[Azra Bakovic]

Up

0

::

[Daniel Mont]

Up

1

::

From Rosangela:

 

Based on the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) must be in the center of decisions and processes (from design through implementation and evaluation) of everything planned/built/offered to persons with disabilities, both targeted and inclusive interventions, in development and humanitarian contexts. Failing to accomplish this principle would mean failing.to the implementation of their rights and of achieving the dream of a world-class disability-inclusive society. Having past more than 16 years since the adoption of the UNCRPD, it is time to accelerate investment in OPD’s and persons with disabilities’ capacity and participation.

– Are DPOs ready to respond to the increasing demand for their informed advice? If yes, please provide examples of good practices. If not, what would be needed to progressively increase their capacity and the quality of their contribution? What should be the roll of the different stakeholders (IDA and other global, regional and national OPDs and other partnering CSOs, government, donors, UN System, Private Sector, media, social media, among others)?

– In the case of children and young adolescents with disabilities, there are both rights and ethic-related challenges, among others – in promoting their participation and capturing their voices. How can we ensure that, besides the involvement of their family members’ organizations and their direct (still very reduced) participation through consent consultations, ” adults” OPD’s also assume their responsibility to defend the rights of children with disabilities. Should training be available for adults with disabilities to engage in advocacy together with children and adolescents with disabilities?

[Talal]

Up

0

::

I would say yes and no.

1. It’s the post UNCRPD world where bigger development actors have stepped forward to own, implement and facilitate the disability inclusion agenda – so it’s a yes on advocacy, visibility and bringing this change of institutional thinking. The change process took its due-time but the world is at a point where this topic is receiving the attention it deserves. the advise by OPDs have credit for it.
2. On community level it’s a sad “no” with the progress being made on different fronts owing to: A:Varying capacities of OPDs. B: Varying expectations from OPDs from different groups of stakeholders. C: Scattered approach by all the stakeholders, at times leading to duplication of resources in this highly resource-constraint world.

 

What is needed:

1. 1. Unified implementation to be agreed towards implementation of SDGs by OPDs, with STRONG representation of children with disabilities and youth-led OPDs.
2. Expectations management by various stakeholders keeping in view communities and contextual realities.
3. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of mutual coordination from national to global level.
4. Globally consolidated capacity development drive for OPDs, keeping track of levels of capacities across communities we serve.

[Elizabeth Ombati]

Up

0

::

I would respond my answer based on the fact that I have benefitted from the capacity building trainings especially the Bridge CRPD SDGs training done by IDA, and also the intent to include underrepresented groups of persons with disabilities in these trainings. I see that this has been one way to support the disability movement/OPDs to respond to the increasing demand for their informed advice. I would for example pick the Inclusion Works program (the FCDO funded program on inclusive employment/livelihoods), and this work has been documented, of how an OPD engagement mechanism was very instrumental in supporting the meaningful engagement of OPDs within international development programming, as well as within the broader framework of CRPD inclusive programming; because increasingly we stop seeing OPDs as being only mobilisers, but we see them as offering technical expertise in the implementation of projects; OPDs then work hand in hand with international development partners not just as recipients, but as partners working together to deliver on interventions, etc, but again, it is impossible to carry on these roles if there is no investment in their expertise; the quality of contribution for example, framing the expertise on the CRPD what the Bridge trainings really try to do, to ground the advocacy of OPDs within the human rights based frameworks, in-depth understanding of the CRPD, much more than that, linking OPDs with development partners, linking OPDs with relevant opportunities to increase their knowledge on sometimes technical thematic areas where they are needed to also offer advice etc.

I also think that now there is more awareness around working intersectionally with more intention to work with groups that tend to be more marginalized, including youth with disabilities which is a good space to keep working, as well as working cross-movement.

[bagival]

Up

0

::

Thanks for posing this important question and interesting to read the responses so far. The situation varies from region to region . I would like to comment on the Asia-Pacific region which is home to more than 700 million persons with disabilities. The region has been implementing 5th decade  of persons with disabilities , starting from the very first decade which is the UN decade of disabled people 1983-1992  and to the present decade 2023-2032. It is a matter of concern that only 29 countries responded to a voluntary survey at the end of the 4th decade ( 2013-2022 )  to assess the progress on disability inclusive development in the region and only 22 countries reported on how persons with disabilities and their representative organizations  were involved in the development of national policies , plans and strategies.

None of the 29 countries that have responded to the survey have indicated that engagement with OPDs is a priority to achieve disability -inclusive development. The evidence available on records clearly indicate that governments are yet to effectively engage OPDs not just in the case of implementation of the CRPD but in all matters related to their  development.

I have time and again expressed my views about the  critical role of the UN entities and UNCTs at the national level in making development inclusive for persons with disabilities in developing countries . UN should impress upon the government line ministries to consult OPDs, and to ensure OPDs are at the center of all decisions that impact them. To achieve  this , there should be an organizational culture within the UN system to engage with OPDs and to hear their voices.  There is a good practice in Lao PDR where the UN Resident Coordinator’s office  has started to engage with OPDs and has invited one of the organizations to train 28 staff  members from the UN Country Team. World Food Programme has engaged one of the OPDs to conduct accessibility audits of their offices and in developing a Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2023-25 . But these are not very common practices in all countries across the region . The  2020 UN Sec-Gen’s report on the implementation of the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS ) states that 80% of the UN entities are yet to engage with OPDs.  In my opinion, there is scarcity of  demand to seek OPDs advice and we need to continue to create that kind of an environment where govts , UN, Donors and CSOs have an organizational culture to engage with OPDs.

With regards to incorporation of the voices of children and youth , we have some examples of children engaging in  governance but there is little evidence of children with disabilities involved in  such governance. processes. Once again there is a good practice from Lao PDR World Food Programme inviting children with disabilities and their parents to participate in the development of their disability inclusion action plan.  We need to see more of such good practices and the 5 key  disability  stakeholders ( Govt, UN, Donors , INGOs & NGOs and OPDs) have to jointly advocate for engaging children and youth with disabilities.

[Author]

Posts