By IDA

 - September 19, 2017

About the Belt and Road Framework
The Belt and Road Framework was called for by the President of China in April 2017. In May 2017, China hosted the Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation. This prior Forum was held in Beijing from 14 - 15 May 2017, and 29 heads of state and government issued a Joint Communique calling upon endeavours to expand people-to-people exchanges, to be more responsive to all the needs of those in vulnerable situations such as, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly and ensure equal access by all to development opportunities. The initiative aims to provide such exchanges in the countries along the traditional Silk Route, which spans over 65 countries (see below list of countries). The five major goals of the Belt and Road Initiative are: policy co-ordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds.

The Belt and Road Countries (read more here)

  • East Asia: China, Mongolia
  • Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam
  • Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
  • Middle East and North Africa: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
  • South Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
  • Europe: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine.

The Belt and Road Disability Cooperation High-Level Event
An IDA delegation consisting of Klaus Lachwitz (IDA Board Member representing Inclusion International) and Vladimir Cuk (IDA Executive Director) attended the Belt and Road Disability Cooperation High-Level Event, which was held in Beijing, 13 – 15 September 2017. The High-Level meeting was organized by China Disabled People’s Federation (CDPF), who are the national organization working on disability rights in China. The event was organized along with the World Health Organisation, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and Rehabilitation International. During the Opening Ceremony on 14 September, Chairperson of the CDPF Mdm. Zhang Haidi recognized the participation of persons with disabilities and their respective organisations, and of IDA at the conference. During her opening remarks, Mdm. Zhang noted that CDPF bring together 85 million persons with disabilities through self-advocate based membership style.

Mdm. Zhang noted how CDPF has worked to:

  • improve the living conditions of persons with disabilities in China, particularly in the country-side;
  • lift 45 million persons with disabilities out of poverty
  • provide living allowances for persons with disabilities
  • provide employment opportunities to 15 million persons with disabilities
  • improve the data on persons with disabilities in order to ensure adequate services. For example, China has a real-name big-data system recording conditions of all citizens who are officially registered with a disability. 

Mdm. Zhang noted that CDPF is committed to working closely with the countries of the Belt and Road Framework, to ensure appropriate assistance to persons with disabilities. The three areas of priority for CDPF are:

  1. To deepen policies of countries along the Belt and Road, to improve technologies and infrastructure, so persons with disabilities can have access to services. CDPF is committed to strengthening partnerships with organisations in order to reach this goal.
  2. To expedite the trade of assistive devices along the Belt and Road countries
  3. To promote vocational training of persons with disabilities.

The conference room during the opening session of the Belt and Road disability cooperation High-level event
Conference room during the opening session of the Belt and Road disability cooperation High-level event

The Beijing Initiative
Mr. Lu Yong, President of CDPF, noted how the Belt and Road Framework provides opportunities for internal disability cooperation, and a path of development featuring mutual understanding. CDPF is committed to taking a pragmatic approach to inclusion of persons with disabilities in towards international cooperation, along the Belt and Road countries. The Beijing initiative of how China is committed to enhancing international cooperation was presented. It consists of eight pledges:

  1. Increasing exchanges and research related to basic services for persons with disabilities
  2. Mutual learning of each others’ service policies
  3. Establishing a collaboration network of rehabilitation services
  4. Building platforms for promoting the assistive devices industry
  5. Organizing vocational skills presentations for persons with disabilities
  6. Enhancing rehabilitation and para sports exchanges
  7. Promoting cultural and artistic exchanges among persons with disabilities.
  8. Implementing livelihood projects for persons with disabilities.

During the Main Forum subsequent to the Opening Ceremony, IDA Executive Director Mr. Vladimir Cuk welcomed the Beijing Initiative for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the Belt and Road countries. In particular, IDA would be interested in working with the Belt and Road Framework and CDPF to exchange research, share experiences, and learn of examples of global practices and policies. Mr. Cuk noted how, with the adoption of the CRPD by 90% of UN Member States and with the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the 2030 Agenda, the disability community has moved from the top of the bottom to the bottom of the top of society. This represents a new phase of the disability rights movement internationally. Now, there is need to increase capacities of organizations of persons with disabilities, of governments and the other stakeholders. The disability community needs to build more partnerships, as well as secure financial commitments to meet the previously established commitments made by the SDGs and the CRPD.  Mr. Cuk noted how the disability movement is looking for a concrete response to the increased demand of providing technical capacities in the Asia region. IDA is committed to working with partners in the region to achieve the true concretisation of this demand.

Vladimir Cuk (IDA Executive Director) speaking at the Main Forum

Vladimir Cuk (IDA Executive Director) speaking at the Main Forum

BILATERAL MEETINGS
During the mission, the IDA delegation also had a number of meetings with DPOs in China, and also CDPF. 

