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OVERVIEW
Governments in the UNESCAP region declared the extension of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled
Persons, 1993-2002, for another decade, 2003-2012. As policy
guidelines for the renewed decade, the high-level intergovernmental meeting to conclude
the Asian and Pacific Decade, Otsu, Shiga, October 2002, adopted 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). BMF incorporates disability concerns into
national policies and programmes for the purpose of achieving the targets of the United
Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG). BMF identifies seven priority areas, including
women with disabilities, education, access to ICT and poverty alleviation of persons with
disabilities. BMF also promotes the paradigm shift from a charity-based approach to a
rights-based approach to disability and development, and supports the elaboration of an
international convention on the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
The Problem and Justification
The review of the achievements of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons,
1993-2002 revealed that progress in all twelve policies areas under the Agenda for Action
for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons had been evident; however, the
achievements were uneven in terms of the policy areas as well as among sub regions.
Based on their review of the outcome of the current Asian and Pacific Decade,
Governments in the region proclaimed the extension of the Asian and Pacific Decade of
Disabled Persons, 1993-2002, for another decade from 2003 to 2012, through Commission
resolution 58/4, adopted at the 58th session in May 2002. Governments also adopted 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), guiding policies for
the renewed Decade from 2003 to 2012. The BMF identifies the following seven priority
areas: (1) self-help organizations of persons with disabilities and related family and
parental associations, (2) women with disabilities, (3) early detection, early
intervention and education, (4) training and employment, including self-employment, (5)
access to built environments and public transport, (6) access to information and
communications, including information and communications and assistive technologies, and
(7) poverty alleviation through capacity-building, social security and sustainable
livelihood programmes.
Indeed, the Biwako framework singled out, women with disabilities together with
self-help organizations of persons with disabilities as two main agents (as well as
beneficiaries) for positive changes to be brought up by implementing these priority areas.
Women with disabilities are one of the most marginalized groups in society in the Asia
and Pacific region, as they are multiply disadvantaged through their status as women, as
persons with disabilities and are over-represented among persons living with poverty.
Women and girls with disabilities (far more than boys and men with disabilities) face
discrimination within the family, and denied equal access to health care, education,
training, employment and income generation opportunities, and are excluded from community
activities.
In fact, within self-help organizations of persons with disabilities in some countries,
women with disabilities face further discrimination. Women with disabilities tend to be
under-represented in membership of mainstream self-help organizations and not so visible
in leadership and executive roles. Their concerns are often not sufficiently addressed in
the advocacy agenda of NGOs and self-help organizations. Women with disabilities may not
have been targeted to leadership training.
Furthermore, mainstream women's organizations may not have included women with
disabilities in their membership, and their issues are not addressed.
In conclusion, women with disabilities lack the advocacy skills and training to improve
this situation. In the process of preparation for UNESCAP regional input to the
International Convention on Promoting and Protecting the Rights and Dignity of Persons
with Disabilities, their opinions must be well reflected.
This project will disseminate the BMF and the Standard Rules, and provide advocacy
skills for women with disabilities, through two regional workshops, so that the
gender-mainstreaming targets and strategies of the BMF will be well recognized and
incorporated into future plans, policies and programmes of NGOs and self-help groups in
order to achieve truly inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for persons (women
and men) with disabilities in the region. At the end of the project, women with
disabilities are provided with a good package of advocacy skills, so that they can fully
participate in the national, regional and global process of preparing for the
International Convention.
Furthermore, the two workshops are expected to enhance the unified support for the
International Convention in the ESCAP region and strengthen consolidated, ongoing regional
activities toward the Convention, even after the 2nd session of "the Ad- hoc
Committee for the Comprehensive and Integrated International Convention on Protecting and
Promoting the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, to be held in New York in
June 2003.
UNESCAP's Programmatic Context
This project is in pursuance of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled
Persons, adopted by General Assembly resolution 37/52 in 1982 and ESCAP resolution 58/4 on
promoting an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for people with disabilities
in the Asia and Pacific region in the twenty-first century, which, inter alia, proclaimed
the extension of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002, for another
decade, 2003-2012.
This project is an important part of UNESCAP's effort to promote the new Decade,
2003-2012 and strengthen the capacity of civil society and governments in implementing
actions required to achieve the targets of BMF. In order to fulfill the targets of BMF,
civil society and governments in the region are expected to incorporate more inclusive,
rights-based and mainstreaming approaches into their policy formulation.
The project will be carried out in close collaboration with members of the Thematic
Working Group on Disability-Related Concerns (TWGDC), as well as the regional advisor of
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, located in the Division, as well as
with the Gender and Development Section (GAD) within the Division, to enhance the
understanding of women with disabilities on their rights.
Target Group
The targets groups are policy makers and managers of civil society organizations (NGOs
of persons with disabilities, mainstreaming women's NGOs, human rights organizations,
etc.) and self-help groups of persons with disabilities, in addition to some
representatives from governmental agencies. Special preference is to be given to women
with disabilities.
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