IN THIS EDITION:
1. Highlights
2. Treaty bodies review, Geneva 2017-2018
3. SDGs Monitoring Process
4. Activities in the past weeks
5. Upcoming activities
6. IDA members
7. UN System, Agencies and Mechanism
8. Others
9. Job offers
ELECTIONS FOR THE CRPD COMMITTEE, 12 JUNE 2018, NEW YORK, USA
- The elections for 9 seats for the CRPD Committee took place on 12 June 2018, the first day of the 11th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD. IDA congratulates the re-elected and newly elected candidates, whose term will begin in 2019. In the first round, the elected candidates were: Ms Rosemary Kayess (Australia), Ms Gertrude Fefoame (Ghana), Mr Jonas Ruskus (Lithuania), Mr Danlami Basharu (Nigeria), Mi Yeon Kim (Republic of Korea) and Markus Schefer (Switzerland). In the second round, the elected candidates were: Ms Mara Gabrilli (Brazil), Ms Risnawati Utami (Indonesia) and Ms Amalia Gamio (Mexico). The election of the new 6 women and 3 men will lead to a composition of 12 men and 6 women on the CRPD Committee, for the period of 2019 and 2020, contributing to restore gender balance towards gender parity. Read more on IDA’s website.
ELECTIONS FOR THE CEDAW COMMITTEE, 7 JUNE 2018, NEW YORK, USA
- EDF’s Vice-President, Ana Peláez Narváez has been elected as a member of the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. This marks a historical moment for both the disability and women’s empowerment movements, as Ms Peláez is the first woman with a disability to serve on the CEDAW Committee in its 37-year history. More information available on IDA’s website.
11TH SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF STATES PARTIES TO THE CRPD, JUNE, NEW YORK, USA
- The 11th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD took place from 12 to 14 June 2018, at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA. For the second time since the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), persons with disabilities and their representative organizations were meaningfully consulted and actively engaged in the preparation and formal proceedings of the Conference. More than 250 persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, broader civil society actors, donors, governments and UN agencies participated in the Civil Society CRPD Forum 2018, which this year was transformed into a Day of General Discussion on Articles 4(3) and 33(3). During the course of the Conference, IDA and its members organized, participated as speakers in, or co-sponsored over 24 side-events. More information is available on IDA’s website.
IDA RECRUITMENT FOR A FELLOW TO SUPPORT THE BRIDGE CRPD-SDGs COORDINATOR
- The Bridge CRPD-SDGs Training Initiative is recruiting a Fellow to support the Bridge CRPD-SDGs Coordinator to effectively implement, develop and monitor the initiative, and to contribute to the overall capacity development strategy of Bridge CRPD-SDGs. Closing date for application is 2 July 2018. Read more here.
2. TREATY BODIES REVIEWS, GENEVA 2017-2018
UPDATED CALENDAR OF REVIEWS FROM OTHER TREATY BODIES
- An updated calendar of the treaty bodies reviews can be downloaded here.
3. SDGS MONITORING PROCESS
UN SECRETARY-GENERAL RELEASES ADVANCE VERSION OF 2018 SDG PROGRESS REPORT
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued the unedited 2018 edition of the annual report on progress towards the SDGs on 10 May 2018. The report is based on selected SDGs indicators for which data is available, using the latest data as of 10 May 2018. The report titled "Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals" is produced to inform the HLPF. For each of the 17 SDGs, the report provides a paragraph on progress, followed by bullet points describing statistical trends for the targets under the Goal. Persons with disabilities are mentioned once, in goal #1 on poverty: "Data also show a global deficit of social protection for other groups: only 22 per cent of the unemployed receive unemployment cash benefits, 28 per cent of persons with severe disabilities receive disability cash benefits, 35 per cent of children worldwide enjoy effective access to social protection, and 41 per cent of women giving birth receive maternity cash benefits." The report does not include all 169 targets of the SDGs, mainly because of a lack of data or the methodological impossibility to collect some data yet. This is a problem for indicators on disabilities where there is not always internationally established methodology or standards available. The report stresses the need for quality, accessible, open, timely and disaggregated data, brought about through strengthened capacities of national statistical systems.
UNICEF HIGH-LEVEL SIDE EVENTS AT THE HLPF, JULY 2018, NEW YORK, USA
- UNICEF is co-hosting two high-level side events at the HLPF together with a number of leaders from government, the private sector and civil society.
- The first side event entitled “CHILDREN AND YOUTH AWARENESS AND ACTION ON THE SDGS: A presentation by students focused on safe and sustainable cities, sustainable consumption and production” will take place on 12 July 2018, at 1:15-2:45 PM, at the Japan Society, in New York, USA. For additional details, please click here. The event will showcase how children and youth are learning about the SDGs and taking action on the Goals in their communities and countries. Speakers will include: Governments of Bulgaria and the United Arab Emirates, the New York City Mayor’s Office of International Affairs, Students from the 55 Nord Anglia Schools and the New York City Junior Ambassadors’ Program, UNICEF, the World’s Largest Lesson and more. To attend please RSVP here by 9 July 2018.
