U.N.: N. Korea puts disabled in camps

POSTED: 0540 GMT (1340 HKT), October 24, 2006 UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The North Korean government rounds up disabled people and sends them away from the capital Pyongyang to special camps, where they are sorted by their handicap and subjected to “subhuman conditions,” a recently released U.N. report said.

The International Association for Universal Design will organize the 2nd International Conference for Universal Design in Kyoto from 22-26^th of October 2006. This conference, which will inherit the ideals of the international conference held in Yokohama in November 2002, is positioned as an opportunity for presenting the results of research and activities that saw progress in the last four years.
Universal design is a concept for designing appliances, architecture, and living space with the intention that they can be used by as many people as possible. In the International Universal Design Declaration, which was proclaimed in the finale of the conference in Yokohama in 2002, we went a step further and defined universal design as creation of social environment in which the humanity of each and every person is respected. We also proposed rebuilding the relation between the user and the creator and stressed the importance of framing a human-centered system, which should be applied to every aspect of society. More information on this Conference on http://www.ud2006.net/en/index.html

The Council of Europe’s Disability Action Plan 2006-2015 was launched at a European Conference bringing together over 200 participants in St Petersburg on 21 and 22 September. The conference is being held under the aegis of the Russian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers and the Norwegian Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The conference was opened at 21 September by Mikhail Zourabov, Russia’s Minister for Health and Social Development, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Laila Gustavsen, State Secretary at Norway’s Ministry of Employment and Inclusion, Valentina Matvienko, Governor of St Petersburg, and Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights. Over the two days experts and representatives of disability NGOs will discuss practical recommendations to national authorities in order to promote good practices at national level and to increase co-operation with civil society. A ministerial declaration entitled “Improving the quality of life for people with disabilities in Europe: participation for all, innovation, effectiveness” will be adopted at the end of the conference. Adopted last April by the Committee of Ministers, the Council of Europe Disability Action Plan 2006-2015 contains 15 lines of action including participation in political, public and cultural life, education, information and communication, employment, accessibility of the built environment and transport. It also draws attention to the needs of women and children with disabilities and severely disabled people in need of a high level of support.   “Human Rights for persons with disabilities” Keynote speech by Thomas Hammarberg
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Within the United Nations a draft Convention has just been proposed to protect the human rights of persons with disabilities. Why was it at all necessary to draft such a special treaty?
Are not people with disabilities covered by the already existing human rights norms? For instance, the right to education, health care, an adequate standard of living, freedom of expression, security against exploitation and protection against discrimination?
Yes, they are protected by these agreed human rights standards – formally and legally. But in reality people with disabilities are still discriminated all over Europe and the world as a whole. That is why the standards have to be made more concrete and that is why the Council of Europe Action Plan is so important. · It still happens that persons with disabilities are denied meaningful education and opportunity to support themselves. It still happens that they are prevented from making choices about their health, well-being and how and where they want to live. · It still happens that children with disabilities are denied their family and educational rights because ordinary schools are not prepared to meet their needs. So-called special schools are sometimes of lower quality and do not give the skills necessary for the open labour market. · Job opportunities are still limited due to discriminatory practices and physical barriers at the workplace, at public transport or at home. City planning has still not included the interests of persons in wheel-chair or with intellectual disabilities. · The treatment of mentally disabled persons is sadly scandalous in some countries. People are even this very day kept in institutions no better than bad prisons. · People with disabilities are in some cases also denied the right to vote and others may not be given a genuine chance to cast a ballot because election procedures have not been accessible to them all. So, in reality some fellow human beings do not have equal opportunities and possibility of full participation in society. This does not mean that there has been no progress in recent years. Attitudes have begun to change. The mere facts that a new Convention is being drafted and that we meet here to launch an Action Plan are symptoms of a growing realization of the need to stop discrimination and exclusion.

