treatment failed to cure the pimples, and my classmates made mock of me, saying "You're ugly!" or "You're dirty!" I graduated from a rural elementary school and entered an urban junior high, where I didn't know what to do. I stopped going to school when I became a 3rd grader. I think that I became sick in loneliness. For a certain period, I was struggling to be strong. However, I have learned that no one can live alone, that something should be shared by all when there is only one of it (it's happier), that cooperation makes us much stronger. A pliant willow tree survives a storm, even when big trees are tumbled down. India became independent from England without using violence. Gandhi spun threads instead of picking up a weapon. I think that the spirit of peer counseling resembles the action of spinning treads, because it slowly cultivates a heart and creates a network to help each other. Currently, I take part in peer counseling in a group called Koraru Taito. I think that I could regain the power to believe in myself, improve human relationships, and become conscious of "rights" through peer counseling. I would like to elevate peer counseling from "my" activity to "our" activity. It would be great if we could praise each other, encourage each other, and share happiness and laughter with each other. While the advocacy activity is one of the important activities of Koraru Taito, it makes sense only if those who have troubles and issues meet face to face and share experiences and feelings. I think that the basis of advocacy is having "life" as a human being. It is where peers with the same disability meet, talk, share troubles and happiness, and create reliable human relationships and atmosphere. It is where we become positive and brave. We can also be reminded of the warmth of people while we cook dinner and have a good time together. People who lost confidence because of the disease or the prejudice against the disease can regain confidence through the idea that one can love oneself and live with one's own paces. Also, regaining the feeling of expressing oneself works to claim for rights. From peers, we learn various techniques to solve issues in life. Through the advocacy activity, we become more conscious of the fact that we are disabled, and become aware of how the society is restraining the existence of mental disorder. I think continuing such ways of peer support and peer counseling will lead to empowerment. Conclusion thank you My friends with physical disability who casually talked to me, calling my name "Maki-chan", whenever we met in the street of Toyama Sunrise, in Taito-ku, or at meetings of Japan Council of Independent Living Centers. My friends at Japan National Assembly of DPI who kept warm eyes on me. I would like to improve the method of peer counseling and self-advocate as well as culture and life of persons with disabilities in my own way so that persons with psychiatric disability can benefit from them. Since I came back to Tokyo and met them, I have been feeling that the relation between the world and myself became more comfortable, that my sight became broader, and that a nice breeze is always soothing me. Thank you very much. B-5. DPI-Japan Advocacy Center's effort for the disclosure employment data collected by government DPI-Japan Advocacy Center requested the disclosure of the names of companies not meeting their employment quotas from the Tokyo Labor Bureau in October 2001. Following the decision made by Cabinet Office and Tokyo Local Court, the bureau disclosed the names of 9,040 companies in Tokyo which did not meet their quotas (1.8%) as of 2000 on September 8, 2003. The Law for Employment Promotion of Persons with Disabilities stipulates the publication of names of corporation as a part of sanction[1]. This information disclosure is not a sanction of this kind. However, it is expected to raise the awareness of private sector and to increase employment opportunities of persons with disabilities as a result. In September 2004, DPI-Japan Advocacy Center, in collaboration with several organizations, which support and promote the employment of persons with disabilities, conducted a survey to identify the difficulties that may prevent private companies to employ persons with disabilities. Questionnaire form was sent to 913 companies which consisted of:
Finally, DPI-Japan Advocacy Center received 123 responses from those companies. As a result, following facts became clear:
In this case, when DPI-Japan Advocacy Center requested the government to disclose the information, it collaborated with lawyers who have fought the discrimination against persons with disabilities in workplace. Also, it worked with other organizations which support the employment of persons with disabilities to analyze the disclosed data and to conduct the survey. This means that this case is also a good example of partnership of SHG and other professionals to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. C. Partnership toward disability-inclusive international cooperation C-1. JBIC handout "Making Development Projects Inclusive/Accessible for Persons with Disabilities"
