Regional Workshop on Monitoring the Implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (BMF)
Bangkok, Thailand, 13-15 October 2004

Review of achievements and obstacles encountered in implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework (BMF) at the inception of the renewed Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012)

Presented by Clinton E. Rapley
Director of Planning Services
Associates for International Management Services

Slide 1

UN ESCAP Regional Workshop on Monitoring Implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework
Bangkok, 13-15 October 2004

Review of achievements and obstacles encountered in implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework (BMF) at the inception of the renewed Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012)

Clinton E. Rapley – Director of Planning Services
Associates for International Management Services

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Presentation Agenda

• Review of BMF implementation at the regional level
• Review of BMF implementation at national level
• Implications for the way ahead

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Implementing BMF at regional level

• Review of BMF implementation at regional level based on ESCAP questionnaire to Governments and NGOs who are members of the Thematic Working Group on Disability and Disability-related Concerns
• Ten Governments responded
• Seventeen non-governmental organizations (representing 11 ESCAP members and 1 ESCAP associate member) responded
• Responses came from all ESCAP sub-regions

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Implementing BMF at regional level (2)

• Assessment of effectiveness of ESCAP performance in support of renewed Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons
• Information on ESCAP performance of 11 organizational activities, such as planning, management, coordination, technical cooperation, reporting and advocacy.
• On a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent):
• Governments rated overall ESCAP performance high: average score for performance of the 11 activities is “3.3”. Median score for eight of 11 activities is “4”. Lower scores were assigned to technical cooperation and resources mobilization activities.
• NGOs also gave high marks to overall ESCAP performance: average score for performance of the 11 activities is “3.6”. Median score for nine of 11 activities is “4”. A lower score assigned to resources mobilization.

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Implementing BMF at regional level (3)

• Assessment of effectiveness of ESCAP performance in support of BMF implementation
• Information on ESCAP performance related to six of seven priority areas and the four strategies to achieve BMF targets
• No information sought on priority area (d) – training and employment
• On a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent):
• Both Governments and NGOs give ESCAP high marks for its support of BMF implementation: overall effectiveness score is 3.2
• Especially high marks to ESCAP support of convention process
• Urgent attention is needed for disability statistics, and community approaches and CBR strategic areas

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Implementing BMF at regional level (4)

• Views on BMF targets, priorities and strategies
• Governments and NGOs asked to identify top three priorities among BMF priorities and strategies
• In terms of frequency of citation:
• Governments identified disability statistics first priority; and CBR third priority; no clean second-ranked priority area.
• NGOs identified international convention first priority and self-help organizations a close second priority; early intervention and poverty alleviation are third.

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Implementing BMF at regional level (5)

• Open-ended replies
• Several Governments commented on ESCAP efforts to promote awareness of disability issues and its effective support of the convention process.
• All Governments commented on importance of technical cooperation and some noted a role for ESCAP in promoting consultations among donors and UN funds and programme in support of BMF.

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Implementing BMF at regional level (6)

• Open-ended replies, continued
• Many NGOs commented on effective way ESCAP promotes awareness of disability and “equality”.
• Several commented critically on the need for resources to further implement BMF and the renewed Decade.
• Some identified areas for substantive development: education; capacity building for disability statistics; disability-sensitive policy design and development; education and training, including human resources development of persons with disabilities; development of self-help organizations and community approaches.

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Implementing BMF at regional level (7)

• Implications of findings
• Need to address normative and substantive aspects of BMF in support of its further implementation
• Progress in elaboration of the international convention will be additive to BMF implementation
• Disability statistics is an urgent priority area
• Support for establishment and development of participatory institutions is important for both national action in the disability field and BMF implementation.
• Investments in people are essential precondition for effective and sustainable empowerment
• Appropriate levels of resources on a predictable and sustainable basis are essential for realization of the BMF goals.

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Implementing BMF at national level

• Review of BMF implementation at national level based on ESCAP questionnaire to Governments and NGOs
• Twenty-three Governments responded, which represent 50% of the signatories of the “Proclamation on the Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region”
• Two National Human Rights Institutions
• Eighteen non-governmental organizations
• Responses came from all ESCAP sub-regions

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Implementing BMF at national level (2)

• Replies from Governments and NGOs indicate strong support of BMF goals and priorities.
• Majority of Governments reported adoption or formulation of a national plan; establishment of a national coordinating committee or similar mechanism; and support and contributions to convention process.
• The solid record of achievement begs the question: will the record of achievement find application in mainstream development?

