Video Introduction to:
Integration of persons with disabilities in the global economy
by
María Cristina Sará-Serrano Mathiason
President
Associates for International Management Services
The issue of sustainable livelihoods for persons with disabilities is central to the
equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities. If persons with disabilities
are not empowered to earn income and develop their economic capacities, they will not be
independent and they will not be equal.
As we will see, the Standard Rules for the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons
with Disabilities spend considerable time in defining what are government responsibilities
for ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to all of the means of production
and, accordingly, can maintain sustainable livelihoods.
But before we go into details, let me place this in context.
The Standard Rules were adopted less than ten years ago. They were a compromise at the
time. Many advocates for the rights of persons with disabilities were convinced that we
should have a human rights convention on discrimination against persons with disabilities
like other groups of persons whose exercise of their human rights was impaired.
The time was not ripe for a convention. Persons with disabilities were still seen as
dependent objects, more of a charitable concern and to an extent a social problem rather
than the assets to society that we are. Few governments would consider taking on a legal
obligation to eliminate barriers to equal enjoyment of rights.
The compromise was this: there would be a normative document, the Standard Rules, but
it would not be legally binding. It would be a kind of human rights instrument, but would
not be part of the human rights regime that the United Nations supports.
Times have now changed. We are recognized as important. The stereotype of the weak and
pathetic person with a disability has been replaced with a more realistic image of
strength and contribution.
A good example is the replacement of the WHO's system of indicators on disabilities
that was called the International Classification of Impediment, Disability and Handicap,
that focused on us as objects, with the new International Classification of Functioning,
Disability and Health.
There are other factors that have made the issue important. Disability is related to
age and the world is undergoing a steady, and very rapid, aging of its population.
But the most important factor, I think, is that we persons with disabilities have
gotten ourselves sufficiently well organized at the national level that we are finally
being heard by our governments.
After almost ten years, we have learned that the Standard Rules, while important, are
not sufficient to ensure our enjoyment of rights. I am happy to report that the General
Assembly in December decided to begin the process of elaborating an international human
rights convention to prevent discrimination against persons with disabilities. The
initiative came from the Government of Mexico. Its new president, Vicente Fox, in his
statement to the General Assembly called for a convention. He was clearly influenced by
the very well organized organizations of persons with disabilities in his country, with
whom I am proud to say I have worked.
Here is what the resolution that was adopted says:
Noting with satisfaction that the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities
for Persons with Disabilities play an important role in influencing the promotion,
formulation and evaluation of policies, plans, programmes and actions at the national,
regional and international levels to further the equalization of opportunities by, for and
with persons with disabilities,
Recognizing that, despite different efforts made to increase cooperation and
integration, and increasing disability awareness and sensitivity to disability issues,
since the adoption of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons by
Governments, bodies and relevant organizations of the United Nations system and
non-governmental organizations, these efforts have not been sufficient to promote full and
effective participation and opportunities for persons with disabilities in economic,
social, cultural and political life,
…
Decides to establish an Ad Hoc Committee open to the participation of all Member States
and observers to the United Nations, for the purpose of elaborating a comprehensive and
integral international convention to protect and promote the rights and dignity of persons
with disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the work done in the field of social
development, human rights and non-discrimination;
Elaborating international conventions usually takes time. This is because in a
convention, States take on obligations that are legally binding. They are particularly
careful in those areas that might affect national laws, policies and procedures.
Your expert group is the first to be convened after the General Assembly resolution was
adopted. You have the opportunity to help shape the discussion in what is clearly one of
the most difficult areas to draft language.
I don't have to tell you that the issue of economic opportunities for persons with
disabilities is one of the most difficult. It is probably the area where progress has been
the least. There are many reasons for this. Some have to do with sequence: until
workplaces were physically accessible, persons with physical disabilities simply could not
work there.
Most, however, had to do with the fact that most economic activities take place in the
private sector. When governments regulate, there is often opposition from businesses on
the grounds that accommodations for persons with disabilities will increase costs. It is
the area where the stereotypes about disability are probably strongest.
When the Convention is drafted, this will have to be taken into account.
Without a doubt, the starting point will be the Standard Rules. This is because it is
what they call in the United Nations "agreed text", language which governments
have already found acceptable. It is also because we have had almost ten years of
experience trying to implement the Rules and have learned which are easy to implement and
which are less easy.
We will be presenting the Standard Rules as they apply to livelihoods. You will see
that many do. From time to time we will stop the presentation to allow us to discuss
points, using Internet technology.
One of the things that has changed since we worked on the Standard Rules in Vienna in
the early 1990's has been the emergence of the Internet. Even though I can no longer
travel because of my disability, I can still participate using this new technology and I
have been able to co-found a company that mostly works through the Internet. This has
clearly made the world more accessible for those of us with motor impairments, but it also
means an effort to make sure that the new technologies themselves are accessible to us.
As you look at the Standard Rules, I would like to encourage you to ask, are these
sufficient? Can we reasonably ask Governments to take these on as a legal obligation? What
is missing? What is unnecessary?
At the end of your meeting, I hope you will be able to make concrete recommendations
that can be made available to the governments working on the new convention. If you do,
you will be contributing.in a major way to removing the remaining obstacles to our full
integration into development and the economy.
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