- The second side event entitled “EVERY CHILD ALIVE: Ending preventable newborn deaths through clean, functional health facilities within the reach of every mother and baby” will take place on 16 July 2018, at 1:15-2:30 PM, at the Japan Society, New York, USA. For additional details, please click here. The event will bring together different actors and innovators that aim to bring an end to preventable newborn deaths. Speakers will include UNICEF Executive Director Ms. Henrietta H.Fore, the Governments of Mali, Ethiopia and the United States, Yale University, Global Water 2020 and Lixil. To attend please RSVP here by 13 July 2018.
4. ACTIVITIES IN THE PAST WEEKS
- 2018 HELEN KELLER WORLD CONFERENCE: The 11th Helen Keller World Conference took place from 19 to 27 June 2018 in Benidorm, Spain. The event brought together 350 to 470 attendees to discuss strengthening human rights, democracy and equality through the full and equal inclusion of persons with deafblindness in all aspects of the global, regional, national and local society in which we live. The Conference was hosted and co-organised by FASOCIDE – Federación de Asociaciones de Personas Sordociegas de España (Spanish Federation of Associations of Deafblind People) and WFDB, with technical support from IDA. It was financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, UK AID, and Fundación ONCE. More information available on IDA’s website.
- WORKSHOP ON THE MEASUREMENT OF DISABILITY: A workshop on the Measurement of Disability took place on 10 June 2018 in New York, USA. It brought together key representatives from DPOs to discuss the best approaches to measurement of disability. The workshop discussed conceptual and theoretical issues related to measuring disability and review methods and tools that have previously been used to collect data in this area. Considerations for designing, planning, and implementing a disability data collection effort have been presented. Click here to view the workshop’s agenda.
- ARTICLE 11: IDA, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the UN, Humanity & Inclusion and CBM organised a side event at the UN headquarters in New York, USA, in parallel of the COSP to the CRPD on 12 June 2018. The event was co-sponsored by the UN Women and UNICEF (for details, please click here). The event discussed how global community, humanitarian actors, the UN system, governments and civil society can work together to shift from the medical model to a human rights-based approach regarding persons with disabilities in crisis-affected communities.
5. UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
JULY
- 2018 UK DISABILITY SUMMIT: IDA will be co-hosting the first UK global disability summit with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) on 24 July 2018, at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, in London, United Kingdom. The objectives of the Summit are to: raise global attention and focus on a neglected area; to bring in new voices and approaches to broaden engagement; to mobilize new global and national commitments on disability, and to showcase good practices and evidence from across the world.
- 2018 HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM: The 2018 session of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) will take place from 10-18 July 2018 in New York, USA.
AUGUST
- CRPD: The 20th Session of the CRPD committee will take place from 20 August 2018 to 7 September 2017, in Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.
OCTOBER
- UN WORLD DATA FORUM: The UN World Data Forum 2018 will take place in Dubai, UAE from 22-24 October 2018. The event will bring together data leaders from diverse stakeholder groups, including national and international statistical systems, academia, business community and civil society. The aim of the forum is to exchange ideas, showcase innovations, identify solutions, discuss future strategies, and provide mutual learning opportunities on a wide variety of topics. More information available on the website of the UN World Data Forum.
6. IDA MEMBERS
European Disability Forum
- The Vice-President of the European Parliament, Bogusław Liberadzki, invited EDF to join a lunch debate about the Rail Passengers’ Rights regulation, currently under revision. The debate took place in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
- EDF strongly encouraged MEPs to support its campaign for “turn up and go”, meaning no prior notification on train stations to receive assistance. Additional key points raised by EDF included that all train station staff must receive appropriate training on passengers with disabilities and that the enforcement mechanism should be strengthened, including with the involvement of organisations of persons with disabilities. For more information please contact carine.marzin [at] edf-feph.org.
- EDF and AGE Platform Europe expressed concern that the current draft compromise amendments of the Rail Passengers’ Rights will not deliver equal access to rail transport for passengers with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility. Click here to read the media release.
- European non-discrimination and equality NGO networks wrote an open letter to EU leaders welcoming an ambitious Rights and Values Programme 2021-2027 as an essential instrument to support human rights and democracy across the EU. The letter can be read on EDF website.
- The General Assembly of the European Disability Forum took place in Vilnius, Lithuania on 26-27 May 2018, co-organised and co-hosted by EDF and the Lithuanian Disability Forum. The Assembly brought together over 150 delegates from across Europe. Read the press release here.
World Federation of the Deaf
- The WFD has published a policy paper on inclusive education. Please click here to read the document. This document will be soon available on WFD website and an International Sign translation version will be added in coming weeks.
