6th Edition August 2009

2009 6th Edition –August 2009 ADDC Newsletter Dear ADDC Members and visitors to ADDC web site, Welcome to the 6th edition of the Australian Disability and Development Consortium’s (ADDC) Newsletter for 2009. This issue provides updates on the following: 1. Australia Accedes to the Disabilities Convention Optional Protocol 2. Australian Aid program in a time of global economic downturn. 3. United States will sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 4. Leading By Example in Protecting the Most Vulnerable 5. Millions of Nigerian Children to be Immunized During UN Backed Health Week 6. News From Our Pacific Friends 7. Matua Sports Program- improving the lives of people with disability in Fiji through sport 8. DFID White Paper 9. The Workability International Annual Conference 2009 10.The Disability Rights Fund 11.Dunlop Asia Fellowship 12.Request for Research Contacts 13.Opportunity from AVI 14.New Resources.

1. Australia Accedes to the Disabilities Convention Optional Protocol (30 July 2009)

Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services, Bill Shorten, today announced that Australia will accede to the Optional Protocol on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Protocol provides a mechanism for Australians to make complaints to the United Nations Disabilities Committee in the event that all domestic remedies have been exhausted. “This demonstrates the Government’s real commitment to people with a disability as well as demonstrating our serious commitment to leadership in this area at an international level,” Mr McClelland said. This action follows the Rudd Government’s ratification of the Convention in July 2008 making it one of the first Western countries to do so. In addition, the Attorney-General recently declared the Convention under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Act 1986 to enable the Australian Human Rights Commission to conciliate complaints based on breaches of the Convention.

“Accession to the Protocol demonstrates Australia’s commitment to recognising both the rights and capacity of people with disabilities,” Mr Shorten said. Australia joins more than 40 other nations around the world who have acceded to or ratified the Optional Protocol. 2. Australian Aid Program in a Time of Global Economic Downturn. Mr. Mc Mullan’s speech. Speech delivered on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of IDSS in Melbourne, Friday 24th July 2009. Follow link: http://www.bobmcmullan.com/?q=node/498 3. United States will sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 24th July 2009 President Barack Obama announced that the United States will sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in the New York on December 1, 2006. For a live version of his speech please follow attached link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1qmAGEIAs4 UN Applauds Decision of United States to join Landmark Disability Pack The United Nations has welcomed the signing by the United States of the landmark treaty to protect and promote the rights of the world’s estimated 650 million people with disabilities. Ambassador Susan Rice of the United States signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the world body’s Headquarters in New York yesterday, bringing the total number of signatories to 141. So far the treaty has been ratified by 60 countries. The Convention, which entered into force in May last year, asserts the rights to education, health, work, adequate living conditions, freedom of movement, freedom from exploitation and equal recognition before the law for persons with disabilities. In addition, the Convention’s Optional Protocol allows individuals to petition an international expert body with grievances. By signing, and then ratifying the treaty, States commit themselves to enact laws and other measures to improve disability rights, as well as abolish discriminatory legislation, customs and practices. “We are glad the United States has shown its commitment to be part of the common effort to ensure the full recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities in our societies,” said Akiko Ito, the Chief of the Secretariat of the Convention which is housed in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). “We look forward to working with the US and hope to add their strength to our work for persons with disabilities worldwide.” Source: UN Daily News Cast July 31st 09

4. Leading By Example in Protecting the Most Vulnerable The 2009 Report of the Global Campaign for the Health Millennium Development Goals, recently released in New York, outlines how countries are making the protection of

vulnerable people, in particular children, a priority in their aid programs Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is a contributor to the report as a member of the Network of Global Leaders. The report calls for more urgent action as the global recession has driven more than 50 million people into extreme poverty. It also warns that progress towards achieving the health UN Millennium Development Goals of reducing child mortality and improving maternal health is also threatened. The Australian Government is currently considering recommendations of a recent report from the High-Level Task Force on Innovative Financing for Health Systems, in which Bob McMullan participated in, and which is chaired by the UK Prime Minster Gordon Brown and the President of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick. More Money for Health and More Health for the Money recommends raising additional and better resources that are needed to achieve the health MDGs and help poor countries through the global recession. Both of these reports are important contributions as the world faces the challenges of the global recession and the outbreak of H1N1. They underline Australia’s commitments and remind us there is much work to be done to protect the vulnerable. The report is available at: www.ausaid.gov.au/publications/pdf/lead_by_example.pdf Source: Press Releases Bob McMullan office. June 15 09

