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Celebration of the International Day of People with Disabilities A Twin Track Approach. Sheikha Hessa Al-Thani Special Rapporteur on Disability United Nation – December 3, 2003. Historical Background.
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Celebration of the International Day of People with Disabilities A Twin Track Approach Sheikha Hessa Al-Thani Special Rapporteur on Disability United Nation – December 3, 2003
Historical Background 600 million people in the world living with a disability, their living condition varied, but they were united in one common experience the phenomenon of exclusion was rooted in ignorance, low expectations and prejudice. International recognition of disability as a human rights issue is increasing. There is also a growing recognition that disability-related exclusion are concerns for the human rights bodies of the United Nations.
The International Year of Disabled Persons (IYDP) A good beginning was made with the proclamation of 1981 as the International Year of Disabled Persons. Of particular importance in this context was the adoption by the General Assembly of the theme of the year “ full participation and equality”, which meant recognition at the highest possible political level of the right to full participation of persons with disabilities in the societies to which they belong.
World Program of Action The most important outcome of the international year of Disabled persons, 1981 was The World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the General Assembly by its resolution 37/52 of 3rd December 1982. The year and the World program of action emphasized the right of persons with disabilities to the same opportunities as other citizens and to an equal share in the improvements in living conditions resulting from economic and social development. There also, for the first time “handicap” was defined as a function of the relationship between persons with disabilities and their environment. 1 2 3
Decade of Disabled Persons During the subsequent United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons, 1983 – 1992, the policies and programs outlined in the World Program of Action were to be implemented. During that period some significant developments were made.
The Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for People with Disabilities As a result, the disability community requested that the United Nations assume a strong leadership role and give more concrete guidelines for development and implementation. In response to that request, the Standard Rules were elaborated and adopted by the General Assembly in resolution 48/96 of 20th December 1993.
Purpose & Content of the Standard Rules The Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities have been developed on the basis of the experience gained during the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992). The International Bill of Human Rights, comprising the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as well as the World Program of Action concerning Disabled Persons, constitute the political and moral foundation for the Rules.
Purpose & Content of the Standard Rules The purpose of the Rules is to ensure that girls, boys, women and men with disabilities, as members of their societies, may exercise the same rights and obligations as others.
Standards Rules • I. Preconditions for Equal Participation • Rule 1. Awareness-raising • Rule 2. Medical care • Rule 3. Rehabilitation • Rule 4. Support services
Standards Rules II. Target Areas for Equal Participation Rule 5. Accessibility Rule 6. Education Rule 7. Employment Rule 8. Income maintenance and social security Rule 9. Family life and personal integrity Rule 10. Culture Rule 11. Recreation and sports Rule 12. Religion
Standards Rules III. Implementation Measures Rule 13. Information and research Rule 14. Policy-making and planning Rule 15. Legislation Rule 16. Economic policies Rule 17. Coordination of work Rule 18. Organizations of persons with disabilities Rule 19. Personnel training Rule 20. National monitoring and evaluation of disability programs in the implementation of the Rules Rule 21. Technical and economic cooperation Rule 22. International cooperation
“A Voice of Our Own” 10 Today, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, also marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Standard Rules by the United Nations General Assembly, for which I appointed Special Rapporteur to monitor its implementation for the duration of my mandate from 2003 to 2005.
“A Comprehensive & Integral International Convention” The General Assembly, in resolution 56/168 of 19th December 2001 established an Ad Hoc Committee “to consider proposals for a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, based on a holistic approach…to social development, human rights and non-discrimination and taking into account the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for Social Development ”
These important events were all the result of the strong movement towards a rights-based approach issues of disability.
Three Lines of Development The Commission has to pursue three lines of development. These include the active promotion of the implementation of the United Nations Standard Rules; the initiation of measures to make the United Nations standard human rights relevant to issues of disability, and the concentration of efforts on elaborating a special convention for the rights of persons with disabilities. 1 2 3
The Mechanism of Work Disability-related problems had to be approached from a social development and a human rights perspective. The Standard Rules must continue to play an active role while at the same time pursuing the mainstream alternative of human rights. Disability issues must be developed as an integral dimension of human rights within the United Nations, and effective reporting and monitoring routines must be put into effect.
Twin Track Approach Mr. Bengt Lindqvist, the former Special Rapporteur in his presentation at the meeting of the Commission for Social Development, recommended the use of a twin-track approach to promoting the human rights of persons with disabilities through the UN, and continuing to mainstream them in current UN Conventions, while at the same time launching a process for a UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People.
The process of elaborating a convention may take several years. In the meantime, it is important to use the momentum created by the commission on Human Rights to develop the disability dimension within the existing United Nations human rights monitoring. In this way the twin track approach would be implemented.
Multi-track Approach: Working within Two Axes A Multi-track approach to equality for the disabled: involves combining attempts to account for the needs and rights of the disabled in mainstream development as well as supporting specific initiatives aimed at empowering the disabled. This approach accommodates both strands: by including the disabled in participatory development initiatives in the community as a whole, and by providing opportunities, such as income generation for specific groups of disabled so that there is a chance for the entire community to benefit from development. a b
Multi-track Approach: Methods of Support and Intervention The multi-track approach to human rights and social development requires improved cooperation between United Nations bodies in the field of disability; continued the monitoring of policy development; and favorable environment for people with disabilities a b c
The multi-track approach, therefore, means integrating disability issues further into the fabric of human rights mechanisms. The elaboration of a new Convention should be seen as a complementary approach.
This approach will provide equality of rights and opportunities for people with disabilities. It also illustrates that disability is a cross- cutting issue and needs to be taken into account in all development work. Additionally, it shows that people with disability have unique problems and needs that have to be addressed with unique interventions.
On the one hand, all policies should be disability-relevant, taking into consideration those people with special needs. For example, any poverty alleviation program should include programs for people with disability. On the other hand, disability-specific policies should take into account other cross-cutting issues such as poverty reduction and gender equality. In this way, both approaches support each other, and the emphasis would be on mainstreaming.
Measures For Promotion Advice I would like to quote here a few words form UN Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan in his message for the International Day for People with Disability in 2002 Mr. Annan said: " Let us renew our pledge to fight exclusion, to create opportunities for all people, and to build societies in which persons with disabilities are seen not only as beneficiaries of societies support, but as an empowered and empowering source of social, cultural, political and economic development".
Thank you again, for welcoming today’s discussion of Disability and Development. I believe we can help build a truly accessible and inclusive society, where we all participate fully, and freely, together. I would like to extend our warm wishes to each and every one of you on this occasion. Let us exert our efforts and build opportunities for all through cooperation and hard work.
