GPDD Discussion Group

GPDD Discussion Group

December 2, 2004

Attendance

Chair: Kalle Konkolla (ABILIS)

Aquiline, Carol-Lee (WFD)

Beria, Vittoria (UN-DESA)

Betts, Jane (World Vision)

Chalken, Shuiab (African Decade)

Chanteloup, Genevieve (CIDA)

De Keersmaeker, Francois (HI)

Divino, Mila (World Bank)

Falkernberg, Eva (SIDA)

Feinberg, Lloyd (USAID)

Heumann, Judith (World Bank)

Hoopengardner, Thomas (World Bank)

Ilagan, Venus (DPI)

Katsui, Hisayo (Helsinki University)

Khanna, Sundeep (Minister - India)

Krech, Rudieger (GTZ)

Minkowitz, Tina (WNUSP)

Morgan, Michelle (RI)

Mwanda, Hon. James M. (Uganda Parliament)

Odegaard, Lars (Atlas Alliance)

Pruisken, Andreas (CBM)

Ransom, Bob (ILO)

Richler, Diane (Inclusion International)

Segero, Rosmary A. (IDO Foundation)

Snider, Harold ( WBU)

Stubbs, Sue (IDDC)

Tapsoba, Francoise (Minister - Burkina Faso)

Voipio, Timo (MFA – Finland)

Wiman, Ronald (STAKES)

Yibertal, Kassahun (Ethiopian Federation of persons with disabilities)

Yuster, Alexandra (UNICEF)

Topic / Items Discussed

Purpose of Meeting

/ ·  What is basic idea of Global Partnership?
·  The morning’s discussion will try to converge on priorities for coming years and hopefully partners will come forward with a broad agenda.
·  We need to think globally but think locally.
·  Create awareness among govt. agencies since they have to take lead and sponsor NGOs at local level (most important aspect); regular interaction needed; exchange of success stories among each other
·  Have small steering committee
·  Consider how to develop a strategy (timetable, responsibility, what kind of structure would be helpful, role of World Bank (to coordinate? To fund?)
Role of World Bank (Judy H.) / ·  To mainstream disability into Bank work
·  To act as part of facilitating group
·  To ensure that Multidonor Trust Funds are spent appropriately
How much can Alliance serve as adviser to the Bank / ·  PRSP Learning Groups: is disability in their agenda; is there a way for disability to get into the process
Judy: Yes, disability is included in the PRSP process
·  Disability should be included in the Bank’s results-based management. Alliance should be involved in the working level
Judy: A small project has been commissioned to include Disability in the evaluation process
·  Getting hard to find donors who support activities that go beyond their countries. Is there a way to use the Trust Fund to support the sharing of knowledge at the regional and subregional levels
Judy: World Bank wants to be involved with issues the Alliance is working on.

Suggested core principles of Alliance

/ ·  Diversity and plurality important in formation of Alliance
·  Use of disabled as consultants in project implementation. Disabled should be given preference
·  Autonomy and self determination should be included in coming up with a policy

Information Gathering

/ ·  How to access info on what World Bank is doing and how it relates to global partnership
Study done by several members in the Disability Group / ·  This study should be used to evaluate policy issues
Global Partnership (World Bank View - Judy) / ·  The Global Partnership is not intended to only benefit the Bank but to benefit all
·  The bigger issue is to create an agenda so information can be shared
·  How can the group serve as an informal adviser to the World Bank to benefit development communities and civil society
Alliance as a clearinghouse / ·  Alliance could act as clearinghouse on disability issues so everyone knows what others are working on, and how disability issue can be more mainstreamed into the development network
·  Disability organization should h ave a say and access to all info
Involvement and greater collaboration of People with Disabilities / ·  There should be a more meaningful involvement of people with disabilities on a continuing level. Disabled people want to be partners and exchange info. What is discussed at the global level should trickle down to the local level

Funding

/ ·  To what extend would this initiative be an opportunity for funding?
·  It would be good to work together with the World Bank to pool funding which could be used for big projects
·  Funding should not be taken away from work done on the regional level.
·  Resources should be looked at not only as funding disability projects but as an opportunity to do things together that they can’t be able to do otherwise.

