Newsletter from IDA Secretariat | 9 January 2018

By IDA

 - January 9, 2018

Logos of all IDA Members

IN THIS EDITION:

  1. Highlights
  2. Activities in the past weeks
  3. Upcoming activities
  4. IDA Intellectual Property
  5. IDA members
  6. Other
  7. Job opportunities

1. HIGHLIGHTS

2018 UK DISABILITY SUMMIT

  • IDA will be co-hosting the first UK global disability summit with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) in July 2018. Read more.

CEDAW COMMITTEE ELECTION

  • The terms of twelve members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women are due to expire on 31 December 2018. Election to replace those members will take place on 7 June 2018 during the 20th Meeting of State parties in New York. 

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SIGN LANGUAGES

  • The United Nations General Assembly has declared 23 September as International Day of Sign Languages. The resolution A/C.3/72/L.36/Rev.1 (International Sign version here) was proposed, or sponsored, through the Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, following an original request by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD).  23 September marks the birth of WFD, an advocacy organisation, which has as one of its main goals, the preservation of sign languages and deaf culture as pre-requisites to the realisation of the human rights of deaf people. The first International Day of Sign Languages will be celebrated on 23 September 2018 as part of the International Week of the Deaf. More information is available on WFD’s website.

CALENDAR OF TREATY BODIES REVIEWS, GENEVA 2017-2018

  • TREATY BODIES: An updated calendar of the treaty bodies reviews can be downloaded here.

2. ACTIVITIES IN THE PAST WEEKS

  • SDGs-CRPD NATIONAL MONITORING REPORT - NIGER: IDA will compile two SDG national monitoring reports from DPOs to be published by the end of the year 2018. In this framework, IDA is partnering with ADF and the Niger Federation of Persons with disabilities to produce a report on Niger’s SDG implementation in line with the CRPD. IDA will contribute financially (sub-grant) and technically to the production of this report. In order to define the structure of the comprehensive report, a 3-day technical meeting was held from 4 to 6 December 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Idriss Maiga, Chair of ADF and Chair of the West African Federation of Persons with Disabilities, attended the meeting together with Mr. Siddo Mouhou and Mr. Mahamadou Oumarou, respectively the President and the General Secretary of the Niger Federation of organisations of persons with disabilities. The meeting was also attended by three IDA senior staff and representatives of UN agencies Geneva-based. More information available on IDA’s website
  • TECHNICAL WORKSHOP SDGs REPORTING - VIET NAM: A 5-day workshop on alliances for SDG’ implementation and monitoring in line with the CRPD' was held from 10 to 15 December 2017 in Hanoi, Viet Nam. The workshop was organized by IDA in partnership with the Vietnamese Federation on Disabilities (VFD) and CBM Vietnam. The workshop focused mainly on the monitoring of SDG's implementation, the CRPD and reporting processes. Full report on this event is accessible on IDA’s website.

3. UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

JANUARY 

  • SOCIAL PROTECTION FLOOR: The annual Global Coalition on Social Protection Floor meeting will take place in Nairobi, Kenya on 15-17 January 2018.
  • GLAD NETWORK: The Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network will hold its second meeting in Helsinki, Finland, from 31 January to 2 February 2018. The meeting will be an opportunity to further develop a firm, coherent and practical commitment to disability-inclusive development and humanitarian action in line with the CRPD, through meaningful engagement with DPOs, and capitalizing on the collective voice, role and resources of GLAD Network members. More information available on IDA’s website.

