By IDA

 - October 7, 2017

>> Update from Day 1 (28 September)

>> Update from Days 2-4 (29-30 September & 1 October)

>> Update from Day 5 (2 October)

>> BRIDGE Training of Trainers Module B, Brighton, 28 September to 5 October 2017

DAY 6: 3 OCTOBER
The first session was dedicated to discussions regarding the policy paper that is requested of all BRIDGE CRRPD-SDG ToT participants, in order to complete the certification of being an official BRIDGE CRPD-SDG facilitator. The policy paper aims to analyse a development issue relevant for people with disabilities from a CRPD perspective. Participants will present an abstract until January 2018, a first draft of the policy paper in May 2018 and the final paper by September 2018.

Following that, participants had a session on UN Monitoring Human Rights and Development Mechanisms, including treaty bodies, Universal Periodic Review, Special Rapporteurs and the High Level Political Forum. Participants discussed the importance of these mechanisms, reviewed opportunities to engage with them, and revisited the reporting cycle of treaty bodies, including the CRPD Committee.

Trainees during day 6 simulating the work of the CRPD Committee in the review process

Druing the afternoon morning, participants had the opportunity to simulate the work of the CRPD Committee in the review process of a concrete state. In this case, facilitators used extracts of the State report, parallel report and the list of issues of Uganda, as a basis for the work. Using real documents, participants represented members of the CRPD Committee, as well as representatives from the reviewed state and from DPOs; experiencing real challenges and opportunities around a state review by the CRPD. Follow this exercise, participants had an in-depth discussion on the High Level Political Forum (HLPF), its process and importance, with a rich moment of sharing of experiences from different participants that experienced the HLPF in New York in 2016 and 2017.

In the afternoon, trainees worked on SDG 4 on ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ and SDG 5 on ‘achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’; with different and inclusive methodologies and group exercises. On day 6, Benedict Hoefnagels, programme development manager, Light for the World, joined the group as observer.

Trainees during day 6 of the BRIDGE Module B in Brighton, 2017

DAY 7: 4 OCTOBER
Day 7 was opened with a work on SDG 1 on poverty eradication, proposing an interactive exercise with other participants on key concepts around its goal, followed by a group activity on some targets of the Goal 1. Following this session, the group discussed Article 11 of the CRPD, with a work group built on experiences of participants on post-elections violence, Ebola, Haiti earthquake, displacement due to drought, situations of conflict, among others humanitarian situations; with an exercise using ‘identity cards in a refugee camp’. The group concluded the exercise discussing other international frameworks, such as the Sendai Framework and the Humanitarian Charter on Persons with Disabilities.

Trainees during day 7 on session on inclusive facilitation

Following that activity, participants went through specific session on inclusive facilitation, working more particularly on different cultural dimensions, diversity of facilitation styles and management of conflict during trainings.

In the afternoon, participants had an additional session on inclusive facilitation, reflecting on different learning styles and cultural diversity. To conclude, participants had a session on ‘2 minutes 1 article’, to present in a ‘easy to understand format’ an article of the CRPD in peers. Participants worked on articles 11, 13, 16, 18, 21, 23, 28 and 33.

Day 8: 5 OCTOBER
The final day of the BRIDGE CRPD-SDG ToT Module B 2017 was opened with a very interactive presentation of Goal 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; using classic forms of community-based communication, such as radio.

Following this session, participants worked in groups to discuss about evolution on the disability movement, opportunities and challenges; as well as the role of other stakeholders to implement inclusive development.

Trainees during day 8 of BRIDGE ToT training in Brighton Trainees during day 8 of BRIDGE ToT training in Brighton

FEEEDBACK FROM THE TRAINING
The intensive week was concluded with an evaluation of the training and of the BRIDGE CRPD-SDG as a whole. Some of the key messages shared by participants on the Training Initiative were:

  • ‘BRIDGE CRPD-SDG is about people’s life, about transforming our communities, not only persons with disabilities, but inclusive communities, the way social justice is transforming communities’ Michael Njenga, WNUSP, Kenya
  • 'We need to strengthen support. To find our strategy to multiply trainings lead by DPOs, with DPOs, to DPOs.’ Rosario Galarza, RIADIS, Peru
  • ‘BRIDGE CRPD-SDG is a potential aspect to strategize our movement. Now we have power! We have to learn how to build inclusive alliances and SDGs compliance in line with the CRPD. Risna Utami, Indonesia
  • ‘IDA and IDDC members have a role to play to include people trained by BRIDGE CRPD-SDG in their daily work and projects’ Imed Ouertani, Tunisia
  • ‘BRIDGE CRPD-SDG gets the disability movement to work together, and beyond, to implement inclusive SDGs. Angie Chand, PDF, Fiji
  • ‘With the BRIDGE CRPD-SDG the deaf community is no long alone; we are not left behind. Back to my country I will share what I learned with my deaf fellows and connect them with the mainstream movement.’ Carolyn Dagani, Philippines
  • ‘BRIDGE CRPD-SDG Training Initiative is a vehicle. It influences duty bearers, and succeeds to bring rights closer to the community’. Fatma Wangari, Kenya, II
  • ‘BRIDGE CRPD-SDG is powerful, as it includes persons from different constituencies, including persons with intellectual disabilities. It is important to know how the disability movement will appropriate itself of this power and become more inclusive of all’ Nathan Rowe, Down Syndrome International
  • ‘We all have to recall that BRIDGE CRPD-SDG was proved to be an effective tool by participants that witnessed being more equipped to engage with the HLPF 2017 thanks to BRIDGE CRPD-SDG EWA’ Signe Hojsteen, DPOD
  • ‘Respecting the CRPD is essential to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities. But disability inclusion is about more than improving lives of people with disabilities; it benefits all in society. This Bridge training has further convinced me of this, and – by making concrete links between SDGs and CRPD – has shown how we can use the Convention to massively influence global development. In fact, to turn it on its head, it’s clear the SDGs won’t succeed without being implemented inclusively and Bridge looks to be the process needed to do this.’ Gordon Rattray, CBM
  • ‘This Training of Trainers (ToT) helped to calm my stress down. Now, I feel I am no longer alone.’ Victor Baute, Venezuel
  • ‘The ToT training was the first time I do reflexion on the disability movement, as well as to observe who we are leaving behind’

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Category: BRIDGE