Challenges

/ ·  Who considers the purpose?
·  More work needs to be done on stakeholder analysis and needs assessment.
·  Ownership has to be created.
·  Attention should be paid that 2/3 of the meeting’s attendees are from the South.
·  There should be a group that can facilitate identifying gaps and needs.
·  Support for existing initiatives needed.
·  List existing networks particularly those in the South.
·  How can group be supported; where can they have added value? How can they link to each other?

Continuity of Alliance Work

/ ·  Role of Bank
·  Lack of Resources (how can partners in the South participate in the Alliance)
·  How to come together and put limited resources for a sustainable partnership
·  How to establish cooperation with other networks

Capacity building

/ ·  Capacity building needed to participate in PRSPs since most in Africa are not familiar with making PRSPs.
·  Collaboration needed in capacity building.

ILO support

/ ·  ILO supports the creation of the GPDD. It views partnership as an opportunity to bring together the main players in economic development. Necessary to think strategically on how to help sister agencies to mainstream disability (not just the World Bank)

World Vision

/ ·  Confirms that they want to be part of the strong alliance

Govt of Finland

/ ·  Will be available to support the World Bank but note that members have few resources.
·  Establishing an Alliance is difficult; hard to get participants from the South.
·  One way to increase democratic participation is to provide funding through a Trust Fund of which Bank has a Secretariat function.
Judy: World Bank has complete commitment. Primary beneficiaries are countries in South. Innovative technology can bring people together. Lots of opportunities available.

Burkina Fasu

/ ·  Initiative already exist but means are lacking.
·  Consultations at the regional and international level are needed to find out what others are doing.
·  Laws are there to include handicapped access when constructing new buildings but these buildings have not been built. Same with buses with handicapped access

Italy

/ ·  Reaffirming contribution of US$500,000.
·  Providing Alliance an office at the World Bank Office in Rome
World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) / ·  Not ready to make comments on document.
·  World Federation of the Deaf endorses concept.
·  Agrees with UNICEF and ILO that rather than just focusing on the economic point, focus on the broader role.
·  Would like to see clarification of World Bank’s role. World Bank is not leading this but concept paper says so.

Trust Fund

·  Donors Meeting the previous day supported including involvement of DPOs but the donors right now want to know where all the money is going. We should all be working together on this.
·  WFD is starting to question the trust fund. It sees Alliance as a key factor. Should not concentrate so much on Trust Fund.
·  Important in Alliance is communication in developing policies together. Focus should be on mechanism rather than Trust Fund.

United Nations

/ ·  Will support the Initiative.
·  Concept paper does not put too much emphasis on human rights which UN views as important in development.
·  Working at regional and subregional level is important.
·  The term “economic development” should be replaced by “economic and social development”
·  Human rights is not included either in the Declaration.
·  Regional Commission not included.

Finland

/ ·  Supports that Alliance is primary. Come up with a list of activities and consider ways of financing. Meet twice a year?
·  Informs that a trust fund exists with Norwegian partners.
·  There should be a written commitment to join and support the Alliance

Germany

/ ·  Alliance should be the major activity for which Trust Fund should be created.
Concept Paper / ·  Alliance will grow through trust.
·  Germans would be happy to set up a process to build up this commitment. They are ready to sign in a year’s time paper listing issues they want to contribute.
·  Role should be seen in a mutually supporting way.
·  There should be willingness to listen to the group.
Judy: Alliance is a way where voices can be heard.

USAID

/ ·  Supports concept. Function of Alliance should be a clearinghouse and information sharing.
·  USAID has taken the following steps:
Ø  Appointed a Disability Coordinator
Ø  They have complied with construction standards for disabled. All of their building contracts address the needs of the disabled. This is also included in the evaluation of activities.
·  Steps should be taken to increase the number of disabled staff and to design a course to increase understanding issues and needs of people with disabilities.
·  Concept Paper language should be changed to provide for equal participation for representatives from developing countries.
·  Increase participation from Africa (i.e., African Development Bank)
·  Might be worthwhile to consider getting international NGOs in Africa like OXFAM, Amnesty International
·  How do we organize ourselves?
·  Structure of Alliance:
Ø  A group should be formed to facilitate communication in the process group.
Ø  There should be a group of people who decides where the money should be used. This could be composed of representatives from the stakeholder groups.

