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1. World Bank Conference On Disability, Washington D.C.,
Dec.3, 2002:
This was the first major conference ever held by the World Bank in this
area, and the focus was on disability within the context of poverty alleviation.
The World Bank is requiring the inclusion of disability into its national
reports and is instituting data collection on persons with disabilities.
NGOs are encouraged to contact World Bank officials at national and regional
levels to explore ways of networking.
Contact: M Judith E Heumann:jheumann@worldbank.orgWebsite:
ttp://www1.worldbank.org/sp/
2. 5th Session of UNESCAP Thematic Working Group On Disability-Related
Concerns (TWGDC), December 10, 2002, Bangkok The TWGDC played a significant
role in developing the “Biwako Millennium Framework for Action Towards
an Inclusive, Barrier-Free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities
in Asia and the Pacific” (BMF) to guide governments during the implementation
of the 2nd Asian & Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003 –
2012. The BMF will be adopted at the Commission Session scheduled for
the latter part of April, 2003.
Contact: Ms Kay Nagata: nagata@un.org Website:
www.unescap.org/decade/twgindex. htm
3. Disability Rights Meeting At The World Bank, Feb.13, 2003:
The meeting discussed crucial international disability rights issues and
initiatives. Venus Ilagan of the Philippines, the newly elected Chair
of Disabled Persons International (DPI), was the keynote speaker.
Contact: Ms Joelle Balfe: jbalfe@ncd.gov
4. The United Nations Assembly, by its resolution 56/116, has proclaimed
the United Nations LITERACY DECADE (UNLD): Education for All for the period
2003 – 2012 and an official international launching ceremony took
place at the UN in New York on Feb.13, 2003.
Website:http://portal.unesco.org/education/ e v . p h p ? U R L _ I D
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The UNLD Launch of Thailand was held in Bangkok on 2 April, 2003. ICEVI
was represented by Mr Pecharat Techavachara, President, Foundation for
the Employment Promotion of the Blind, Bangkok.
5. DPI e-news: http://www.dpi.org Disabled Peoples’ International
(DPI) launched its first weekly update on February 28. Members are encouraged
to send comments or suggestions that would help to make the site as useful
as possible.
6. 9th National / 2nd International Conference on Abuse of Children &
Adults with Disabilities - “Working Together to Make the Difference”:
The Conference, which was sponsored by the Department of Justice Office
for Victims of Crime (OVC) & the California Office of Criminal Justice
Planning, was held from March 10–12, 2003 at the Riverside Convention
Center, Riverside CA.
Website:www.disability-abuse.com/cando/ conf / www.arcriversideca.org
7. ICEVI held a very successful Executive Committee Meeting on Mar. 28
and 29 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Amongst several important decisions
was the unanimous adoption of the ICEVI/WBU Joint Position Paper on Inclusive
Education of Children with Visual Impairment (See page 21). The above
meeting was preceded by the first African sub-regional ICEVI Committee
meeting. The President, Secretary-General and Treasurer of ICEVI also
participated in the 11th International Mobility Conference, which followed
from Mar.30 to Apr. 5 in Stellenbosch. ICEVI has renewed its membership
in the NGO Committee of UNICEF for Year 2003.
Contact : Dr. M N G Mani: sgicevi@vsnl.net Website:
www.icevi.org
8. The Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD) is a regional
center on disability, which will be fully established in Bangkok towards
2004 as a legacy of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons,
1993 – 2002, through the joint collaboration of the Government of
Japan and the Government of Thailand. The overall goal of the APCD is
to promote the empowerment of people with disabilities and a barrier-free
society in developing countries in the Asia and Pacific Region. Website:
www.apcdproject.org The Asia Pacific Disability Forum (APDF),
aims to promote the drafting of the International Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities. The BMF, has postponed its foundation assembly
in Bangkok on April 30, 2003 in view of the SARS virus.
9. UNESCO Expert Meeting - Development Of A Concept Paper “ICTs
In The Service Of Persons With Disabilities” at UNESCO/ Paris Headquarters,
May 20 – 21, 2003 This concept paper will serve to provide a coherent
framework for UNESCO’s efforts to enhance more equitable participation
in the knowledge society for persons with disabilities. It is being finalised
by Ms Anudhara Mohit, who is the Special Rapporteur Disability, National
Human Rights Commission, India, for use at the forthcoming World Summit
on the Information Society (WSIS) to be held in
Geneva in December 2003.
Contact : Mr Renè P Cluzel : r.cluzel@unesco.org
10. 10th International Conference On Mobility And Transport For Elderly
And Disabled People (TRANSED) This Conference, scheduled to be held in
Hamamatsu City, Japan from May 23 – 26,2004, will serve as a forum
to introduce new strategies for implementing economically sustainable
accessible transportation and encourage continued research into this field.
Website: info@transed.jp or http://transed.jp
11. UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2003: To achieve the goals of
Education for All, UNESCO is inviting its partners to submit their nominees
no later than April 30, 2003, for one of these prizes whose objectives
are to promote Literacy in all spheres and at all levels of education.
Further information:
Email: n.aksornkool@unesco.org
Tel.:+33 1 45 68 11 32
Fax: +33 1 45 68 56 26/27
12. The 2nd UN Ad Hoc Meeting to consider proposals for a comprehensive
and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights
and dignity of persons with disabilities will be held in New York from
June 19 – 26, 2003.
Website: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ enable/rights/adhoccom.htm
Meanwhile, the UNESCAP Regional Meeting and Workshop on the above proposed
Convention to be held in Beijing, scheduled for April 8 – 11, 2003,
has been postponed, in view of the SARS outbreak, to possibly mid-June
in Bangkok.
Contact: Jerrold W Huguet
escap-esid-psis@un.org
Website: http://www.unescap.org/sps/ disability.htm
A regional seminar and workshop took place from 9-11 April 2003 in Quito,
Ecuador, in connection with the proposed Convention, on “Preparations
for the Americas regional seminar and workshop on norms and standards
related to the rights of persons with disabilities”.
Contact: facilitator@worldenable.net
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