By IDA

 - March 25, 2019

“Towards just and inclusive societies”

From 24 - 27 March, 2019, the 3rd WNUSP Technical workshop is taking place in Nairobi Kenya and is organized by the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry in collaboration with the International Disability Alliance and in partnership with Users and Survivors of Psychiatry in Kenya (USP-K). The workshop is supported by a grant from the Finnish government.

The workshop is a call to action for the full inclusion and participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities in determining their life journeys and for the end of discrimination and human rights violations perpetrated against them both in institutions and also within community- based settings. Participants are all individuals with psychosocial disabilities representing youth, men and women, from different regions in the country. The main agenda of the workshop is to empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of persons with psychosocial disabilities on an equal basis with others. The participants will be introduced to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in day one and two. On the third day the participants will have the opportunity to participate in an interactive session with various partners including government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and development stakeholders. The sessions will also have roundtable discussions on CRDP compliant mental health laws and on Employment and Sustainable Entrepreneurship for youth with psychosocial disabilities by exploring opportunities and challenges.

The CRPD emphasizes the important role of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society and development, respecting their rights and dignity.  In line with Article 4(3) of the CRPD, States parties should closely consult and actively involve persons with disabilities, through their own organizations, in legal and regulatory frameworks and procedures across all levels and branches of Government this is also emphasized by Article 33(3) of the CRPD on National Implementation and monitoring.

Kenya as a State party to the CRPD must take appropriate measures to ensure that all persons with disabilities, without any form of exclusion based on the type of impairment, such as persons with psychosocial disabilities or intellectual disabilities, can effectively and fully participate without discrimination on an equal basis with others. In the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, persons with psychosocial disabilities must be recognized for whom they are - effective agents of change whose contributions will bring enormous benefit to the global community.

There is a global consensus on the importance of empowerment and equality for persons with disabilities in sustainable development. The commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ is a key feature of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The idea that ‘no goal should be met unless it is met for everyone’ is well established in the SDGs. Therefore, as we move forward, we need to strengthen development policies and practice to ensure that they are inclusive of persons with psychosocial disabilities.

Together, we can all achieve a just, inclusive and sustainable future.

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Country: Kenya