I. Workshop Outcome
Participants in “Regional Workshop on Comprehensive
National Plan of Action on Disability – Towards the Mid-point Review 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)” adopted in plenary on 21 October 2005 the “Bangkok
Declaration on National Action Planning and Disability-Inclusive
Development” with “Bangkok Recommendation on National Action Planning and
Disability-Inclusive Development” – herein after the “Bangkok Declaration.”
The contents of the “Bangkok Declaration” are as follows:
II. ORGANIZATION OF THE WORKSHOP
A. Organization
The Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive,
Barrier-free and Rights-based Society (BMF), the regional mandate on
disability for the Second Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons
(2003-2012), encourages disability-specific and disability-inclusive policy
development as its basic principle. BMF contains seven priority
areas for action and five strategic actions that Governments, in cooperation
with civil society, are urged to pursue. First among the strategic
actions is formulation of medium-term (five-year) action plans to disability
(paragraph 52). BMF further provides, in paragraph 53, that a
rights-based approach should be taken to advance disability issues, and that
disability issues should be effectively integrated in national development
plans and a human rights agenda. Commission resolution 59/3 of 4
September 2003 requests all members and associate members to support the
implementation of the BMF.
Furthermore, Commission resolution 61/8 of 18 May 2005 calls upon their
recommitment of the BMF implementation and mandated that a high-level
intergovernmental meeting is to be held for the mid-point review of the
decade. In pursuant to the mandate and the resolution, the present
Regional Workshop on Comprehensive National Plan of Action on Disability –
Towards the Mid-point Review 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) was organized by Economic and
Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
B. Objectives
Three years have passed since the inception of the Second Asian and
Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012) with the regional policy
mandate, BMF. Results of the region wide survey ESCAP conducted in
2004 on the implementation of the BMF targets reveal that nearly twenty
Governments have disability policies/national action plans and thirty
Governments have disability coordination mechanism, and the numbers of
self-help organizations (SHOs) have increased over the years.
Furthermore, increasing attentions are directed to disability in development
field by such organizations as the World Bank, Department of International
Development (DFID).
Internationally, drafting process of the first disability-specific human
rights convention entitled “Comprehensive and Integral International
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of
Persons with Disabilities” has been expedited and its completion is expected
in a matter of few years, after which, the ratification process is
anticipated from Governments in the ESCAP region. The 2005 World
Summit Outcome also recognized the need to guarantee full enjoyment of
rights by disabled persons and to finalize the Convention drafting process
(Para 129).
However, plight of disabled persons in the region continue to pose us
many challenges. BMF states that over 40 per cent of an estimated 400
million persons with disabilities in the region live in poverty.
Recent estimate also states that population of disabled persons is actually
on the rise owing to general population growth, ageing, chronic diseases,
work and home injuries, accidents, natural disasters, violence, AIDS,
environmental degradation, malnutrition.[6]
Poverty exacerbates lack of access to basic social, medical services and
educational and employment opportunities. In the field of education,
of the 115 million children who are out of school world wide, 30 to 40 per
cent are children with disabilities[7]
and less than 10 per cent of children with disabilities in the region have
access to any form of education.
Despite the legislative formation in the region, the challenge of
including persons with disabilities in the economic mainstream has not been
met. It is often said that fight against poverty, which is enshrined in the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), will not be successful unless we
sufficiently respond to needs of poor disabled persons. Women
with disabilities remain doubly discriminated as well. These problems at the
national scale are not readily communicated to the region and the world
owing to the lack of sufficient and comparable statistics.
Within the region, those countries with disability policies and action
plan are faced by implementation challenges. Particularly, least
developed countries such as Bangladesh and Cambodia and post conflict
countries such as Afghanistan and Timor Leste are currently developing its
action plans on disability, but many socio, political and economical factors
impede its completion, adoption and implementation.
The immediate objective of this particular Workshop is to analyze
achievements and shortcomings in implementation of the BMF to date and to
discuss principles of and practical steps to development and implementation
of a comprehensive national policy and action plan on disability.
