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Arab Regional Meeting on Norms and
Standards Related to Development and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities |
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Arab Regional Meeting on Norms and
Standards Related to Development and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities |
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 Daily Jounal in ArabicArab
Regional Conference on Norms and Standards Related to Development and the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities Scheduled Meetings Thursday 29 May 2003 9:30-11:30 Fifth Session Chairman: Ms. Mariam Al-Awadhi, Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCWA Rapporteur: Mr. Jeryes Khoury, Lebanon Presentation and Discussion of the Draft Final Report and Strategy 11:30-12:00 Coffee Break 12:00-13:30 Closing Session
During the first session, and under the topic ”Comprehensive and Integral International Convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities”, 3 papers were presented. Mr. Clinton Rapley, Expert in disability issues, presented a select overview of background related to elaboration of the Convention at the International level. Mr. Mohamad Nasser Humaid, from Yemen, presented a summary and analysis of the draft international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of disabled persons. Then, Mr. Khaled Al-Mohtar, Vice President for Arab Region in Rehabilitation International Organization, presented the declaration issued by the international alliance for disabled persons. The session ended with a general discussion. During the second session, three papers were presented under the topic “National Policies and Legislations and developmental programmes in Arab countries in light of rights based approaches to development”. Ms. Jahda Abi Khalil presented first an overview of the disability situation in the Arab region, based on information gathered from national reports of 14 Arab countries. Then Mr. Nafeh AbdelRazzak, LAS, presented an overview of the league of Arab States programmes regarding disability issues since1947. And finally, Ms. Heba Hagrass presented a comparative study on legislations and the rights of disabled persons in selected Arab countries, and the sessions ended with a discussion of the three papers. Then Mr. Clinton Rapley delivered a message on behalf of H.E. Ambassador Luis Gallegos, Chairman, Ad-Hoc Committee to consider proposals on a Convention on Promotion and Protection of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. Mr. Gallegos asserted the importance of this meeting as one in a series of regional meetings. Then, Ms. Badi’a Ismail, from the League of Arab States, addressed the participants pointing out the need to amplify efforts in all areas to promote the rights of disabled persons as stated in the Arab Decade for Disability. On behalf of the Executive Secretary of ESCWA, Deputy Executive Secretary Ms. Mariam Al-Awadhi delivered a speech in which she overviewed the work and achievements of ESCWA concerning disability issues. The opening session ended with a speech by H.E. Dr. Assad Diab, Minister of Social Affairs in Lebanon, who stressed on the need to include disabled persons in the core of development and incorporate the rights of disabled persons in regional and international conventions. Mr. Mohamad Al-Triki from the Islamic World Council for Disability and Rehabilitation presented memorial plaques to organizers of the conference. On Wednesday 28 May 2003, the third session of the conference was held under the topic “ Strategies and policies that promote, develop and empower national and institutional capacities”. In this context, Mr. Ziad Amro, from Palestine, presented a “Study on policies of empowerment in Arab countries” in which he overviewed the ambiguity and barriers facingthe process of empowerment of disabled persons in all areas. Then Dr. Moussa Charafedine, from Lebanon, presented a “Study on policies based on the rights-based approaches to development”. He also overviewed items of the Lebanese Law on Disability. A general discussion followed, in which participants emphasized the importance of having a comprehensive perspective to incorporate the issues of disability in social policies. During the fifth session, dedicated to “Formulation of a draft Arab strategy to support the international convention on Disability”, Mr. Nawaf Kabbarah, President of the Arab Organization for Disabled People, proposed a “draft Arab strategy to support the international convention on disability” including the topics to be covered, and the mechanisms of implementation and monitoring. Then, Mr. Nafeh Abdel Razzak, from LAS, Mr. Amin Madani, Regional representative of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR), and Ms. Mounira Bin Hindy, vice president of the Arab Organization for Disabled People, presented their comments concerning the draft Arab strategy. The fifth session ended with a general discussion. At the end of the fifth session, the participants divided themselves into two working groups, one of them undertook the task of preparing recommendations to be included in the final report, while the other prepared a unified Arab position towards the International convention in the form of “Beirut Declaration”. |
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