PROGRAMME OVERVIEW of the SEMINAR/WORKSHOP
The Arab regional meeting will be conducted in Arabic, with provision
for English interpretation as appropriate, and will carry out its work in plenary and
group sessions for three working days from 27 to 29 May 2003 at Beirut, Lebanon.
Participants invited to the Arab regional meeting will be asked to prepare a short
paper discussing current policies, legislation and administrative guidance related to the
promotion and protection of rights of persons with disabilities and issues and trends
related to sustainable livelihoods, safety nets and participation of persons with
disabilities in social life and development in their countries (annex 1).
The Arab regional meeting will be in three segments.
First Segment
The first segment of the three-day "Arab regional meeting" will begin with an
introduction to the purpose and expected outcome of the exchanges and group work. The
segment will be organized as a seminar for an intensive overview of norms and standards
related to development and the rights of persons with disabilities, including issues and
trends in sustainable livelihoods, safety nets and participation of persons with
disabilities in mainstream development.
Second Segment
The second segment will be carried out by means of three working groups:
(a) Context, organization and structure of a seventh international instrument on the
rights of persons with disabilities in the light of Arab regional experience in policy
options, norms, standards and legislation related to disability. The exchanges and group
work will build on the recommendations in the report of the fourth session of ESCWA
Committee on Social Development (Beirut 3 - 5 July 2002), on options for further action
concerning equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities, the findings and
recommendations of the Conference on "Disability Conditions in the Arab World:
Towards an Arab Decade on Disability (Beirut, 2 - 5 October 2002)"; as well as
substantive contributions of the non-governmental community to the question. Group work
will direct special attention to the rationale and development setting for a seventh
international instrument on the rights of persons with disabilities.
(b) Rights based approaches to development and advancement of persons with disabilities
in the mainstream. The exchanges and group work will build on the findings and
recommendations of the international expert meeting on sustainable livelihoods, hosted by
the Government of the Republic of Indonesia for 15 to 17 January 2002. Group work will
consider policy options and programmes related to (1) social inclusion and empowerment,
social protection, and social rehabilitation; (2) facilitation of accessibility and
reasonable levels of accommodation in the environment; (3) social integration and
participation in development; and (4) institution building, micro-enterprise development
and promotion of sustainable livelihoods in mainstream development.
(c) Popular participation, institutional development and organizations of persons with
disabilities. The exchanges and group work will direct special attention to strategies,
policies and programmes that contribute to strengthened and improved national capacities
and institutional capabilities to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and to
further rights based approaches in mainstream development. Strategies and policy options
should contribute to the development of institutions that will enhance access for all to
the social, political and economic mainstream, which is essential for realization of the
comprehensive and integrated empowerment strategies and policies.
Third Segment
The third segment of the meeting will be in plenary and consider the results of group
work and discuss options to further rights based approaches to development and the
advancement of persons with disabilities in the mainstream. The exchange will result in
identification of (a) priorities for action to build national capacities and institutions
for rights based approaches to development, (b) recommendations on the context and
suggestions for further development of the structure and content of a new comprehensive
and integrated international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, and
(c) strategic framework for action to further the rights of persons with disabilities and
rights based approaches in mainstream development in the Arab region.
The closing session of the "Arab regional meeting" will include the
presentation of the outcome document and concluding remarks by the host organizations.
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