Meeting with China Disabled People’s Federation (CDPF)
The CDPF delegation consisted of Mr. Jia Yong (Vice-President of CDPF), Mr. You Liang (CRPD Committee Member from China) and Mr. Kong Lei (Project Manager, International Cooperation Division). Mr. Jia Yong noted that Chinese Government has launched a number of papers on rehabilitation, education and employment for persons with disabilities. In addition, some basic laws and regulations have put in place in order to guarantee the basic needs of persons with disabilities. The inclusion of persons with disabilities have become a part of China’s 5-year plan. Mr. Yong noted that China is committed to leaving no one behind, as per the 2030 Agenda. CDPF is keen to build partnerships with both Governments and NGOs and is willing to learn from the experiences of IDA and its partners. 

CDPF represents five associations of persons with disabilities: persons with intellectual disabilities, deaf persons, blind persons, persons with physical disabilities, and persons with psychosocial disabilities. A number of grassroots organisations and DPOs in China who represent the five associations have joined and are working with international organisations through Membership-base. This illustrates a positive step in CDPF’s interaction with international organisations. In addition, at national level, CDPF has already established connections with and is working through a number of the IDA Members. For instance, a number of local organisations in China are already members of Inclusion International, the World Blind Union and the World Federation of the Deaf. 

Mr. Cuk noted IDA’s commitment to working with CDPF to strengthen leadership and partnerships in China and the Belt and Road countries, in order to ensure the human rights of persons with disabilities. The Belt and Road High-level Disability cooperation event provides an opportunity for this, as the international community recognizes the Belt and Road initiative as an important framework for reaching the world’s largest populations of persons with disabilities. CDPF is interested in strengthening its training and capacity building, and will work with IDA to reach agreement on the delivery of capacity building training in the region.

IDA delegation meeting with CDPF

IDA delegation meeting with CDPF. From left: Mr. You Liang (CRPD Committee Member), Nagase Osamu (Inclusion International), Klaus Lachwitz (IDA Secretary General), Vladimir Cuk (IDA Executive Director), Jia Yong (Vice-President of CDPF), Talin Avades (IDA Assistant to Executive Director) and Kong Lei (Project Manager, CDPF).

Meeting with Inclusion China & Rong Ai Rong Le Family Support Centre for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Inclusion China and Rong Ai Rong Le, both national Members of IDA Member Inclusion International, have grown significantly. Inclusion China started in 2014 with 17 members, and now has over 72 Members. Out of the five associations represented by CDPF (persons with intellectual disabilities; deaf persons, blind persons, persons with physical disabilities; and persons with psychosocial disabilities), the associations representing persons with intellectual disabilities are the weakest. Inclusion China promote advocacy on inclusive education, and have established links with Congress Members who sit on the China National Assembly. Through such links, Inclusion China can provide meaningful recommendations on inclusive education. There are over 12,000 specialized schools for students with disabilities in China.

Rong Ai Rong Le advocates for employment of persons with disabilities, noting that the employment prospects of students with disabilities is weak as students are not offered vocational and skills training in schools. Rong Ai Rong Le works with self-advocates to promote equal access to employment. The Inclusion International Congress that is being held in 2018 in Birmingham will provide a good opportunity to have participation of delegates from Inclusion China and Rong Ai Rong Le, who can raise the issue of employment prospects for students with disabilities, and also of inclusive education practices. 

IDA delegation meeting with Inclusion China & Rong Ai Rong Le Family Support.

IDA delegation meeting with Inclusion China & Rong Ai Rong Le Family Support. From left: Nagase Osamu (Inclusion International), Christine and Lu Juan (Inclusion China), Tong Shen (Rong Ai Rong Le), Klaus Lachwitz (IDA Secretary General), Vladimir Cuk (IDA Executive Director), Talin Avades (IDA Assistant to Executive Director). 

Meeting with Easy Inclusion & China Association for persons with Intellectual Disability and their relatives
Easy Inclusion & China Association for persons with Intellectual Disability and their relatives nationally represent grassroots groups of persons with disabilities and their relatives. As a national organization for persons with disabilities, they have implemented a number of grassroots projects to raise awareness about persons with intellectual disabilities. Some of the projects have been promoted by CDPF, who have engaged in 26 pilot projects to support employment for people with intellectual disabilities, illustrating the leadership role of CDPF.

IDA delegation meeting with China Association. From left: Vladimir Cuk (IDA Executive Director), Klaus Lachwitz (IDA Secretary General), Zhang Baolin (China Association), Nagase Osamu (Inclusion International).

IDA delegation meeting with China Association. From left: Vladimir Cuk (IDA Executive Director), Klaus Lachwitz (IDA Secretary General), Zhang Baolin (China Association), Nagase Osamu (Inclusion International). 

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