Peru

/ ·  Concept paper should include not only economic and social issues but also health, social protection, prejudice and stigma.
·  Trust Fund. Debt exchange for development programs? This could be a way to get money.

Comments from the Chair

/ ·  Change Steering Committee name to Coordinating Body
·  Create different independent working group on special issues (5-10 people)
·  Find an organization that supports the working group (or Secretariat). Should not come from the Trust Fund.
·  Partners Caucus. All organizations involved should hold a Forum. Coordinating body should support the discussion (internet could be used)
·  Keep Trust Fund out
·  How big? Partners Caucus should be unlimited.
·  Key issue. How big is coordinating body? To be effective, it has to be small. For variety of partners, it cannot be too small – 16? This guarantees involvement of disabled. (8 IDA members multiplied by 2)
Ø  Comments from Table:
q  16 people not effective. This should be a partnership of equals. Does not see logic with 8 IDA members. Look for committed people.
q  16 people too many for coordinating body. 5-7 is better. Issue of representation has to be discussed. Networks have to come up with international representative to IDA.
q  5-7 people too small. Not all IDA might be able to participate
q  Best interests of group should be identified. How about a group of donor, a group of UN agencies, a group of DPOs, a group of international NGOs.
q  Chair agrees 16 is too big. A group of 5?
q  Concern that DPOs might be underrepresented. A group of 12?
q  Think of a two-year interim period and do a self evaluation
q  It should be a large group of 20 people.
q  How about a Transition Group? Agenda could be created; working groups should be proposed and member contacted; initiate proposals; how to raise interest in stakeholders.
q  Task Force?
q  Choose good people irregardless of where they come from.
Norway / ·  Supportive of the initiative.
·  There should be a core task force of 5-7 acting as advisory committee to the partnership.
·  One-year rotating basis to be effective?
·  Transparency important.

Ethiopia

/ ·  Reduce the size.
·  Extend structure to regions and countries.

Germany

/ ·  Smaller group should be open to all organizations. Steering Committee would guide partnership
·  6 is too few. Diversity input very important. 12 people? (4 DPOs, 4 governments, 4 agencies, international organizations like UN agencies, World Bank)

WFD

/ ·  Task Force needs specific task and orientation.
·  Trust needed.
·  Prefers smaller group
Judy. No matter what the number, the purpose of the organization is to improve the quality of life of the disabled. All relevant entities need to be involved. Purpose of this group is not to substitute the IDA. A manageable number is needed. One voice needed in order be heard.
Group should work on transparency.

Tina

/ ·  Make sure that IDA organization can consult with other IDA organizations
·  Why include a DPO from a northern country?
·  Need for Steering Committee consultations

UNICEF

/ ·  Endorse including a Southern government
·  Job of coordinating group:
Ø  Finalizing documentation
Ø  Proposing specific objectives
Ø  Proposing consistency of working group
Ø  Planning a Partners Caucus
Ø  Nominate Bob __ of ILO to represent UN
Choosing Representatives to the Task Force / ·  Not possible that donor countries decide who to represent NGOs or vice versa.
·  More time should be given so each group decides who will be their representative
·  Judith’s team to give indication in 10 days of who composes the Steering Committee.
·  Ask people around table as to who wants to be in working group
·  What is maximum number of slots for DPOs.
Decision on who will be in Task Force / The Chair
Germany (Francoise and Andreas)
Harold Schneider
India (Mr. Khanna)
Diane
Carol Lee
Jane
James
Bob
Judy
IDDC – interested but cannot commit because of capacity issue
IDA (to wait till Jan). Will appoint someone in the interim so discussion can be started.

Work on Concept Paper

/ ·  Specific wording of Concept Paper to be worked on.
Appreciation for Bank’s Role in Disability Conference / · 
·  Everyone was impressed with the Bank’s strong commitment in field of disability
· 

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L:\Lene\NOvConf\GPDD\GPDD Discussion Group meeting Dec. 2 - Notes.doc

December 16, 2004 4:31 PM