We do not have to wait for the final adoption of the new Convention. We already have the UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities defining standards. At the European level article 15 of the Revised European Social Charter is of great importance. This article emphasises the right of persons with disabilities to independence, social integration and participation in the life of the community. To ensure this, States parties has pledged to take positive action: to provide education and to promote access to employment, transport, housing and culture. The main purpose of this article is to make clear that states have a responsibility to remove barriers in society preventing people from enjoying their rights.
Protocol 12 to the European Convention contains a general prohibition of discrimination. This Protocol is of particular importance to persons with disabilities. Cases of violations in countries which have ratified can be brought to the European Court on Human Rights. One good way of jumpstarting the implementation of the Action Plan would therefore be to ratify the Revised Social Charter and Protocol No 12 – all member states have not yet done so.
A good law is the backbone of all human rights enforcement. However, even the best legislation may not be sufficient. I had a meeting on Tuesday night with nongovernmental organizations here in St Petersburg. One of their messages was that the laws here are good – in fact, excellent – but they have only partly changed reality. Much more remains to be done.
That is, in my assessment, the case all over Europe. One problem is that attitudes tend to change slowly. In societies where people with disabilities long were hidden away in large institutions others have been unsure of how to react to disabilities. In some societies there is still a stigma on persons with disabilities. There the awareness campaigns are particularly important. Hopefully, a policy of inclusive schooling can also eradicate such prejudices. The language tends also to influence attitudes. If we continue to call persons with disabilities for invalids – people who are “not valid” – there is a most unfortunate message in that.
There is even a difference between “a disabled child” and “a child with disabilities”. In order to emphasise that the child is foremost a child with all the social and emotional needs of every child, we do prefer the term “a child with disabilities” rather than putting the total focus on the impairment. The main message from the non-governmental organisations working in this field is that the environment should adjust to the individual rather than the individual to the environment. We need ramps for the wheel-chairs and other adjustments to make it possible for people to be active members of society. This is what it means to make society inclusive for all.
The former UN Special Rapporteur on the Standard Rules, Bengt Lindqvist, said the following:
“The blind have never demanded to be able to enjoy Rembrandt’s paintings, since we know that we cannot see them. But we do demand to be able to read the same newspapers as others read, because that is possible. And if we do not get to do that, this would be a huge violation of our rights.” It is now recognized by most that the old institutions must be closed. Many have indeed been closed. Ideally, everyone should be able to live in a family or family-like environment and go to an ordinary school or workplace. When that is not possible, the institutions should be much smaller than before – and human friendly.The emphasis on early intervention is important. It is also essential to evaluate the new problems created by this radical change of policy. One such problem was mentioned the other day by the civil society groups: that the burden on single mothers has become too heavy. They have to care for their children with impairments and at the same time try to earn a living for herself and the child.
The non-governmental groups raising such points are admirable. Many of them are built by parents to children with disabilities. They work hard and concretely for the schooling of their children and at the same time advocate improved government programs. We would not go wrong if we listen to them with attention. We would go right if we reduced unnecessary bureaucracy which tends to hinder their work.To summarize: achieving an inclusive society takes planning and systematic work. Some aspects have proven most essential in that effort: · High level of political support and allocation of adequate resources.
· A thorough evaluation of existing policies and practises where problematic areas are identified. Here the institution of Ombudsman can be particularly valuable – also on regional level.
· Action-oriented plans and strategies with concrete measures and explanations how these measures will improve the existing situation. These plans should also clearly point out who is responsible for implementation and indicate timeframes and benchmarks.
· Involvement of the all actors concerned is crucial during the process. Both those responsible for implementation at national or local level, people with disabilities and their representative organisations as well as independent national human rights institutions should be invited to participate. This will contribute to the legitimacy, create ownership and make implementation easier and more effective.
· Effective follow-up and evaluation. We need to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes. In the end this is an ethical issue. A society which gives priority to its most vulnerable members and their rights, that society is a good society.    