 FEBRUARY-MARCH

  • CRPD: The CRPD Committee will hold its 19th session from 14 February 2018 to 9 March 2018. It will be followed by the CRPD committee 9th pre-sessional working group from 12-16 March 2018.  The Committee will examine the following countries: Haiti, Nepal, Oman, Russian Federation, Seychelles, Slovenia, Sudan (States Parties Reports) and Costa Rica, New Zealand, Paraguay, Republic of Korea (Lists of Issues Prior To Reporting). In this framework, IDA will support the participation of DPO representatives from Sudan, Nepal and Haiti. Registration to attend the public meetings is open until 9 March 2018. More information and instructions here.  (download the informative note issued by the CRPD Secretariat).
  • TRAINING OF TRAINERS: From 11 to 16 February 2018 will take place IDA-IDDC BRIDGE CRPD-SDGs Training of Trainers 2018 Module A in Geneva, Switzerland. The Training is organised by IDA. The trainees include leaders with disabilities from Africa, Latin America and Asia. Sessions cover topics such as CRPD compliance, key issues in a CRPD training, equality and non-discrimination, equal recognition before the law and inclusive facilitation, among others. The training will have a strong focus on the Article 11 of the CRPD on Situations of Risk and Humanitarian Emergencies and will support preparation of trainers for future BRIDGE CRPD-SDG cycles. 

APRIL

  • COMMONWEALTH SUMMIT: The People's Forum at the Commonwealth Summit will be held on 16-18 April 2018, in London, United Kingdom. The mainstream forums will offer an opportunity for Commonwealth dialogue and provide a platform for wider debate of some of the key issues and challenges, in advance of discussions by leaders at CHOGM. Click here to register for the Summit. 

JULY

  • 2018 UK DISABILITY SUMMIT: IDA will be co-hosting the first UK global disability summit with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) in July 2018. Dates are still to be confirmed.

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. Stakeholders are invited to submit proposals for sessions to be considered for inclusion in the programme by 31 January 2018. Proposed programme will be approved by the UN Statistical Commission’s High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building (HLG-PCCB). The Programme Committee or the HLG-PCCB may request revisions to some proposals.

4. IDA (OR SPONSORED) INTELECTUAL PRODUCTION

  • GLOBAL REPORT ON THE PARTICIPATION OF DPOS IN VNR PROCESSES: IDA has published its Case Study on the Engagement of Organisations of Persons With Disabilities (DPOs) In Voluntary National Reviews. This is a comprehensive document on the High-level Political Forum outlining the role of persons with disabilities, created from the Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities to an analysis on DPO participation in Voluntary National Review processes. The report showcases the national-level DPO work carried out in different regions as well as best practices and challenges, and serves as a case study for all. This case study features the volunteering countries of Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Nigeria, Togo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Argentina, El Salvador, Peru, Indonesia, Bangladesh and India. Click here to read the report.
  • HLPF BULLETIN: The High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) Bulletin # 3 is now available on IDA’s website. Click here to read it.
  • ODI: In collaboration with IDA and with the support of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Chronic Poverty Advisory Network (hosted at the Overseas Development Institute, London) has published a number of papers which focus on exploring examples of how the interaction between poverty and disability takes place in rural Bangladesh in particular cases. The papers examine these using a chronologically focused life history method of conducting interviews. The papers, executive summary and infographic are available on ODI’s website and IDA’s website.

5. IDA MEMBERS

ARAB ORGANISATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

  • The Third Regional Conference of the Arab Forum of Women with Disabilities (AFOWD), titled “Collaborating for a Safe and Barrier-Free World”, will take place on 28-29 April 2018 in Cairo, Egypt.  The Conference is organised by the AFOWD in partnership with the Department of Women, Family and Childhood at the League of Arab States, Women’s Refugee Commission and the Collective for Research and Training on Development-Action. Those interested to participate in the Conference must complete the form and send it to the General Secretariat of the Conference (afowd2018 [at] gmail.com) by 27 March 2018. The conference fee is 100 USD for associations and organisations of persons with disabilities and 150 USD for others. The subscription includes lunch and coffee break, work papers and conference bag.

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR SPINA BIFIDA AND HYDROCEPHALUS

INCLUSION INTERNATIONAL

WORLD FEDERATION OF THE DEAF

  • In collaboration of the WFD, All Children reading: A Grand Challenge for Development launched on 8 November 2017 the “Sign on for Literacy” international competition to help get all children reading. The competition seeks technology-based innovations to increase access to sign languages and literacy interventions for deaf children.  These innovations will assist parents, educators, communities, and governments in enhancing early childhood development outcomes, improving access to local sign languages, and increasing literacy outcomes of deaf children. The application will close on 16 February 2018. More information on the competition is available on the All Children Reading website.