5. Millions of Nigerian Children to be Immunized During UN Backed Health Week Some 30 million youngsters will receive immunizations during Nigeria’s first-ever National Child Health Week, launched today by the head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the country’s health minister in the capital, Abuja. “Sadly, more children die in Nigeria than any other country in Africa, largely from preventable diseases,” UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman said. “Child Health Weeks have proven to be a highly effective strategy to save lives and prevent illness.” Child Health Weeks, such as the one being held in Nigeria from 1 to 8 August, enable the delivery of a package of high-impact, low-cost child survival interventions, noted the agency. Children, especially those in rural areas, will receive immunizations, deworming medicines, and insecticide-treated mosquito nets. In addition, mothers will receive counseling on key household practices such as breastfeeding and basic hygiene. Over the course of next week, 30 million children will receive immunizations, including for polio, which is contracted through contaminated food, water and faeces and mainly affects children under five. Nigeria is one of four countries – along with Afghanistan, India and Pakistan – where the disease is still endemic, and accounts for 85 per cent of all cases in Africa. Ms. Veneman, who is on a four-day visit to Nigeria, also announced the allocation of over $5 million to help educate people in the country about the importance of polio immunizations. She noted that Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with 149 million people, including 75 million children. While it is a resource-rich country, over half of the population lives in poverty. The country also faces vast regional disparities in human development with more progress being made in the south than in the north, according to UNICEF, which noted that nutritional insecurity is also a serious concern. “Malnutrition is a silent emergency in Nigeria,” said Ms. Veneman. “Among children under age five, 29 per cent are underweight. Nearly 3 million children are suffering from chronic malnutrition and more than 1 million from stunting. This is simply

unacceptable.” National Child Health Weeks will be held twice a year in Nigeria in close cooperation with the Government. Source: UN Daily Newscast July 31 2009

6. News from our Pacific Friends Source: PDF 31st July 09

a) Cook Islands News from the Cooks on WWD On July 21st, Mama Tuki convened a meeting for women with disabilities which resulted in the establishment of a Woman with Disabilities Group. The first Objective for the WWD group for women and girls with disabilities to have equal access to health care, education, and vocational training, employment and income generation opportunities and to be included in social and community activities. ADDC congratulated Mama Tuki on this much needed initiative. b) Kiribati Duncan Kerr represented Australia at the 30th Independence Anniversary celebrations in Kiribati on Monday 13 July. This visit confirmed the strength of the ties between Australia and Kiribati and the commitment of the Australian Government to advancing its relationships in the Pacific. The visit also provided the opportunity for discussions between Mr. Kerr with the Kiribati Government about the particular challenges and issues faced by Kiribati as well as those common to the Pacific. His discussions with President Anote Tong focused on the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting in Cairns (4-7 August) and Australia’s shared commitment to building greater regional resilience through initiatives such as the KiribatiAustralia Partnership for Development. As part of the 30th Anniversary celebration official program, the Republic of Kiribati presents awards to Kiribati Citizens. PDF Member, Mrs. Teewata Aromata Rokete was awarded a National Order of Ana Kamoamoa Kiribati (AKK) by the order of the President of Kiribati. “This Award is presented for outstanding or exceptional contributions to the common welfare in Kiribati in recipient’s respective professions, callings, vocations or other fields of human endeavour or activity.” ADDC congratulates Teewata on being a most deserving recipient for her work in advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. c) Vanuatu

Disability Promotion & Advocacy Association (DPA) ran a three and a half days training on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability on 20 to 23 July, 2009. Funded by AUSAID, there were 14 participants who attended this training and this training took place in Port Vila. There were 6 men and 8 women who participated at this training. Training was conducted by Andi Lynch. d) Pacific Island Countries Participation Fund NZAID's Pacific Island Countries Participation Fund aims to increase attendance by Pacific Islanders at regional and international conferences. The countries falling within the scope of the programme are: the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, the Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna and Tokelau. The objective of the programme is to fund attendance by Pacific Islanders at regional and international conferences, where their attendance will strengthen ownership of regional and international development processes. For further information, please refer to http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/pic ******NEW FEATURE ADDC is encouraging and welcomes submissions of stories and case studies from its members and partners. Rob Regent from the Australian Sports Commission has contributed the following article as our first contribution. This initiative has been developed in response to feedback received from our Members in the recent Membership Survey. Once ADDC had updated its website, this article will be transferred to the ‘Sport and Art Section’. We plan to develop a ‘Stories and Case Studies’ section as well. 7. Matua Sports Program – Improving the lives of people with disability in Fiji through sport Fiji Paralympics Committee and Australian Sports Commission have recently agreed to a long term partnership to deliver the Matua Sports Program, a grassroots level sport program designed to improve the quality of life of people with disability in Fiji through sport. Building on activities FPC has delivered in Fiji’s 17 Special Education Centres since 2005, the next five years will see an increase in the variety and quality of sport activities being offered. The partnership will be guided by some key inclusive sport and community development principles, including: • •

involving people with disability in designing, running and reviewing programs using a social model of inclusion, language and modifications that promote people’s abilities, not their disability