C. Attendance
119 participants from 38 countries attended the Workshop in their
individual capacity, which included representatives of governmental bodies
and organizations, members of the United Nations systems, civil society and
organizations of persons with disabilities, international non-governmental
organizations (annex I). International resource persons for the
Workshop included experts on Mr Clinton E. Rapley, Director, Planning
Services, Associates for International Meeting Services and Mr Kim Hyung
Shik, Rehabilitation International (RI) National Secretary for Korean
Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disability.
D. Election of officers
The following officers were elected by acclamation:
Chairperson:
Mr Lim Puay Tiak, Executive Director, Down Syndrome Association Singapore
Vice Chairperson:
Mr Setareki Macanawai, Executive Director, Fiji National Council for
Disabled Persons
Mr San Ngy, Programme Manager, Disability Action Council (DAC),
Rapporteurs:
Mr Dorji Phub, Head, Disability Prevention & Rehabilitation (DPR), Mental
Health & Substance Abuse Section, Department of Public Health, Ministry of
Health, Bhutan
E. Adoption of the agenda
- Opening of the Workshop
- Purpose of the Workshop
- Review of the progress of the BMF implementation
- Key issues in national action planning
- Incorporating the disability perspective into international mandates
and policies
- Key points in strategic planning from a disability perspective
- Working Group Discussions
- Discussion at the plenary
- Closing of the Workshop
F. Organization of Work
Workshop proceedings were conducted by means of plenary discussions and
interactive group discussions on the priority workshop objective; annex II
contains the programme of the workshop.
G. Documentation
The list of Workshop documentation is presented in annex III.
III. PROCEEDINGS OF THE WORKSHOP
A. Opening of the Workshop
The Workshop was opened with welcoming remarks form Mr Shigeru Mochida,
Deputy Executive Secretary and Officer-in Charge, a.i. of United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). In
his opening statement, Mr Shigeru noted that the workshop decidedly
emphasized on disability-inclusive development as we believed that it is
essential and effective to mainstream disability component in any area of
the national economic or social development plan to attain our commonly
desired goal of barrier-free and inclusive society fro persons with
disabilities. He concluded that completion of the current drafting
process on the international convention on disability might lead us to focus
for its ratification as an effective strategy.
B. Purpose of the Workshop
Under the agenda item I, a representative from the disability
subprogramme of the Emerging Social Issues Division (ESID) explained the
purpose of the Workshop, which is described under A. Organization and B.
Objectives. She added that action plan the Workshop promotes could be either
disability-specific plan or any social or economic development plan that
incorporates disability dimension. For the latter, a term
“disability-inclusive” would be used throughout the Workshop.
C.
Review of the progress of the BMF implementation
Under the agenda item I, a representative from the disability
subprogramme presented summary of 2004 survey results that shows information
on ESCAP region country profiles, particularly on establishment of
institutional and policy framework, participation of persons with
disabilities in decision-making processes. 20 of the 23 responding
Governments reported existence of a national coordination mechanism, and 15
Governments reported a disability national plan of action was either already
developed or currently being developed. 11 countries reported that
they had a mechanism for persons with disabilities to participate in policy
formulation and monitoring and in elaboration of a proposed international
convention on disability.
A representative from the Statistics Division stated problems underlying
currently available disability statistics: data are not sufficient to inform
policy; disability prevalence is underestimated; views of disability are
limited to visual or physical impairment. To improve the situation,
ESCAP promotes the ICF framework by training and providing guidelines to
statisticians and experts on disability from 20 countries.
Participants of the Workshop agreed on extreme significance of establishing
accurate disability statistics and shared information on next census or
survey, for which technical expertise of ESCAP can be utilized.
A representative from the disability subprogramme of the ESID described a
process towards drafting a set of strategies entitled “Biwako plus five:
Forward Looking Strategies for the Second Half of the Decade” from 2008 to
2012, and told one of the Working Groups under the current Workshop is meant
to discuss on some possible strategies in accordance with the BMF priority
areas.