UNITED NATION Polish President Lech Kaczynski on Monday received a United Nations award for the country’s efforts to integrate disabled people into public life.Kaczynski received the award from Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the granddaughter of former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a ceremony attended by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.“Poland’s society is showing how to create an equitable society,” Annan said. “I hope many more nations will follow,” Annan said in a brief speech.Kaczynski said the first steps to offer better living conditions to the disabled in Poland came from the Solidarity free trade union movement that was born out of worker protests in 1980 and helped topple communism nine years later.“In our society, we try to build solidarity as an important social value,” Kaczynski said after receiving a sculpture of Roosevelt, who had polio and used a wheelchair as he led the U.S. through the Great Depression and World War II.The head of a Polish association caring for the deaf and the blind, Grzegorz Kozlowski, received a US$ 50,000 check that came with the award.The award was established in 1995 to encourage nations to care for the disabled.Under communism, Poland, a nation of some 38 million, had few special public facilities for the disabled, who largely had to live at home. It has since guaranteed equal rights for them in the constitution and passed legislation obliging employees to offer jobs to the disabled.Cities also are making efforts to eliminate barriers to physical access to offices, schools and other public places.A recent television campaign, with participation of young employees in wheelchairs, urges companies to offer more opportunities to the disabled.Kaczynski was on a four-day visit to New York to address the annual U.N. General Assembly debate.

Blind teacher worked in a one-year temporary post as high school teacher in
2000/2002. However, both in 2004 and 2005 she was refused employment as music
teacher at the same high school. In 2005 it concerned a permanent post and she felt
that she was refused employment because of her disability. According to her
lawyer external expertise regard her as definitively the best qualified candidate for the job. She also got high marks for her temporary work at the school. This is the more serious because it is a public body that refuses her, which has previously signed an agreement on inclusive employment with the Government.

The Norwegian Blind Union is assisting the plaintiff and comments that this is a good example of how blind and visually impaired people are discriminated in society. Only

30 % of visually impaired people from 16-67 years of age are employed in pay jobs of more than 20 hours a week in Norway. In addition a survey made by the Norwegian National Centre for Documentation on Disability has shown that only one in ten employers would probably invite a highly qualified blind person with a guide dog for a
job interview.

The barrister-at-law of the accused, the County of Oppland, comments that this is not a case of discrimination but of the personal appropriateness of the plaintiff, her blindness notwithstanding.

She demands 6,25 million Norwegian Kroner in compensation. The Norwegian Centre for Documentation on Disability will soon report about the final judgement of the court of this case.

SHARE SEE Training in Leskovac 

Training Team from CIL, Vojislav Mladenovic and Svetislav Marjanovic continued the serial of successful trainings for DPO representatives within the SHARE SEE programmee.

The first Module training on antidiscrimination gathered 20 representative from 10 DPOs in Leskovac on 27/28^th of September.

The training was facilitated good and participants were very positive and active.

