E-information tool on
(Disability-Inclusive) Millennium Development Goals
(Internet Research, Date: January 2012)
Content
1. Current State of inclusion of persons with disabilities in MDGs 3
2. UN Initiatives 3
2.1. International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2010 3
2.2. International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2009 3
2.3. Related UN resolutions (General Assembly) 5
a) A/RES/65/186 5
b) A/RES/64/131 6
c) A/RES/63/150 6
d) A/RES/62/127 7
e) A/RES/60/131 7
f) A/RES/58/132 8
2.4. Other related UN System resolutions 9
2.5. NGO Initiatives 10
a) Light for the World/Light for the World: European Union Project “End Exclusion – Let`s Enable the MDGs“ 10
b) European Conference “Make Development Inclusive – MDGs: Inclusion of people with disabilities“ [14/15 May 2007] 10
c) IDDC – International Disability and Development Consortium 11
d) “The Pacific RIM Declaration for Disability-Inclusive Millennium Development Goals” 12
3. Entry points for inclusion of persons with disabilities 13
3.1. Discourse on human rights & MDGs 13
3.2. Discourse on marginalized groups & MDGs 14
3.3. Discourse on instruments/carriers of MDGs and impact of MDGs 14
3.4. Discourse on poverty and MDGs 15
3.5. Discourse on education and MDGs 15
4. Recent and upcoming key events at global level 15
1. Current State of inclusion of persons with disabilities in MDGs
While it is agreed on that disability issues need to be incorporated in the realization of the MDGs for a successful reaching of the MDG targets, reality paints a different picture.
About 15% of the world’s population lives with a disability and many of these persons with disabilities are concentrated in developing countries. Nevertheless, the policies, programmes and monitoring of the MDGs rarely involve a perspective on persons with disabilities. Even the 2007 mid-way Millennium Development Goals Report does not mention disability or persons with disabilities. Although many commitments have been made by the international development community to include persons with disabilities in all aspects of development, the gap between policy and practice continues. Governments, global leaders, policy-makers and other stakeholders must continuously be supported in their efforts and be reminded to keep their promises on realizing disability-inclusive development.
This e-tool is aimed at giving an overview on the current state of inclusion, on resources, resolutions and entry points which can be used in advocating for human rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the MDGs.
2. UN Initiatives
2.1. International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2010
è “Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and beyond”
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1540
o 3 December 2010
o IDPD 2010 focused on tools for action: CBR and new Guidance Note on disability for UN Country Teams
o Address of Secretary General: http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/events/idpd2010_sg_message.doc
· Link to MDG summit in September 2010
· Recognition of difficulties persons with disabilities in developing countries face and reminder to include persons with disabilities in realization of MDGs
2.2. International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2009
è “Making the MDGs disability-inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world, December 2009.”
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1484
o 03 December 2009
o International Day of Persons with Disabilities aimed at promoting an understanding of disability issue and towards integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political social, economic and cultural life
o Address WHO: MDGs, especially those related to education and health, cannot be met unless disability concerns are addressed
o Addresses of Secretary General as well as Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs: empowerment of persons with disabilities and their greater inclusion in society are key to achieving MDGs and to strengthening global efforts for development for all
è Panel discussion (3 December 2009, New York, UN Headquarters)
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/events/idpd09_venus_ilagan.pdf
o Statements
· Strong link between disability and poverty therefore awareness raising among all stakeholders needed to address inclusion of persons with disabilities for a successful realization of the MDGs
· CBR and human-rights based approach as very important tools for the empowerment of persons with disabilities and to achieving the MDGs for all
· Furthermore inclusion of persons with disabilities in education plays key role in building a better future and developing human capital
· Gap between policies and practice – promoting equality as well as inclusion of persons with disabilities is important to close gap and to realize MDGs for all
o Recommendations
· Participation of persons with disabilities as agents and beneficiaries at all levels of development is necessary
· Indicators for success of disability-inclusive MDGs: (a) impact of measures for the MDGs on persons with disabilities and (b) extent of benefits for persons with disabilities from efforts towards the MDGs
· Data and information collection about situation of persons with disabilities important for reviewing process
è Expert Group Meeting: Mainstreaming Disability in MDG Policies, Processes and Mechanisms: Development for all. [Geneva, 14-16 April 2009]
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/reports/egm/mdgs_09_summary.doc
o Relevant reports/tools/guidelines for mainstreaming disability: the “Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the organization”, “Millennium Development Goals reports”, “Indicators for Monitoring the Millennium Development Goals—Definitions, Rationale, Concepts and sources” and the “Country Reporting on the Millennium Development Goals”.