D. Key issues in national action planning
Under the agenda item IV, Mr Clinton Rapley, one of the resource persons,
laid out practical steps for effective planning on disability, namely,
vision statement; situation analysis; setting of goals and objectives;
establishing strategies and implementation plan; and effective monitoring
and evaluation. He also emphasized disability-inclusive planning is
generally marginalized in the international development discourse, and
deserves more attentions and actions.
Professor Ryosuke Matsui from Hosei University, Japan presented
information on the history, structure, implementation and monitoring plan of
the Japanese National Plan of Action on Disability. Current plan
covers the period of 2003-2012, which corresponds to the duration of the
second Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons. It encourages
local government to make their action plan on disability as well. The
Headquarter for Promoting the Measures for Persons with Disabilities
convenes annual consultation meeting to discuss progress of the Plan with
representatives of different disabled people’s organizations.
E. Incorporating the disability perspective into international mandates
and policies
Under the agenda item V, Professor Kim Hyung Shik, another resource
person, illustrated the gap between international disability agenda and
development agenda from the historical perspective. He proposed a
framework entitled, “Framework for Disability Inclusive Development,” where
policy makers and disabled people’s organization mutually make efforts to
mainstream disability perspectives from political, technological and
financial aspects. He also proposed to utilize checklist to
effectively monitor the progress of action plan on disability.
Mr Rapley echoed Professor Kim’s presentation by reiterating treatment of
disability issues in other international development agenda. He
demonstrated that every goal in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) can
be actually translated in disability terms, and emphasized a need to take
strategic actions to include the disability aspect in MDG.
F. Key points in strategic planning from a disability perspective
Under the agenda item VI, Ms Judith Heumann, Adviser to the World Bank
described her activities at Bank and difficulties mainstreaming disability
perspective in main loaning activities at the Bank.
Participants of the Workshop had extensive discussions on issues on
disability-specific and disability-inclusive planning of policies and action
plans. First of all, planning can be not only a
Government-driven but also donor driven process. Thus, the difference
in this term can create different financial and political constraints.
It was also pointed out, either way, participation of persons with
disabilities is essential. Furthermore, suggestions for
disability-inclusive policy making were made. For example,
disability-masking of laws was proposed, gaining from experiences of
gender-masking of laws: parliamentarians would review any laws from the
disability perspective. In fact, in New Zealand, all government
reports are to be submitted to the office on disability issues, established
in 2002 under the Department of State. In the Philippines, the
National Poverty Commission is composed of 50 per cent Government
representatives and another 50 per cent from NGO representatives, which
include disabled peoples organizations. The members check the poverty
reduction agenda from the disability perspective.
Participants of the Workshop also discussed difficulties of securing
financial resources for implementing disability policies and plans of
action.
G. Working Group Discussions
Under agenda item XII, the participants were divided into the three
following Working Groups.
- Biwako Plus five
- Key issues in national action planning
- Disability-inclusive strategic planning
Each group elected a facilitator and a rapporteur and produced a report.
H. Discussion at the plenary
Under agenda item VIII, representatives from each Working Groups made a
report. The report of the Working Group 1 is presented in annex IV.
The report of the Working Group 2 is presented in annex A of the “Bangkok
Declaration,” and the report of the Working Group 3 is presented in its
annex B.
Professor Kim Hyung Shik led SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threat) analysis of disability-specific and disability inclusive action
planning. During the morning of 21 October, a "Drafting Committee"
composed of the bureau of the office, resource persons and the secretariat
met and synthesized Working Group discussions and reports, and drafted the
“Bangkok Declaration.”
I. Closing Ceremony
The Workshop considered the first draft of the "Bangkok Declaration,” and
adopted it with the “Bangkok Recommendations on National Action Planning and
Disability-inclusive Development.”
Ms. Keiko Osaki, Chief, Population and Social Integration Section of ESID,
ESCAP, closed the Workshop with the sincere thanks of ESCAP to the Workshop
bureau and all participants for their efforts.
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[The List of Participants is password protected]
ANNEX III:
The list of Working Documents
- Application of Agile Concepts in National
Action Planning for Disability Inclusive Development and Poverty Reduction
- Reinforcing the Disability Perspective in
International Development Agenda
- The Strategic Approaches to Disability
Inclusive Development - Taking one more step from the BIWAKO.