Making Development Projects July 2006 Sector Strategy Development Department Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Inclusive Development Disability needs to be placed as an issue alongside others on the development agenda. To achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), socio-economic development programmes and policies must embrace the entire population, including vulnerable groups such as those with disabilities. Without integrating the disabled population, development efforts, specifically efforts to alleviate poverty, cannot be effective. Persons with disabilities face a higher risk of poverty and poor people experience a much heightened rate of disabilities. The goal of inclusive development is the integration of people with disabilities into the social and economic life of their communities. Inclusion is prevented by barriers. They prevent people with disabilities from full participation in all areas of a community life. No distinction should be made between a disabled person's and non-disabled person's freedom to participate in every facet of life social, economic, and political. The international community is becoming aware of this issue. In 2001, discussions on the need for a human rights convention for persons with disabilities started at the United Nations, among governments, UN organizations, human rights bodies and disability-related organizations. The draft text, entitled "International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Working Text"[2], clearly states that "international cooperation, including international development programmes, are inclusive of, and accessible to, persons with disabilities" (Draft Article 32). This convention is expected to be adopted in the near future. Multilateral Development Banks also play an important role to promote inclusive development. For example, the World Bank has the Office of Disability and Development Advisor whose main priority is being proactive in generating the type of information that can make inclusive development possible. The former World Bank Group President Mr. James D. Wolfensohn mentioned "In fact, if we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of halving poverty by 2015, dealing with education for all, and halving the rates of birth and child mortality, it is simply impossible to conceive of doing that without the inclusion of the disabled community." As it is becoming widely recognized that the MDGs cannot be achieved without considering the needs of persons with disabilities, it has become important to pay greater attention to this issue in order to support efforts to achieve the MDGs. JBIC supports the efforts of developing countries to achieve the MDGs. As mentioned in the message[3] of Mr. Kyosuke Shinozawa, JBIC Governor, "JBIC will continue to conduct ODA loan operations aimed at poverty reduction and sustainable growth by taking account of the Millennium Development Goals as well as international trends in aid." With your active involvement, JBIC financed development projects provide good opportunities as a model of inclusive, accessible and disability-friendly development in the country.
Accessibility is In order to realize inclusive development, all development projects should be made accessible and disability-friendly for persons with disabilities.The creation of accessible environments is a very simple idea: all buildings, products and services should be designed in such a way that the number of potential users is optimized. Considering the removal of the barriers faced by persons with disabilities, four different types of barriers could be identified:
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., India With JBIC, If you are willing to commit to inclusive development for persons with disabilities, JBIC financed development projects provide good opportunities to remove barriers from persons with disabilities, especially physical barriers. The cost of making renovations which respond to the needs of disabled persons is very high. However, if a barrier-free design is made from the outset, the cost would be only 0.5-1% of the total cost.[4] When a project to install a subway system is being formulated, for example, such disability-friendly facilities as elevators and ramps for physically disabled passengers, bulletin boards for deaf passengers, and tactile guideways for blind passengers can be taken into consideration. In this regard, Japan is a model in meeting the needs of persons with disabilities through annual campaigns for accessible public transportation which have continued for 20 years. To install such facilities appropriately, it is recommended to listen to the voices of self-help groups of persons with disabilities, who are the potential users and should therefore understand the best method to remove physical barriers. Disabled Persons' Organization as an Important Resource for Disability-Friendly Projects Generally, disabled persons' organizations are regarded as the most qualified, most informed and most motivated to speak on their own behalf concerning the proper design and implementation of policy, legislation and strategies which will ensure their full participation in social, economic, cultural and political life and enable them to contribute to the development of their communities. According to "Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific", which was adopted at the UN ESCAP high-level meeting in October 2002, it is targeted that "Governments and civil society organizations should, by 2005, fully include organizations of persons with disabilities in their decision-making processes involving planning and programme implementation which directly and indirectly affect their lives." Useful Resources:
Useful Information for Planning Disability-friendly Projects In order to plan a disability friendly project, the starting point should be a review of the following information:
C-2. General Information on JICA Training Course "Mainstreaming and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in Southern Africa" in 2006
D. Memberships of Japan Disability Forum (JDF) as of Oct 2006 (Full Memberships)
(Observer Status)
[1]When employers fail to follow the recommendations concerning modification of the Plan for Hiring Persons with Disabilities, or the proper execution of the Plan, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may make that fact open to the public. [2]http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahc7report-e.htm [3]http://www.jbic.go.jp/english/base/profile/governor/index.php [4] Metts, R. 2000, Disability Issues, Trends and Recommendations for the World Bank; Social Protection Discussion Paper No.0007, World Bank |
