3rd March 2010, Maldivian Parliament votes approval to ratify the UN CRPD or UN Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities. Maldives signed the UN CRPD on the 2nd of October 2007 at the UN’s annual Treaty Event in New York. This treaty was signed by the Minister of Foriegn Affairs(2007), Abdulla Shahid who is now the Parliament Speaker(above). Since then, Handicap International played a major role in helping the government, NGO’s in trying to get policies inline with the CRPD. It was the Sensitization meeting held at the Henveiru Youth Center which made most of the general public aware that there was a convention signed by Maldives on disability.

Since then, the faint voice started growing and we have raised concern over the slow process of this convention to be ratified. Our hopes were high when the new government’s health minister mentioned about the UNCRPD on the disability day, 3rd dec 2008 and that the new government would ratify it within a year. The disability day of 2009 was one of the least marked disability day to my memory and CRPD was not ratified! But I knew there was work being done on the convention(translation, terminology…etc.) At the end of 2009, we were also suprised to hear about a bill submitted by the government on disabilities rather than ratifying the UNCRPD first. It was also found that this bill was not in anyway inline with this convention and it had many flaws.

Anyway, when ratified, CRPD marks a milestone in the process of disability rights and it gives a considerable amount of weight to our amendments to the re-submitted disability bill(act). Now that it’s going to be ratified soon hopefully before the disability bill’s revision gets into the Parliament floor, our hopes of a rightful disability bill is in sight.

I’d like to thank all those who have been involved, directly or indirectly in making UN CRPD happen, specially the Handicap International and the staff at Health ministry(to be precise, Zimna Thaufeeq and Shifaza Wajeeh).

And I would also love to ask fellow MP of Kulhudhuffushi Uthuru Dhaaira, Abdul Gafoor Moosa why he’s the only one against ratifying the UNCRPD MP’s like him should read and be familiar with the Handbook for Parliamentarians on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. UN Enable(un.org)

A meeting will be held at Imadhudheen School in briefing the ammendments MVdisAbilityNetwork has come up with the comments, meetings and discussions. For those who are unfamiliar with the MVdisAbilityNetwork, head over to http://groups.google.com/group/mvdisability

Title: MVdisAbilityNetwork Ammendments Orientation for Parents

Location: Imadhudheen School Hall

Description: Volunteers from Care Society, ADD, MDA and the parents of children with disabilities, SEN teachers, PwD’s meetup for an orientation on the final document prepared by the MVdisAbilityNet members.

Start Time: 20:30

End Time: 23:00

Date: Thursday 25th February 2010

A couple of years back, I shared a post at Yafaau.info on “How to influence local politics” and I’d like to share this with the readers at Yafaau’s blog too.
Very often you wish you could change the way things are without becoming a politician. One of the disadvantages of becoming a politician is that you become a target for the news media. Perfection is expected of politicians. However, as a private citizen, you are given much more leeway by the press. Here are a number of ways you, as a private citizen, can influence local politics.

1. Attend Public Meetings

This is a very simple but very effective way to influence local politics. By being present at meetings, you will know what is going on in your community. What is more important, the politicians will get to where they will recognize you, and be more apt to listen when you voice your opinion…

2. Write Letters

Most local politicians get very few letters. Letters are often reserved for government and party politicians. Because of this, letters are given significant weight when considering issues.

3. Make Phone Calls or SMS messages

This has essentially the same effect as writing letters, except it is more immediate. Even if you do not get to speak directly with the politician, ask the telephone receptionist to take a message and give your opinion in as few words as possible. Better yet, ask for the politician’s email address and mail him your opinion.

4. Vote

You may think your vote doesn’t count. With elections that are not heavily contested, your vote may not determine the outcome of the election. However, if you want to make a difference in local politics, it is important that you be a registered voter and that your name appears on the roll of those who voted in the last election. Politicians look at this list and, in small communities, know everyone who voted. If your name should come to the forefront in an issue, the fact that you did not vote may hurt your argument severely.

5. Distribute Circulars

This is a very good way to raise public interest, and works best when you are using it against an issue. With such a circular, you should list the worst possible things that can happen should the issue be decided not in your favor. If it is disability rights you are fighting, look in the constitution on what rights you get under the human rights classification.

6. Start a Web Site or a blog

This runs very much along the Circular idea. The objective here is to make your opinion known.

7. Make Campaign Donations

It is said that money makes the world go around, but it also makes votes swing. If you want to be certain that your local politician’s door will always be open to you and your opinion, the easiest way to accomplish this is to write him a check. With local politics, even a check for RF1000.00 will insure an open door.