• • •

drawing on existing resources, research and recommendations to deliver quality inclusive sport programs training and providing ongoing support to sport leaders so they develop the skills to deliver regular, quality inclusive sport programs working in partnership with various stakeholders (such as National Sport Federations and Disabled People’s Organisations) to increase the number of available sporting options. Research will also be conducted to gather empirical evidence to support the case for sport as a tool for social inclusion and well-being of people with a disability. FPC is working hard to promote positive community perceptions of people with a disability. Its ‘Integration’ Program has enabled schools like Suva and Sunshine Special Schools to host sports festivals where students tested their skills in soccer, netball and volleyball against children from mainstream schools for the first time. Another school, Hilton Special School organised trial games for its netball team against a number of Suva’s mainstream schools. As Mr. Nainoca points out, “the feedback has been terrific. When people see children with a disability playing sport, they know that they are capable of doing many different things.” Another initiative is the Sports Ambassador Program, providing positive role models in the form of current and former athletes with a disability who regularly visit schools (including mainstream schools) to demonstrate their talents, share stories of international competition and promote the benefits of sport. The Matua Sports Program is part of the Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP), which is managed by the Australian Sports Commission’s International Relations section. ASOP aims to build the capacity of individuals and organisations to provide quality, participation-based sport programs in communities in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Vanuatu. Source: R. Regent-Australian Sports Commission.

8. DFID White Paper DFID, the UK Department for International Development, released its aid White Paper Building our Common Future last week. Key announcements include a renewed commitment to 0.7 % of UK GNI, measures to reduce maternal mortality rates and a doubling of funding for African infrastructure. Date : July 26,2009 9. The Workability International Annual Conference 2009 The Workability International Annual Conference 2009 will be held in conjunction with NDS, Australia from 6th to 9th September 2009 at the Hilton Hotel, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

The overall theme for the conference is: SHINING THROUGH - Creating sustainable employment in a turbulent world. Employment provides people with income, a mechanism to contribute to society's economic well-being, and opportunities for social engagement. And it engenders feelings of satisfaction, achievement and contribution. But not everyone has had the same opportunity to participate. Despite growing recognition of the rights of people with disability, their employment opportunities are far too few. This does not have to be the case. Access to the right support services can deliver great outcomes. Sustainable employment for people with disability is, however, at serious risk from the global economic downturn. Workability International and National Disability Services have joined to host a 3-day conference to equip delegates with knowledge and strategies to help ensure that the employment of people with disability is not adversely affected by the economic challenges ahead. For detailed information and to book on line see the Conference Brochure attached: Conference brochure. The Workability International Annual General Meeting will be held on late afternoon on Tuesday 8th September 2009. www.workability-international.org/events.html Source: NDS

Members Requests and Funding Bulletins 10.The Disability Rights Fund The Disability Rights Fund (DRF) is collaboration between donors and the disability community to advance the new UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Disability Rights Fund (DRF)—a groundbreaking grant making collaborative supporting the human rights of people with disabilities— announced the second round of its 2009 grant making, “Raising Our Voice.” This round opens another year of possible funding to disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) in: Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru; Ghana, Namibia, Uganda; and Bangladesh and adds an additional region to the Fund’s reach – the Pacific. In the Pacific, 14 island countries are targeted: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.The broad objective of the Fund[1is to empower DPOs in the developing world and Eastern Europe/former Soviet Union to participate in ratification, implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD). In 2008, the Fund made one-year grants to 33 organizations in 7 countries (Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru; Ghana, Namibia, Uganda; Bangladesh), totaling USD 800,000. Grants

[1]

The Disability Rights Fund is a project of Tides.