6. OTHERS

  • TCI-ASIA: TCI ASIA has now opened its membership to individual members and organisational members. No membership fees are requested. Membership forms are available online. Click here to apply as an individual member. Click here to apply as an organisational member. More information available on TCI-Asia’s website and IDA’s website.
  • OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS: As part of a larger effort to be more transparent about the work OSF funds and the individuals and organizations it supports, OSF grants database is now available as a searchable page on the Open Society website. Click here to access the database.
  • ONCE: ONCE, the Spanish National Organisation of the Blind, is celebrating its 80th anniversary. To mark the occasion, they have prepared a special message which can be accessed here.
  • UNICEF: UNICEF latest report: “The State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a digital world” examines the different ways digital technology is affecting children’s lives and life chances identifying dangers as well as opportunities. Children with disabilities are referenced 53 times in the report, with a dedicated section entitled “Realizing Limitless Possibilities: Technology empowers people with disabilities” p.32. Click here to read the report.
  • JAPAN BAR ASSOCIATION: The Japan Bar Association (JFBA)released an opinion paper on the Japanese bill of Mental Health Act (MHA). A summary of the paper can be found here.
  • NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED: The National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) published two press statements in the past weeks. The first press statement is on providing access to medical treatment to Professor G. N. Saibaba. The NPRD expresses its serious concern at the deteriorating health of Professor G N Saibaba, a person with 90% disability who is in solitary confinement in the Nagpur Central Jail. The second press statement, published on 23 December 2017, condemns the demolition by the Delhi Development Authority of a hostel housing visually impaired students at Janakpuri, Delhi. The Press Statement is available on the NPRD’s website.
  • GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR DISABILITY IN MEDIA IN ENTERTAINMENT:  The Global Alliance for Disability in Media in Entertainment would like to share the Christmas ad for Brazilian food company Sadia which portrays #diversity and #adinclusion. The ad has reached 42 million views on Facebook and almost 31 million on youtube since it was released early December 2017. Click here to watch the video.
  • WEBINAR SERIES: The Southeast ADA Center and the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University are hosting a four-part webinar series on the history of disability featuring Dr. Larry Logue. The first webinar -The Tangled Roots of Disability Policy- will take place on 11 January 2018 from 13:00 to 14:30 [US Eastern Time]. The three other parts will be held at the same time on the following dates:

25 January 2018 - World War I and Rehabilitation
8 February 2018 - Mid-20th Century Ferment in Disability Rights   
22 February 2018 - Civil Rights to Disability Rights  

Click here to register. If you have any questions, please contact Barry Whaley, Director of the Southeast ADA Center at bawhaley [at] law.syr.edu

7. JOB OPPORTUNITIES

  • EDF: EDF is currently looking for a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) policy assistant for a duration of six months, based in Brussels. Applications must be sentby 15 January 2017 to Muriel Davia, EDF Finance & Human Resources Officer (muriel.davia [at] edf-feph.org). More information on the job description available on EDF’s website.
  • WBU: The WBU is recruiting a Human Rights Policy Advisor. The individual must have excellent oral and written English communications skills and must be very familiar with such instruments as the CRPD, the SDG’s, and Marrakesh Treaty. The position is based in the home country of the employee, either home based or in partnership with WBU national member in that country. Applications must be sent by 20 January 2018. Learn more about the position and apply.
  • UNICEF: A new Youth Advocates pilot programme, developed by DHR in partnership with UNV, offers young people between the ages of 18 and 24 an avenue to work for UNICEF to deliver results for children. Youth advocates will be appointed through the UN Youth Volunteer modality and will be located in UNICEF country offices for an initial one year period. The call for expressions of interest will be open from 2 January to 31 January 2018. Interested offices should complete the online form and upload a word document copy of the volunteer description of assignment on the Youth Advocates website. For more information on the programme, visit the Youth Advocates programme sharepoint site or email unv [at] unicef.org.
  • IFES: The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is seeking an intern for its Arlington, VA office to provide support to disability inclusion activities as part of the Inclusion Team. This is a part time, paid position. Click here to apply.

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