8. Write Letters to The Editor

Local newspapers love letters on controversial subjects. Write them. Politicians read editorials regularly, and your letter to the editor might stir similar responses.

9. Organize and Protest

Do a number of people in your community feel the same way you do? Get them all together and head down to President’s Office or Parliament building. Be sure to call the local news media and let them know when and where you will be protesting.

All of these methods to manipulate local politics are based on the tried and true principle of “The squeaky wheel gets greased.” In order to influence local politics, you need to squeak.

One word of caution, with “Public Figures” you can get by with saying pretty much what you want, so long as you don’t go overboard. However, with private citizens, you can be held liable for slanderous or defamatory statements. So, be careful. Just because you think your neighbour is selling drugs does not give you the right to call him a drug dealer.

Final Ammendments: http://yafaau.info/blog/download/14/

Links: http://www.yafaau.info/parent-resources/how-to-influence-local-politics.html

People first language (PFL) represents a more respectful, accurate way of communicating. People with disabilities are not their diagnosis or disabilities; they are people, first. PFL is not about “political correctness,” it’s about good manners and “the golden rule.”

“Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you,” is a very harmful myth. Words do matter! They can raise or lower expectations; hurt or help; crush hopes or create dreams; and so much more.

When we adopt new ways of thinking and talking about people with disabilities, we’ll not only exert a positive influence on their lives, but on our society as a whole. We’ve seen the power of language on other groups; we’ve made changes and no longer use ethnic slurs and other harmful descriptors.

Now it’s time to extend that courtesy to the boys, girls, men, and women in our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and communities who happen to have disabilities.

Examples of People First Language

Isn’t it time for more respectful and accurate language for all?

People First Language at Wikipedia

People First Language articles by Kathie Snow

Photo (C): Haveeru News

President Nasheed, sends back the bill on People with Special Needs or the Disability Act which we have been lobbying not to be ratified due to it’s lack of provisions in health sector and the importance of the bill to be in line with the UNCRPD.

I’d like to congratulate ADD, CARE Society, MDA and those brave parents who took part in the ‘Silent Appeal’ near the President’s Office and thank President Nasheed for sending it back to Parliament so that we, Civil Society Organizations can persuade the MP’s into creating a more collaborative Bill, involving all stakeholders.

Here’s some of the important documents we should get familiar with;

1. Disability act _high lighted__comparison_22 Dec
2. Handbook for Parliamentarians on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this……

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.

Details and link to post at Yafaau’s website Thursday, 07 December 2006

Haveeru 28-12-2009 (http://www.haveeru.com.mv/?page=details&id=91395) Mentions about Yafaau

TVM 27-12-2009 (http://www.tvm.gov.mv/beta/index.php?id=2050&page=article&cat=Kwbwru)

The Disability Act has been passed with the recommendations from the Committee for Social Affairs of Majlis.

Stakeholders like CARE and Health Ministry met with this ‘Committee’ to advice on corrections and additions to this bill and I can say, there was almost no corrections into it. In addition, it was passed with a clause to give benefits for the Thalassemia Patients as well!

• MP Riyaz Rasheed submitted a Bill on providing monetary assistance to “People with Special Needs”.
• Later Government submits a bill on Rights for “People with Special Needs”.
• The Committee on Social Affairs makes these two into one and presents it to the Majlis floor.
• MP Abdulla Mausoom adds a clause including Thalassemia Patients in this bill and vote passes in favor of that!
• Disability Act PASSES!

I think People with Special Needs in the constitution is meant in a broader perspective. Meaning Persons with a Disabilities are in it. Thalassemia Patients “may” also be in it. People with Chronic Illnesses such as Cancer Patients and People who has renal failure must be in it. And Diabetic Patients can also be in the “People with Special Needs” category. Pregnant women, People effected by natural disasters… etc. are all who could be in the “Special Needs” category in this context.

The definition of “People with Special Needs” in the Constitution doesn’t have any clause which can include Thalassemia Patients in the Special Needs category! If so, I would like to humbly urge President Nasheed NOT to ratify this bill as it would then conflict with the New Constitution we are so proud of!

So…

DO NOT RATIFY THE DISABILITY ACT! Send it back to Majlis so that we, Civil Society Organizations/Non-Governmental Organizations and other stakeholders can persuade the Parliament into include the corrections into the Disability Act.

