Transcript Document

OAS Decade of the Americas for
Persons with Disabilities
Building Inclusive Societies
By Michael Bach
Canadian Association for Community Living &
Inclusion Interamericana
December 12, 2006
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
Proposed Vision for the Decade
Dynamics of Inclusive Societies
Proposed Objective on Society
Proposed Strategies
Proposed Mechanism
Vision
• By 2016, the member states shall have made
substantial progress in achieving the spirit and the
Articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, throughout their societies…
And drawing on Peru Proposal…
This will require building an inclusive society based on
solidarity, equal rights and democratic participation, in which
persons with disabilities are valued for their potential
contributions to the community. Furthermore, in view of their
exclusion and vulnerability, which render them the poorest of
the poor, they shall be given priority in national and regional
development and anti-poverty programs.
Dynamics of Inclusive Societies
State
- Democratic politics
- Good governance
- Human rights
- Inclusive Education
- Basic income, health
and social benefits
& services
Civil Society
- Associations
- Alliances
- Local-to-global
networks
- Public sphere
(public dialogue,
independent media)
Markets
Equal Access
Assured (building codes,
employment equity, etc.)
Accommodations
Funded
Incentives in place
for SMEs, micro-credit
- Labour
- Housing
- ICTs
- Transportation
- Financial
- Public spaces
Guarantees for
- Freedom of
Association and Press
- Investing in Capacity
Building (awareness,
partnerships, research
knowledge networking)
- Inclusive public
policy dialogue
- Democratic &
participatory public
realm
Partnerships
with government, employers,
financial institutions, Rotary clubs
to support SMEs, self-employment
Social capital drives innovative
solutions in labour and other markets
Third Sector Options (nonprofit housing, community eco. dev.)
Proposed Objective on Society
• Based on the UN Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities and the OAS
Convention,
To develop inclusive societies by
strengthening capacity of member states,
civil society and OAS institutions to
eradicate barriers and provide needed access
and supports.
Specific Objectives on Society
• Strengthen capacity of member
states to develop and implement national plans to
implement the UN Convention and to combat poverty.
• Strengthen capacity of civil society
organizations of people with disabilities and
their families to promote and implement the UN
Convention and combat poverty as a means to
inclusive democratic development.
• Strengthen capacity of OAS
institutions to advance implementation of the
UN Convention in the region, to combat poverty and
to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in
democratic development.
Strategies – Objective 1:
Member States
• Peru proposal provides a framework
• Should be made consistent with UN
Convention
• Should not require specific measures but
rather a planning tool
Strategies – Objective 2:
Civil Society
• Member states should invest in civil society
capacity of people with disabilities and their
families for:
– Promoting awareness about UN Convention
– Building partnerships with governments,
educators, health and social sectors, employers,
etc. to advance national plans, UN Convention
and combat poverty
– Research and information
– Engaging in public policy dialogue with member
states
Strategies – Objective 3:
OAS Institutions
• Create and implement an OAS strategic plan to:
– Engage civil society organizations of people with
disabilities and their families
– Create an OAS approach to inclusive development –
to guide OAS institutions and related processes – e.g.
in PAHO, Summits of the Americas, etc.
– Support international cooperation across the region
– Establish financial instruments for inclusive
development
– Mobilize knowledge strategy on disability and
inclusion
The Mechanism
• A Secretariat authorized by OAS to carry out
strategies
• An Advisory Board – with OAS and Civil
Society representatives
• Hosted by a member state
• Direction to all OAS bodies to collaborate with
Secretariat