By IDA

 - November 23, 2020

Asia Pacific Peoples’ Forum For Sustainable Development 2020: Solidarity and System Change are the only Antidotes to COVID-19 Crisis

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequential health and economic crises represent glaring evidence of how the current global economic, political and socio-cultural governance systems have failed to deliver human rights and fundamental freedoms of the peoples, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised. With the Global Crisis of COVID-19 taking center stage, it is important not to lose sight of the continuous efforts by persons with disabilities to participate and contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.  

The Asia Pacific Disability Constituency in partnership with the Pacific Disability Forum and International Disability Alliance are facilitating a virtual webinar on Friday, 27 November 2020 with the theme: “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 World” focusing on a sub-themeDisability Inclusive Humanitarian Action and COVID-19 and Beyond.The webinar is led by Disability Constituency focal point of APRCEM and its members. With a Development Justice lens, each constituency is expected to bring out issues faced as well as initiatives implemented by specific constituencies in the time of COVID-19; as well as discussing concrete recommendations to achieve recovery that delivers the legacy of development justice -more just, equitable and sustainable societies.

Guiding Questions:

  1. What are the trends/issues specifically faced by constituencies/thematic working groups in the time of COVID-19 crisis? And what are the systemic barriers causing these issues?

  2. What are the current initiatives, resistances, voices of dissent against the systemic issues in the time of COVID-19?

  3. Based on constituency/thematic working groups perspectives, what is our aspiration on the recovery for COVID-19 that delivers system change, development justice and solidarity that we need? What are concrete policy recommendations to achieve this?

The webinar will help better understand how disasters impact persons with disabilities in the Asia Pacific region and their involvement in disaster risk reduction and preparedness. This will also reflect on how the disability community responds to the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic in a way that puts us back on track to achieve the SDGs and accelerate progress during the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.’

Objective and Content

Organized by the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM), the Asia Pacific Disability Constituency supported by the Pacific Disability Forum and International Disability Alliance, this webinar is part of the 7th Asia Pacific Peoples’ Forum, marking the celebration of the 2020 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and considering on the theme of this year’s IDPD.

The webinar will explore the disaster preparedness and COVID-19 response and recovery are disability-inclusive and based on the rights of persons with disabilities. This is an opportunity to rebuild our society in a way that truly leaves no one behind.

Moderator:

Setareki Macanawai, CEO, Pacific Disability Forum, Fiji

Speakers:

Puay Tiak Lim, Chairman, ASEAN Disability Forum, Indonesia
Lanieta Tuimabu, Office Manager, Fiji Disabled People Federation, Fiji
Smitha Sadasivan, Independent Activist, India

Agenda

Opening Statements (10 min)- by Latoa Halatau, Male Co-chair, PDF Board
Overview and Context - by Moderator
Housekeeping and Ground Rules
Presentations (30 min)- by Speakers (10 min each speaker)
Questions and Answers / Discussions / Reflections (30 min)- by Moderator
Closing (10 min)- by Aiko Akiyama, Focal Point on Disability, UN ESCAP Office, Thailand

  • Note: The webinar will be conducted in English.
  • Note: International Sign interpretation and live captioning will be provided.
  • To register for the event, please click here. 

>> To learn more about Asia Pacific Peoples’ Forum For Sustainable Development 2021, please click here.

>> To learn more about Asia Pacific Disability Constituency on Sustainable Development, please click here

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