- The WFD has released an online video toolkit entitled “Complete the Puzzle: Connecting the Deaf Community with the CRPD and the SDGs” in International Sign (with English subtitles). This toolkit was developed by WFD with Daniel Ocampo from Colombia, through a fellowship grant funded through the Catalyst Project of IDA funded by DFID. The toolkit, based on existing CRPD and SDG materials previously produced by WFD, IDA and other relevant Human Rights actors, is composed of 11 parts to introduce the CRPD, the SDGs, their interrelations and how to use these frameworks in advocacy for the rights of persons with disabilities.
7. UN SYSTEM, AGENCIES AND MECHANISM
- COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN: The Communications Procedure of the Commission on the Status of Women is a unique tool for individuals and organizations to use in order to raise awareness about injustice and discriminatory practices against women in any country in the world. Claims to the Commission on the Status of Women for consideration at its 63rd session (11 to 22 March 2019) must be submitted by 1 August 2018. More information available on the UNWOMEN website.
- EMRIP: The 11th session of the Expert Mechanism will take place from 9-11 July 2018 in the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland. The EMRIP sessions are finally accessible to disabled people. There will be webcast with captioning and sign language in the room. For details, please click here.
8. OTHERS
- DRF: Starting in March 2018, Bailey Grey has taken the function of Program Director, bringing DRF over 20 years of human rights advocacy and policy experience. More information available on DRF website.
- EDUCATION ALLIANCE: The Mobiles for Education Alliance (mEducation Alliance) will host the 8th Annual mEducation Alliance Symposium from 6–8 November 2018 to share ideas and launch new partnerships that advance the use of technology, particularly in lower resource countries/context, in the education field. The call for presentation proposals for this year's mEducation Alliance Symposium is now open. This year’s Symposium theme is ‘Using Technology to Scale Support for Teachers and Community Educators in Low-Resource Environments.’ Please submit your presentation proposal by 27 July 2018. Applications will be reviewed and selected on a rolling basis. All presenters will be notified before 18 August 2018 if they have been selected. For additional information click here.
- REGIONAL NETWORK FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: The Regional Network for Inclusive Education held a meeting on inclusive education in Latin America on 23 June 2018, in Lima, Peru (for details, please click here). The meeting entitled: "Inclusive Education in Latin America: strategies for civil society advocacy" was intended for activists and organizations working for the rights of persons with disabilities, for the right to education and for human rights in general, to persons with disabilities and their families and to all those interested in the subject. Participation is free.
- WORLD LEARNING: The Family Care for Children with Disabilities: Practical Guidance for Frontline Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries is now publicly available for download from the Better Care Network website. Please click here to access the web page. The document has been developed with the support and guidance of USAID’s Displaced Children and Orphan Fund (DCOF) and the participation of a number of technical experts.
- HRW: Carlos Rios Espinosa, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, and Robert Martin, a disability rights activist from New Zealand, member of the CRPD Committee, are talking about deinstitutionalization. Click here to watch the recording.
- WORLD HEARING DAY 2018: World Hearing Day 2018 was observed across the world with the theme -Hear the future-. Activities ranging from screening camps, awareness sessions, media outreach and concerts were organized across the world. We have compiled the reports received in order to give you a glimpse of the activities held on this day. The report can be accessed here.
9. JOB OFFERS
- HUMANITY & INCLUSION: Humanity & Inclusion is looking for an Advocacy Officer to promote inclusive development globally. The position is based in Brussels. Closing day of applications is 12 July 2018. Click here to download the job advertisement.
- COFACE FAMILIES EUROPE: COFACE Families Europe is recruiting a full-time communications officer to be based in Brussels, Belgium. The deadline for applications is 18 June 2018. Application instructions available here.
- USAID: USAID is currently seeking consultants to assist them with conducting an agency-wide landscape analysis of higher education activities. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2018. Click here for more information.
- INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTORAL SYSTEMS: The International Foundation for Electoral Systems is recruiting for an Inclusion Program Officer, based in Crystal City, VA. More information on the position and details on how to apply can be found here.
- RALEIGH INTERNATIONAL AND INTEGRITY ACTION: Raleigh International and Integrity Action are looking for a consultant to assume overall responsibility for the implementation of a coordinated assessment of the barriers to participation for people at risk of exclusion, including but not limited to, people with disabilities and women and girls in Tanzania’s Dodoma, Iringa and Morogoro regions in Tanzania. For more information, please click here. The deadline is 17 June 2018 and that the Consultant should be based in Tanzania.
- ONCE: The Consortium formed by the ONCE Latin America Foundation (FOAL), the Dominican Foundation for the Blind (FUDCI), and the Association of People with Physical Motor Disability (ASODIFIMO) is recruiting a project coordinator to implement the Project for the Strengthening of organizations representing persons with disabilities co-financed for the European Union. The place of residence is Santo Domingo and it is a 36-month temporary contract. For more details, please click here. The deadline is 10 July 2018.