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Implementing BMF at national level (3)

• Progress in achieving BMF targets and strategies
• Of 21 BMF targets, one-half are to be achieved by 2005 (11/21); two by second-half of Decade (2010); five by end of Decade (2012); and three have no timeline.
• Of 17 strategies, 10 involve national-level action and 70% of those strategies are to be realized by 2005.
• Target implementation (as at end-May 2004):
  • ASAP - 2004: rates range from 70 (target 1) to 87%
  • 2005: rates range from 56 (target 3) to 78%
• Strategy implementation (as at end-May 2004):
  • ASAP - 2005: rates range from 65 (strategy 2) to 78%
  • Exception: strategy 7 – 39%

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Implementing BMF at national level (4)

• Sub-regional, regional and inter-regional strategies
• Strategy 11 has a 2004 target date to support sub-regional mechanisms to further implement BMF: eight of responding Governments reported support (42%).
• Six remaining strategies have no timeline indicated
• Strategy 16 raises complex issues on establishing a “suitable agreement” on exchanges in support of BMF.
• Strategy 16 also addresses role of technical exchanges and technical cooperation in support of BMF.
• Strategy 17 addresses inter-regional cooperation among regional decades – Africa and Western Asia

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Way Ahead: getting to lean

• Getting to lean to further the goals of an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific
• Getting to lean suggests quality, flexibility, time reduction and team work and allied reductions in managerial levels in the organization or enterprise
• Getting to lean involves identifying and eliminating activities that do not add value, building capacities for multiple skills and team approaches to production and delivery of goods and services, and feedback and involvement of end-users.

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Way Ahead: thematic priorities

• BMF identifies three thematic priorities for monitoring:
  1. self-help organizations, women with disabilities, and education, training and employment
  2. environmental accessibility
  3. poverty alleviation
• BMF review has identified three cross-cutting themes:
  1. progress in norms and standards related to disability
  2. improved data and statistics
  3. capacity building and institutional development

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Way Ahead: policy aspects

• Macro-policy environment
• Progress in elaboration and early adoption of the new international convention will be additive to BMF implementation
• Progress in furthering the “Leading actions” of the Monterrey Consensus on mobilization of resources – domestic and international – will be additive to BMF employment promotion and empowerment targets.

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Way Ahead: data and statistics

• Data and statistics on disability
• Seventeen of 23 responding Governments reported on national efforts to collect and disseminate disability statistics and many expressed the need for action to develop national capacities and institutions
• However, few Governments reported on use of UN technical guidelines.
• Progress in data on statistics on disability will be furthered by action of draft article 3 (definitions) of the new convention as well as by international cooperation.

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Way Ahead: empowerment

• Empowerment
• Capacity building, institutional development, technical exchanges, case studies on good practices and confidence building are recognized elements of empowerment strategies
• Empowerment strategies need to address both the economic, social and cultural realms and the civil and political realms
• Effective empowerment requires clear priorities and an appropriate division of labour

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Way Ahead: empowerment (2)

• Empowerment and women with disabilities
• Priority area (b) of BMF
• However, women with disabilities obtained somewhat lower implementation rates than other BMF priorities
• Consider new partnership with bodies and organizations concerned with implementing CEDAW in the light of its General Recommendation 18 – women with disabilities.
• Progress in implementing CEDAW would contribute to an improved environment for participation of women with disabilities in social life and development

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Way Ahead: empowerment (3)

• Empowerment and environmental accessibility
• Priority areas (e) – built environment, and (f) - ICT of BMF
• However, accessibility targets obtained somewhat lower implementation rates than other targets
• Accessibility is draft article – 19 – in the new convention in the light of its role in promoting inclusion and reducing barriers to full participation

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Way Ahead: empowerment (4)

• Empowerment and accessibility in the built environment
• Consider developing environmental accessibility empowerment strategies on available and well-documented examples of good regional practice
• ESCAP - Promotion of Non-Handicapping Physical Environments for Disabled Persons: guidelines
• ESCWA - Accessibility for the Disabled; a design manual for a barrier-free environment

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Way Ahead: empowerment (5)

• Empowerment and accessible information and communication technologies (ICT)
• Consider developing ICT accessibility empowerment strategies on available and well-documented examples of good interregional and regional practice
• UN, and National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (Philippines) – Manila Accessible Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Design Recommendations
• ESCWA - Promoting accessibility with reasonable adaptation
  < http://www.worldenable.net/reasonablea/default.htm >

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Way Ahead: technical cooperation

• Responding Governments and NGOs attach priority to technical cooperation to build capacities and strengthen institutions to further implement BMF.
• Thematic priorities include advice and assistance in ICT, followed by education, and rehabilitation.
• Resources – financial resources in particular - is frequently cited constraint on technical cooperation
• However, access to disability sensitive technical cooperation requires changes in the policies and procedures of UN funds and programmes so that they effectively address people with disabilities as development agents and beneficiaries.
• Access to technical and scientific resources as well as studies on good practice could be enhanced through expanded use of accessible online services, thus providing a multiplier to available technical cooperation activities.
• Access to skills and technical knowledge to further implement BMF could also be mobilized a regional mechanism to exchange information on needs and availability

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Summing up

• Progress on the new international convention and further implementation of BMF are complementary and reinforcing activities;
• Governments have adopted - or currently are formulating - plans of action to implement BMF;
• Good progress is being realized with regard to BMF targets on (a) self-help organizations of persons with disabilities, (b) early detection and education, and (c) community approaches;
• Strengthened and improved capacities and institutions for statistics on disability - a BMF priority – is a key cross-cutting substantive area in urgent need for advice and assistance;.
• Women with disabilities, and environmental accessibility – both the built environment and ICT – are not only BMF priorities but represent important cross-cutting substantive areas in which further efforts are required better to achieve the respect BMF targets.
• And, further reviews of implementation of BMF could usefully include self-evaluations of progress and obstacles in achieving BMF targets

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