Mainstreaming disAbility has been there since the UN first started the UN Enable movement and Maldives has never touched on implementing it.

Under this year’s main theme of IDPD 2011, “Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disAbilites in development”, are some sub-themes which are:

1. Mainstreaming disAbility: including a disAbility perspective in all development processes (more)
2. Gender: including women and girls with disAbilities in development (more)
3. Including children and youth with disAbilities in development (more)
4. Accessibility: removing barriers and promoting disAbility-inclusive development (more)
5. Promoting data collection and statistics on disAbility (more)

When we talk about Mainstreaming disAbility in the development agenda of our country, there are lots of important aspects we have to consider to even acheive the Millenium Developmental Goals.

In order for a person using a wheelchair to access decent work, the person needs to be able to physically move in and out of his or her home; needs to be able to access the public space and transportation; and needs to be able to access the work facilities, in terms of both the built environment and its information and communications systems.

Different entities need to ensure that their respective spheres of responsibility provide the necessary opportunities and access to persons with disAbilities, on an equal basis with others. If any one element of the network fails in this obligation, persons are not able to reap the benefit from the other elements. In order for them to be integrated and included in the development agenda, a comprehensive and holistic approach is required. Mainstreaming disAbility in development or disAbility-inclusive development is a useful and necessary strategy.

There is a strong bidirectional link between poverty and disAbility. Poverty may cause disAbility through malnutrition, poor healthcare, and dangerous living conditions. Case studies in developing countries show that higher disAbility rates are associated with higher rates of illiteracy, poor nutritional status, lower immunization coverage, lower birth weight, higher rates of unemployment and underemployment, and lower occupational mobility. disAbility can cause poverty by preventing the full participation of persons with disAbilities in the economic and social life of their communities, especially if the appropriate supports and accommodations are not available.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) established a unifying set of developmental objectives for the global community which includes our little but vibrant Maldives. Bringing together United Nations agencies, governments and civil society around eight key development issues, the MDGs foster collaborative action to reduce poverty, improve health and address educational and environmental concerns around the world’s most pressing development problems. The MDGs are specifically designed to address the needs of the world’s poorest citizens and the world’s most marginalized populations.

The high numbers of persons with disAbilities who are disproportionately represented among the world’s most marginalized groups have a profound significance with respect to the achievement of the MDGs, which thus far seems to have gone largely unnoticed in the international discourse on the Goals. Eighty per cent of persons with disAbilities live in developing countries, and the failure to include and integrate them in all development activities will mean failure to achieve the MDGs.

Furthermore, given the wide scope of contexts, actors and activities required to fully include persons with disAbilities in the development agenda, it may be helpful to consider the process in the light of the “no-gap policy”. The no-gap policy is a concept which illustrates that no entity, whether it be part of the United Nations system, a Government ministry or a non-governmental organization (NGO), can achieve the goal of equality for persons with disAbilities on its own. Rather, an interconnected network of actors is required to reach this goal.

Increased access to data and statistics will increase the ability to ensure that programmes are targeting the areas of greatest need. The development and dissemination of such data, as well as knowledge including good practices, lessons learned, and sources of expertise, will assist all actors in the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with disAbilities at the local, national and international levels. The integral involvement of civil society, including of organizations of persons with disAbilities, in national and international mechanisms is an essential ingredient in effectively guiding the development agenda towards integrating and including persons with disAbilities. Efforts to incorporate and include persons with disAbilities into the development activities have been gaining momentum over the past several decades.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with disAbilities offers an ideal opportunity to consolidate disAbility-related activities, and to develop policies and structures that ensure that persons with disAbilities are mainstreamed within the United Nations system. Lessons learned from gender and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming can provide valuable guidance, and there are an increasing number of tools to inform and guide this process, which when coupled with strong political will can lead to significant positive gains.

Furthermore, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with disAbilities also provides the opportunity for human rights and development actors to actively combine and integrate these two areas. New and innovative thinking and collaboration are required to utilize the Convention so as to bring the maximum benefit to persons with disAbilities and society. It is both a human rights and a development instrument that elucidates how all categories of rights apply to persons with disAbilities, and identifies practical measures to create development programmes that are inclusive of, and accessible to, persons with disAbilities.

Resources and Documents

Selected examples: best practices at the international, regional, subregional and national levels for including persons with disabilities in development efforts (Updated: 8 July 2011)

“Mainstreaming disability in the development agenda” Note by the Secretariat to the Forty-sixth session of the Commission for Social Development to the, 6-15 February 2008 (E/CN.5/2008/6)

Panel Discussion: Mainstreaming Disability in the Development Agenda, United Nations Headquarters, 12 February 2008

Disability Dimension in Development Action: Manual on Inclusive Planning United Nations in collaboration with the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) in Finland (Revised online version 2003)

Keeping the Promise: Realizing MDGs for Persons with Disabilities Towards 2015 and Beyond: Report of the Secretary-General (A/65/173)

Priority Themes: Mainstreaming disability in the development agenda

Photo Credit: Hani Amir http://www.flickr.com/photos/haniamir/3972177053/

Thanks again CARE Society.

Read more

Watch two of your favourite movies

ON THE BIG SCREEN AT OLYMPUS for just 30RF each

Enjoy while you donate for the cause of Autism

Tickets available at H.Alihuras (in front of Ameer Ahmed School) and also Ma. Eureka

For enquiries call +960 7919033

World Autism Awareness Day is coming up on Saturday, April 2, and it’s going to light up the world in blue! Light It Up Blue is an easy way to raise awareness about autism and be part of a worldwide movement to show your support for the autism community.