You can find the documents that was submitted by the Health Ministry/Bills at MVdisAbilityNet(http://groups.google.com/group/mvdisability) Join and discuss.

This ‘Disability Act’ bill which the Maldivian Parliament passed today contains a lot of clauses which many of the Civil Society Organizations(CSO’s) disagree. The first thing anyone would notice is the terminology used. It’s quite clear that People with Special Needs are not only Persons with a disAbility and i do understand disAbility terminology is a controversial issue everywhere.

Disability Act and the final Report by the Committee(dhivehi) on Social Affairs (Ijuthimaaee Committee) of the Parliament shows how unfamiliar and ignorant the legislative body of Maldives is on disability issues. Even with the advice from Healthcare professionals, and CARE who’ve worked on disAbility Policy and Action Plan, there seems to be no concrete corrections in this Bill.

When such an important bill has it’s terminology in question, obviously its meaning is lost in translation.

I wouldn’t say children with Thalassemia are children with a disAbility but they are children who may need a Special care. But are they supposed to be in the disAbility Act then?

This disAbility Act also states that a Council will be be formed and entrusted with compiling a national database on the disabled, protecting the rights of the disabled, overseeing monitoring…bla bla bla…  but the Bill doesn’t even say that this council shall have a Person with a disAbility within this council members! So much for “Nothing about us, without us“.

The report also states that the Committee got help from Attorney General’s office who I believe doesn’t have a clue that Maldives have even signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability(UN CRPD) Their “List of multilateral treaties to which Maldives is party to“(http://www.agoffice.gov.mv/pdf/Treaties.pdf) DOESN’T have CRPD!

So passing of ‘Disability Act’ Bill sends a clear message from Majlis Committees to CSO’s: We won’t hear you! unless you speak REALLY loud. The Civil Society Organizations need to join up on similar issues and make our voices heard. I’m hoping to see CARE Society and Association for disAbility and Development or any other organizations to voice their opinion about this publicly.

1. Bill submitted by Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed on providing monetary assistance to people with disabilities. Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.
2. Bill proposed by the government in July to protect the rights of the disabled. Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.
3. The Committee on Social Affairs report by Fuahmulah South MP Ahmed Maseeh Mohamed. Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file.

Note: The views expressed are just of Yafaau's daddy's and not ADD's.

The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues, the rights of persons with disabilities and gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of the political, social, economic and cultural life.

Maldives, has been marking the International Disability Day(IDD) every year and I  hoped this year too, would have awarenes programs and events specifically to raise the issues scheduled for this day. However, I saw that *IDD has been shadowed by the Swine Flu cases spreading across the nation. It was also discouraging to see that the individuals specialized in co-ordinating the disability sector in the previous government were either relocated or moved to a totally different department which had made the stakeholders in the government to be new in this field and lacked expertise.

I was called by one of the staff at the “Department of Gender and Family” who is the main facilitator of the IDD events this year to meet and discuss on the events for today which included the Health Minister herself. In the meeting, the decision was made to hold a discussion forum on disability with relevant stakeholders. At the meeting, I did raise my point that there are some events organised by the *CSO’s/*NGO’s and that was mainly because there were no one in the ministry who initiated such events for this year. I heard Care Society, this year, was focusing on their *CBO’s in Atolls and *MDA also had plans which I honestly do not know about.

Earlier, Handicap International had been pushing the local authorities into these kinds of events and that is something we are missing around here. As a very young *NGO, ADD(Association for disAbility and Development) also has many challenges and are struggling to operate with just the parents donations. *ADD however was  involved in  assisting the “Dept. of Gender…” in creating an awareness leaflet, which I hear seem outdated now!

Before Handicap International left Maldives, they made a brilliant awareness video named “Opening Doors”(see a part of it on youtube) which I hear will be aired on TVM tonight at 11:25PM. *HI also wanted to circulate the inspirational stories booklets of 9 individuals. When asked about it, I was informed that due to some pointless reason, it will not be circulated this 3rd December.

So this year’s IDD events maybe ’silent’ compared to other times. But I hope that next year, we would be able to do actually ’something productive’ rather than getting on talk shows and… talk…

*Innitials used;

• IDD: Intenational Disability Day
• CSO: Civil Service Organizations
• NGO: Non-Governmental Organizations
• CBO’s: Community Based Organizations
• ADD: Association for Disability and Development
• HI: Handicap International
• MDA: Maldives Deaf Association

United Nations Secretary-General’s message on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

This year’s theme  “making the Millennium Development Goals disability-inclusive.”