ENIL SECRETARIAT PRESS RELEASEValencia, September 13^th 2006 MADRID, SPAINAfter being locked in 25 hours at the Social Welfare Administration Headquarters in MadridDISABLED PEOPLE FROM SPANISH INDEPENDENT LIVING MOVEMENT HAVE CANCELLED THEIR LOCK IN ·        After having negotiated a meeting with Work and Welfare Minister, Jesús Caldera, that will take place this afternoon Twenty one members of the Spanish Independent Living Movement “Foro de Vida Independiente” have been locked in since yesterday, September the 12^th, at the headquarters of the Social Welfare Administration (IMSERSO), in the capital of Spain, Madrid. Thirteen of them are wheelchair users and with high levels of dependency.  They demanded to be received by the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, or Work and Welfare Minister, Jesús Caldera, in order to explain to them the lack of basic rights in the Project of Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Attention to the People in a Situation of Dependency Act. This law will be passed by the Spanish House of Commons very soon. These activists are very concerned about the situation because their equal rights and opportunities are not guaranteed as Spanish and European citizens. Their demands about including real Independent Living in the law are supported by the United Nations as well as by the European Economic and Social Committee.  For months, the “Foro de Vida Independiente” (FVI) has tried to explain their demands to all political groups in Spain as well as to the Government representatives. They have obtained a lot of support by most of them, but they fear that the important issues about independent living are not going to be included in the Act. Manuel Lobato, Spanish member of the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) Board and co-founder of the FVI, has been one of the activists locked in. According to him, “we have been treated very badly in the building last night and today, but the important thing now is that this afternoon we are going to be able to explain our demands to Mr. Caldera. We are worried because we have found a lot of reluctance to include independent living principles in the new legislation. For instance, Personal Assistance is not clearly included as that; people with disability will have to pay at least 30% of the services (when it does not happen with other similar circumstances in the public social security system in Spain). The Spanish Government is holding back the independent living application while important institutions such as UN or the European Economic and Social Committee are requesting the opposite. The Spanish Government has the opportunity now to do it right and treat people with disabilities as full citizens once and for all. That is what we want to make clear with Mr Caldera.” The “Foro de Vida Independiente” is a movement created in 2001 in Spain. It follows the Independent Living philosophy as a civil right movement created in USA in the 70’s.  Its members are people with disabilities and they organize via internet. They are members of the European Network on Independent Living. 

Today, August 25, 2006, is a day to celebrate!  We have achieved something
that has been long been the dream of our membership: A UN Convention on  our human rights!

The new Treaty will be of immense value to us as we continue along the
path to the full realization of our rights!  In closing we wish to take a
moment and thank especially the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee, Ambassador
Don MacKay from New Zealand, along with all the government delegations,
the Bureau, DESA and the Secretariat, and of course our NGO colleagues
from around the world, all of whom have worked so hard to bring us this
remarkable new instrument.  We look forward to the UN General Assembly
move to adopt this Convention at its upcoming session so that we can begin
the important processes of ratification and implementation of this
Convention!

Venus Ilagan, DPI Chairperson

By Geoff Adams-Spink

New rights and freedoms

The treaty is expected to be adopted by the UN General Assembly during its
next session, which starts in September.

US abstention

Most notable among the countries that will not be signing the convention is
the United States.

‘Welcome step’

The treaty has been welcomed by the UK’s statutory body, the Disability
Rights Commission (DRC).

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, today expressed support for the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is being considered by the General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee in New York.

“I wish to join my voice to those that welcome the forthcoming adoption of the new International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, the High Commissioner said. “The existing human rights standards and mechanisms have not been sufficiently effective in offering genuine protection to persons with disabilities – and as a result about ten percent of the world’s population is exposed to the most extreme forms of denial and violation of the full range of human rights”. The High Commissioner said the adoption of the new treaty will contribute to the establishment of stronger systems of national human rights protection.  “I look forward to collaborating with States and civil society to support the new human rights monitoring mechanism, enabling it to provide useful advice to States and to help raise awareness, including of the need to address the stereotypes and prejudices that deny persons with disabilities enjoyment of their human rights”, Ms. Arbour said.

UN Press release

Training Team from CIL, Dusko Savic and Vojislav Mladenovic, facilitated the first training for DPO representatives within SHARE SEE project for Branicevo Cluster.

At the I module on antidiscrimination there were 16 representatives from eight DPOs. The training was held in Smederevo on 22/23^rd of August.

Training Team from CIL, Dimitrije Gligorijevic and Svetislav Marjanovic successfully started the serial of trainings for DPO representatives within the SHARE SEE project.

I Module training on antidiscrimination gathered 20 representative from 11 DPOs in Krusevac on 17/18^th of August.

The training was facilitated very good and participants were very positive and active which resulted in their willingness to meet each others in following trainnings.