o All MDGs are relevant and affect life of persons with disabilities
o Focusing on inclusion of disability in current indicators is a more effective short-term approach than introducing new indicators to measure effectiveness of MDGs
2.3. Related UN resolutions (General Assembly)
a) A/RES/65/186
è Realizing the Millennium Development Goals for persons with disabilities towards 2015 and beyond. [21.12.2010]
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/gadocs/a_res_65_186.doc
o Statements
· Discrimination of persons with disabilities still an issue
· Invisibility of persons with disabilities in official statistics as well as in implementation, monitoring and evaluation as obstacle to reaching inclusive MDGs
· Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as important development tool and human rights treaty
o Recommendations
· UN systems need to become more effective in integrating rights of person with disabilities in their work
· Inter-Agency Support Group on CRPD has to ensure that MDG policies, processes and mechanisms are inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities
· Assessment of benefits of MDGs needs to include extent to which persons with disabilities profit from efforts to achieve MDGs
· Support of international cooperation on development programs and global partnerships
· Governments with a stronger responsibility to collect and compile data and information about the situation of persons with disabilities in order to facilitate and accelerate the exchange of information, guidelines, standards, best practices, legislative measures and government policies
b) A/RES/64/131
è Realizing the Millennium Development Goals for persons with disabilities. [18.12.2009]
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/gadocs/a_res_64_131.doc
· Predecessor resolution to A/RES/65/186
· Very similar to A/RES/65/186 - on some points less explicit
· Does not yet include long-term perspective “towards 2015 and beyond”
c) A/RES/63/150
è Realizing the Millennium Development Goals for persons with disabilities through the implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and the Convention on the rights of people with disabilities. [18.12.2008]
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1463
o Statements
· World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities as instruments in support of efforts for persons with disabilities need update in the light of adoption of the CRPD
· Importance of international cooperation and of mobilizing resources at all levels (national, regional, international) for successful implementation of World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and CRPD especially in developing countries
· Stressing issue of inclusion of rights, well-being and perspective of persons with disabilities in efforts to realize MDGs
o Recommendations
· Gap between policy and practice regarding mainstreaming perspective of persons with disabilities as a concern for all relevant systems in the UN
· Cooperation of state, NGOs, intergovernmental organizations, regional and international financial institutions to ensure inclusion, equalization and accessibility for persons with disabilities
· National review of states concerning impact of development efforts on persons with disabilities
· Importance of inclusion of persons with disabilities in situations of risk (situations of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies, occurrence of natural disasters)
· Evolution of thought and discourse surrounding disability issues thus need aligning of definitions and models
d) A/RES/62/127
è Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons: realizing the Millennium Development Goals for persons with disabilities. [18.12.2007]
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=695
o Predecessor resolution to A/RES/63/150
o Statements
· Need for improvement of complementarity and synergy of the 3 main UN mechanisms (CRPD, World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities)
· Principles and policy guidelines contained in the 3 main mechanisms are important in influencing promotion, formulation and evaluation of policies, actions and strategies
o Recommendations
· Ratification of CRPD for states that have not yet done so
· Inclusion of persons with disabilities in formulation of strategies and plans, especially in ones concerning them
· Perspective of persons with disabilities need to be incorporated into development cooperation and development finance activities
· Call for including perspective of persons with disabilities into UN system-wide coherence discussions without prejudice
e) A/RES/60/131
è Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons: realizing the Millennium Development Goals for persons with disabilities. [16.12.2005]
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=64
o Draft resolution to A/RES/62/127 and A/RES/63/150
o Statements
· Technology, specifically information and communication technologies provide new possibilities for improving accessibility, participation, employment, equality for persons with disability
· Technology cooperation/transfer among countries as well as technical and economic cooperation in development and dissemination of appropriate disability-related technologies and know-how needs to be enhanced
· Disability perspective needs to be better incorporated in development and technical cooperation activities
· Enhancement of awareness of and sensitivity to disability issues needed to improve quality of life as well as full enjoyment of all human rights for persons with disabilities
· Armed conflicts have especial grave consequences for the human rights of persons with disabilities
o Recommendations
· Encouragement of cooperation between governments and NGOs as well as DPOs and other groups that contribute to fulfillment of World Programme of Action.
· Importance of cooperation between national governments and Statistics Division of the Secretariat of the UN to improve data and statistics on persons with disabilities for a cross-country comparison as well as policy design, planning and evaluation of disability
· Calls for participation in Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention of the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities
· UN Voluntary Fund on Disability for supporting innovative activities to fully implement the World Programme of Action and the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities as well as supporting activities that create national capacities
f) A/RES/58/132
è Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons: towards a society for all in the twenty-first century. [22.12.2003][1]
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=67
o Statements
· First mention of connection between disability perspective and MDGs
· Mentioning the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention of the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities as prelude to drafting a convention for persons with disabilities
· Acknowledges NGOs as important actors in promoting and protecting the full enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities as well as the role in elaborating an international convention for the rights of disabled persons
· National and international development strategies need to address the impact of poverty on the conditions of persons with disabilities
o Recommendations
· National governments need to address situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects which are taken to implement human rights treaties
· Persons with disabilities can be subject to multiple or aggravating forms of discriminations and need special protection by law
2.4. Other related UN System resolutions
è Economic and Social Council Resolution: E/CN.5/2010/L.3/Rev.1 Mainstreaming disability in development agenda. [12.02.2010]
o http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/resolutions/csocd48_resolution.doc
o Recommendations
· Information on and experience in implementing disability mainstreaming in the development agenda is limited, new and ongoing
o Statements
· Promotion of participation, consultation, inclusion as well as integration of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in mainstreaming disability in the development agenda
· Promotion of accessibility in all aspects of development (physical, social, economic, cultural environment, health and education information and communication)
· Provision of accessible information and communications technologies
· Conducting disability education, awareness-raising campaigns and training for all involved in the development agenda
· Sharing of best practices in mainstreaming disability
· Inclusion of perspective of persons with disabilities as well as accessibility requirements into development cooperation and development finance activities
· Enhancement of accountability in work of mainstreaming disability to assess impact of measures on persons with disabilities
2.5. NGO Initiatives
a) Light for the World/Light for the World: European Union Project “End Exclusion – Let`s Enable the MDGs“
è http://www.light-for-the-world.org/nl_ges.html
o In April 2011, LfdW/LftW started the EU-co financed project “End exclusion – Let’s enable the MDGs”, which has duration of 3 years.
o The project promotes the inclusion of persons with disabilities at all levels of development cooperation, now as well as in all post-MDGs instruments, by raising awareness and giving people the opportunity to stand up for inclusive development
b) European Conference “Make Development Inclusive – MDGs: Inclusion of people with disabilities“ [14/15 May 2007]
è http://www.make-development-inclusive.org/docsen/recommendations-mdg.pdf