[Daniel Mont]

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?

[Daniel Mont]

I think it needs to be made clear that engagement with OPDs has to occur at every stage of the process of developing, implementing, and evaluating policies and programs.  Too often, OPDs are brought in near the end of the process of developing programs — sometimes as a “check-the-box” thing — or sometimes honestly to get feedback, but at a point in the process where it can be difficult to change course, or incorporate the priorities of the OPD.

[Author]

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