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My thoughts on CRPD meeting – by Ifham

Posted by Yafaau's Dad on Feb 7, 2009 in disAbility Awareness, disAbility Rights, Parent Support Group, UN CRPD |

The Maldives signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in October 2007. Mr. Simon Walker, Human Rights Officer from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, was here in the Maldives last week to meet with relevant people in the government, NGOs, persons with disabilities, and parents of persons with disabilities and to explain what the convention was really about.

So what does it mean for persons with disabilities in the Maldives?

I attended two meetings, one targeting government workers in fields relating to disability issues, NGOs, and individuals already working in fields related to this issue. I was a mere observer because I wanted to familiarize myself with the issues relating to the CRPD, though I have to note that there was not much to take in there. Mr. Walker introduced the basic idea behind CRPD and obvious questions from members of the audience related to how the UN will make sure Maldives will follow what it has accepted by signing the convention.The other meeting, on the other hand, which was aimed at persons with disabilities and their parents, was very intense. I participated in this meeting as a translator due to a request from a friend at Handicap International in Maldives, who were one of the organizers of these information sessions. They thought it would be nice to have a translator in hand in case members of the audience needed help in raising their thoughts in Dhivehi. I was a bit nervous going there, but pretty excited as I was going to meet new people and learn something new. But I have to admit that I did not expect much action, so I went there with the intention of lending a bit of help in translating Mr. Walker

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