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JOINT STATEMENT ON CBR AND OTHER COMMUNITY INITIATIVES FOR POVERTY
ALLEVIATION AMONG PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Drafted by the rapporteur, Dr. Joseph Kwok
(Agreed upon by the group, 5 July 2005)
- We the participants, representing governments, non-governmental
organizations and organizations of people with disabilities met in Bangkok
on 5 July 2005 at the Workshop on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and
Poverty Alleviation of Persons with Disabilities.
- We recognize the efforts that have been made by many countries to
improve the levels of living and well-being of persons with disabilities
in Asia and the Pacific; however, we also recognize that persistent
poverty impacts on the quality of life of persons with disabilities, and
poverty alleviation deserves the top priority for immediate action.
- We recall that the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an
Inclusive, Barrier –free and Rights-based Society for Persons with
Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (the BMF) has identified poverty
alleviation as an important priority, and CBR as an effective measure.
- We therefore recommend the following points for immediate action:
- Upon review of the evolution of concepts in CBR, promote and
strengthen community approaches including CBR as an important component
of a key poverty alleviation strategy and social inclusion of persons
with disabilities;
- Adopt the rights-based concept of CBR and its strategy as addressed
by the Joint Position Paper 2004 about CBR (WHO, ILO and UNESCO) ;
- Governments in this region are urged to promote holistic and
comprehensive approaches to community-development programmes and
policies that are disability responsive, gender sensitive and effective
in realizing the potentials and under-utilized human resources of
persons with disabilities to make tangible contributions to society.
This can be achieved by emphasizing the positive economic advantages of
training persons with disabilities and the proven business case of
successful employment of disabled workers;
- Allocate on sustainable basis the budget and other resources for
pro-poor policies and programmes particularly for poverty alleviation
among persons with disabilities;
- Consider the potential for effectiveness of disability inclusive
credit schemes for disabled entrepreneurs;
- Emphasize the critical role of partnerships among the public and
private sectors and civil society in effective and sustainable poverty
alleviation;
- Promote disability inclusive international and regional cooperation
as well as the “twin track approach” composed of empowerment of PWD and
disability mainstreaming;
- Governments in this region are urged to address disability issues in
Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers and ensure effective implementation of
proposed activities;
- Forming self-help groups should be encouraged in the process of CBR
as “role models” and peer support are essential and effective for
empowerment of PWD in the community.
- We further recommend that UNESCAP and other UN agencies bring our
recommendations of this workshop to the process of regional preparation
for the first five-year review the implementation of the goals of the UN
Millennium Declaration and its follow-up papers.
- We wish to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to UNESCAP,
ILO, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), APCD and members of
TWG-DC for their cooperation, support and excellent organization of this
successful workshop.
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