Sign the pledge to raise autism awareness:

http://action.autismspeaks.org/share-blue

Participating in Light It Up Blue is simple — just sign the pledge to do things like wear blue clothing, feature the Light It Up Blue logo on your Facebook profile, or write a blog posts about the event.

http://action.autismspeaks.org/share-blue

Thanks for helping me light it up blue this year!

I was called and got involved in this discussion by Imaadhudheen School Special Educational Needs or SEN class parents which led to getting an appointment with the Minister of Education to highlight the issues and concerns.

I jotted down some points which I feel was important to address in such a meeting which included the seniors of the Ministry. Here’s the summary for all the parents who participated and requested it be available at Yafaau’s blog.

• Education for children with disAbilities very limited
• Education is not conducted in inclusive classrooms
• Is there a standard curriculum followed except Jamaaludheen School?
• Secondary Education for Children with disAbilities.
• Vocational training and planned transition from school to work… whats being done? Edu mandate only covers upto 18+! what next?
• Lack of employment services
• Early detection;
  • What’s being done? <3yrs?
  • Reporting mechanisms?
  • Challenges (link to healthcare)
• Sign language for Parents, Teachers and Police?
• Easy access of information on services from the edu ministry to be available in all islands…
• Strategic Action Plan 2009-2013 (MDP) states that;

“Increase and expand educational opportunities for children with special needs including the gifted and talented.” – 8th policy of education.

• SEN Advisory Committee meetings stopped… when resuming?
• Male/Female attendants needed for SEN students when using toilet.

I have Included the ‘Pencasts’ of the meeting so here’s the link

(http://www.livescribe.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/LDApp.woa/wa/MLSOverviewPage?sid=qXLRvnfGtkTG)

You will need special permission to view this pencast

I just stumbled upon the website of the Maldives healthcare exhibition. I think it is a good initiative to explore the possibilities in expanding your options in healthcare. It is to be held on 17th to 19th March 2011. Here’s what their website say:

“The major health problems and key issues faced by the Maldivian health sector is a result of the inherent structural problems faced by the country. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), geographical severity of the country, coupled with the scattered population, leads to severe diseconomies of scale in the provision of healthcare services.

Lack of adequately-trained personnel, shortages in professionally and technically skilled health manpower, difficulty to access safe drinking water and proper sanitation, malnutrition among children, increasing cases of anaemia, maternal nutrition deficiencies, food security and food safety, vector-borne diseases are some of burning issues that the Maldivian Government is facing. The health sector is also changing rapidly and more advanced treatment systems are now available in the industry. Therefore it is important to educate the general public of such advanced treatments, new innovations, and best hospital services etc, to live a healthier lifestyle.

Maldives International Healthcare Exhibition will play a vital role in supporting the national objectives of the Maldivian Government on the above burning issues by encouraging the exposure of new trends, technologies and also in educating and creating awareness amongst the general public to face new challenges in the sphere of personal health.

The Maldives International Healthcare Exhibition is planned to be held in March 2011 with the participation of many local and international medical and healthcare service providers.”

Visit MaldivesHealthcare.com

We support Donation to Stop Violence Against Children

The Maldivian Students Association (UK) is collecting donations for children’s charities in Maldives. This initiative was inspired by the Facebook campaign to Stop Violence Against Children. They have set up a donation page as there were no links on Facebook to donate to Maldivian charities.

There are three main children’s charities that these donations will go to.

1. Care Society
2. Kudakudhinge Hiyaa (Ministry of Gender & Family)
3. ARC (Advocatin Rights for Children)

If you would like to send a donation anonymously please let MSA-UK know through paypal message box or if you would like to send a donation to a specific charity please include the charity’s name in the message box on the paypal donation page.

Taking time to thank all those volunteers who is of great help. I dedicate this post to all of them.

Read a great post about today at CARE Society’s blog (http://caresociety.wordpress.com/2010/12/05/on-volunteers-day/)

With my last post to find volunteers for disAbility day 2010, I’ve been getting questions about details of the events planned. As I highlighted earlier, we need volunteers for the main events which are;

1. Rally or Walk from Social Center to Artificial beach
2. Family day (Aailee Haveeru) at Artificial beach.

However, there are couple of ideas in plan which will be confirmed in monday’s meeting at the Ministry(Gender dept.). Here’s some details;

1. Friday Sermon(khuthubaa) by a Person with a disAbility(PwD). 3rd December
2. Highlighting about protecting the rights of PwD’s in President’s Radio Address. 3rd December
3. Inform about the activities planned for the disAbility day on Raajje Miadhu program(MNBC) on 2nd december.
4. Include a Person with a disAbility as the guest on the Friday Variety Show(MNBC). 3rd December
5. Hold a Walk from Social Center to Artificial Beach with slogan “I stand up for the rights of Persons with disAbilities”. 3rd December
6. Family evening (Aailee Haveeru) at Artificial beach. 4th December
7. Include sign language on prime time news at TV channels. 3rd December
8. Organize a workshop (1st december) for Government Offices and relevant authorities with the goal of; (Delayed for mid december)
   1. Spread awareness about the legislature (disAbility Law) for officials.
   2. Make a stretagic action plan on what each sector of govt. needs to do in implementing the disAbility Law and form a timeline.
   3. Appoint a focal point for monitoring the progress of work each sector.
9. Create leaflets consisting of articles summarizing on the disAbility Law. 3rd December

I hope this was helpful enough for those who want to volunteer. A big thank you to all who have already expressed interest.