These documents are available at
http://www.worldenable.net/bmf2005/materials.htm
Annex IV:
Report of Working Groups
Group 1
Biwako + 5 – notes
These views are preliminary and need to be taken forward for further
discussion and consideration through appropriate channels.
Priority 1. SHG / DPOs
Additional future considerations and actions
- Consider fostering and strengthening relationship and cooperation
between the DPOs and Human Rights Commissions in country
- DPOs be part of the wider SHG network -----mainstreaming
- Mention of parent groups in the targets but no mention of these groups
in the activities
- Emphasis on the government’s responsibility to foster the
establishment of DPOs respecting the importance of their roles
- Attention especially paid to supporting the establishment of
supplementary groups
- Self help groups have a responsibility to reach out to those most
marginalized and underserved especially in the rural community
- Inter country / regional collaboration
Priority 2. Gender mainstreaming / women with disabilities
Additional future considerations and actions
- Continue to strengthen the efforts and pay particular attention to
more marginalized groups (rural disabled women, those with sensory
impairments) through the SHG / DPOs
- Strategies and supports to ensure that disabled women are included in
mainstream women’s organizations
- girl child
Priority Area 3. Education
Additional future considerations and actions
- Strengthen the access and inclusion of disabled children using
specific articles from the CRC and the 2000 World Summit on children
declaration
- Legislation is essential and mechanisms to enforce required
- Research to generate and provide evidence on the cost ofinclusion and
educating and cost of exclusion of disabled children from education
- Role of parent groups should be articulated and action points defined
in advocating and support of child
- Government should begin to research school to work programmes to
facilitate transition and prepare students with disabilities for training,
employment and independent living
- Birth registration of all children
- Data collection on numbers, reasons for children in and out of schools
- Principles of inclusion included in the current drafting of the UN
convention for PWD
- health education – prevention and awareness of the causes of
disability
Priority Area 4. Employment and income generation
Additional future considerations and actions
- DPOs should take responsibility ---- part of the union groups,
employer organisations in country that submit reports regarding ILO
conventions and eg. ILO Convention 159
- ILO raise awareness of the convention and the compliance to it
- Stronger action by government in employment of disabled people
- Collect case studies where government is positively including disabled
people in the workforce
- Strengthen action towards people with more extensive disabilities
- Improve numbers and capacity of trainers and educators in mainstream
skills and employment training
- Public – private partnership strengthen in terms of skills development
- Self employment ------
Priority Area 5 and 6. Accessibility including information access
Additional future considerations and actions
- Affordable and current ICT equipment and facilities for persons with
disabilities is necessary to ensure equality in access
- Focus on physical accessibility design standards being implemented for
disabled people in rural areas and in poorer urban communities in relation
to road construction, all means of transportation and basic water and
sanitation infrastructure
- Enforcement of access codes and legislation appears weak – need for an
audit on progress and gaps
- Establish an independent authority to monitor accessibility
norms and standards
Priority Area 7. Poverty alleviation
Additional future considerations and actions
- Reported existence of child labour amongst disabled children. There is
a need for documentation and data and protection of children with
disabilities and the need for enforcement of existing child labour laws
- Need to make linkages and ensure disabled people are part of
mainstream poverty alleviation strategies but must be sure of preparation
and support to be successfully included
- Government and donors must be responsive to and ensure that disability
is included in poverty alleviation strategies for example - PRSPs
[1] General Assembly
resolution 55/2 of 8 September 2005
[2] ESCAP Commission
resolution 58/4 22 May 2002
[3] General Assembly
resolution 60/1 of 16 September 2005
[4] ESCAP Commission
Resolution 61/8 of 18 May 2005
[5] Pursuant to General
Assembly resolution 56/168 of 19 December 2001
[6]World Health Organization
(WHO) (2005) Around the World an estimated 600 million people live with
disabilities, http://www.who.int/disabilities/introduction/en/index.html.
[7]World Bank (2003)
Education for All: Including Children with Disabilities.
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