ranged from USD 5000 - 50,000 and supported CRPD awareness-raising, strengthening coalitions and networks, and rights advocacy. In the second round of 2009 grant making, applicant organizations may apply within one of two categories: a) single organizations or partnerships and b) national DPO coalitions. Grants to single organizations will range from USD 5,000 to 30,000 and support efforts to build voice and visibility and to develop rights-based advocacy and monitoring on the CRPD. Grants to national DPO coalitions will range from USD 30,000 to 70,000 and will support advocacy toward ratification of the CRPD, passage of specific legislation to accord with the CRPD, or the production of shadow reports. Interested organizations are urged to review the full eligibility criteria and application details posted at the Fund’s website, http://www.disabilityrightsfund.org/grant.html. Any questions on the proposal process should be directed to [email protected] by August 15. The deadline for applications is September 15, 2009. Source: AusAID

11. Dunlop Asia Fellowships The Dunlop Asia Fellowships, one component of the Sir Edward Weary Dunlop Asia Awards program, provide opportunities for young Australians to make a lasting contribution to Australia-Asia relations. Fellowships provide grants of up to $15,000 for an individually devised program in an Asian country. Applications close 9 September 2009. Source: ACFID 12. Request for Research Contacts Brooke is currently completing her Master in Community and International Development and is embarking on her dissertation. Brooke is researching and exploring the experience that people with a disability and their families go through when they are applying to become refugees or asylum seekers. She is primarily interested in focusing on the Australian experience but may expand upon this concept. Just at the beginning of her journey, Brooke would appreciate if anyone would be able to assist her in terms of furthering her contacts in this area, or if there is anyone suitable that someone recommends she can contact. Brooke can be contacted on the email address [email protected]. Source: Brooke Andrews 13.Opportunity from AVI AVI have received a request from a Disabled People's Organisation in Cambodia for a volunteer with a disability, with skills in Management to work for them. *A chance to work with Disabled People's Organisation committed to full participation in Cambodia society!*

Cambodian Disabled People's Organisation (CDPO) is an organisation of people with disabilities whose mission is to develop the networks of people with disabilities to support, protect and promote their rights to bring about full participation and equality. CDPO seeks a Management Adviser to assist management staff to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework, mentor staff through implementing a strategic and operational plan, assist in sourcing funding and advise management on planning and implanting programs. To be considered for this role you will have: A qualification in management, social science or related field Management Experience within an NGO setting (disability sector is preferred) Experience in strategic planning and organisational development Experience in advocacy and policy development, monitoring and evaluation Cambodian Disabled People's Organisation is a Disabled People's Organisation and have requested a volunteer with a disability. Monthly travel from Kampong Speu to Phnom Penh is required. As an Australian Volunteers International (AVI) volunteer you will be provided with accommodation, a living allowance, flights, visas, insurance, pre-departure training and on-going support in your assignment. *Applications open 25th July - 12th August*. To apply please visit http://australianvolunteers.com/work from 25th July 2009. Please contact Erika Drury on [email protected] or telephone Toll Free: 1800 331 292. Please advise the recruitment consultant of any disability support required. Source: Erika Drury AVI. Recruitment Consultant. Ph: +61 3 9279 1729 New Resources: Children with Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus in Africa An extended review on “Children with Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus in Africa: can medical, family and community resources improve the life chances?” is now available full text, online. http://www.independentliving.org/docs7/miles200609.html http://www.independentliving.org/docs7/miles200609.pdf

Disability & Deafness in North East Africa An open, full text resource recently went online titled "Disability & Deafness in North East Africa: Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia. Introduction and bibliography, mainly non-medical, with historical material and some annotation." http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/bibliography/neafrica/index.html Beyond Basic Needs: Programming for Marginalised and Vulnerable GroupsThe Australian Partnership with African Communities (APAC) Program.

Free Download-

http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/3185.pdf

Source: Disability World.

The KENYA ASSOCIATION FOR THE INTELECTUALLY HANDICAPPED (KAIH), has put together a report on the post elections violence and the impact on the Persons with Intellectual disabilities and their families. The report provides graphic details of the horrors of the situation and it includes recommendations to be adopted in order to help prevent further such situations. Please take time to read this touching and useful document. click here to read the report Source: Inclusion International

Asia and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons 2003-2012 UNESCAP has organized a series of activities on the elaboration of a comprehensive and integral international convention on the protection and promotion of the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities as well as workshops and meetings on policy measures, information networking and promoting awareness. • Disability at a Glance: a Profile of 28 Countries and Areas in Asia and the Pacific (PDF 780 KB) •

The Survey of Access to information and communication for persons with disabilities

ADDC is an Australian based, international network focusing attention, expertise and action on disability issues in developing countries; building on a human rights platform for disability advocacy. To join ADDC, submit an article or information or to find out more, contact: ADDC Executive Christine Walton

Officer

T 1800 678 069 [email protected] www.addc.org.au