From 4 - 6 February 2019, the International Disability Alliance (IDA) is hosting in Geneva, Switzerland, the Technical Workshop on SDGs Report Writing with IDA member from all regions of the world.
In 2017, through the DFID-funded Catalyst Project, IDA and its members decided to support DPOs to increase their capacities to engage fully with national, regional and international SDGs and human rights monitoring processes, and strengthen their advocacy through building robust evidence. To this end, it was decided that IDA members both at the regional and national levels undertake writing comprehensive, evidence-based reports to provide a substantive understanding of how the SDGs are being implemented at the national or regional level for persons with disabilities in line with the CRPD.
So far, IDA committed to supporting 9 country and 5 regional reports from DPOs on the SDGs implementation from a CRPD perspective by March 2020. This is also complemented by initiatives such as support more evidence on the situation of under-represented groups (World Federation of the Deafblind - WFDB - global report on the situation of persons with deaflblindness) and from the European Disability Forum who is undertaking a writing a set of guidelines for DPOs who are engaging in monitoring SDG implementation.
Aim
This 3-day technical workshop aims to bring together past, current and future report writers, along with partners and experts, to exchange challenges and best practices, further develop technical skills, and strategise the dissemination and use of the report after finalization to increase knowledge and capacity of SDG implementation in line with the CRPD.
National SDGs reports are expected from Vietnam, Pakistan, Rwanda, Peru, Colombia and Iraq. Regional reports are also expected to cover Latin America, Arab States, and Southeast Asia Region. So far, SDGs reports were already prepared to cover Niger and the Pacific region.
The program
The 18 participants representing DPOs from thirteen countries of all five regions of the world, bringing with them a wide range of experience and information on the SDGs implementation in their countries and regions.
The agenda includes discussions on methodologies, challenges, and recommendations for the writing of the reports, with discussions on the scope of the parallel reports, data collection and analysis, cross-disability representation, and the use of regional frameworks. It will also put a particular focus on identification of opportunities and ways to use parallel reports, national statistical collection processes, VNR reports and CSO parallel reports. The workshop will also explore possible ways to ensure representation of cross-disability, gender and other communities and identities, and connecting with civil society networks and activities, including on how to utilize General Comments of the CRPD Committee, particularly on articles 4.3 and 33.3. The workshop will be closed by a day of discussions on opportunities and collective priorities as DPOfor joint advocacy for HLPF 2019 (global and regional priorities), including on how to further utilize Stakeholder Group of Persons with Disabilities.
The first day opened with an inspiring message from Megan Smith, IDA’ Gender and Development Officer, recalling the importance of having an active and dynamic exchange among all participants in order to support joint learning process that would benefit all and each of those that are working on the SDGs reporting. After a round of presentations, Priscille Geiser, IDA’s Program Manager, explained the importance of this workshop for the broader IDA’s strategy towards monitoring the SDG’s implementation in line with the CRPD, and its relationship with the DFID-funded Catalyst Project.
National experiences: Niger and Kenya
The day followed with the presentation by Siddo Omar, from the Niger Federation of DPOs, sharing the development of their national SDGs report, then by Elisabeth Ombati, presenting the process of the national report from Kenya, both presented to the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York, in 2018.
Making the invisible visible!
The workshop continued with an in-depth presentation of the World Federation of the Deafblind (WFDB) Global Report on persons with deafblindness by Geir Jensen, the WFDB President, Morgon Banks and Alex Cote, consultants for the Report.
Regional Experiences
The day was concluded with the very inspiring experience from the Pacific Disability Forum on reporting on the SDGs’ implementation produced in 2017 and published in 2018. Telesia Kobiti, PDF’s Research Officer shared detailed information on the process of writing the report, including the consultation with DPOs, collection of data, how the disability movement transformed the report in a powerful advocacy tool.
The workshop continued in the next two days.
For further information contact msmith [at] ida-secretariat.org