Voices from the field - Advocacy and Development

April 2012. This month's European Parliament (EP) plenary session takes place from 17 to 20 April. It will open in the afternoon with a debate on human rights where Lady Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, is invited to participate.

CBM, conscious of this excellent opportunity, has decided to address Lady Ashton a parliamentary question on the inclusion of disability rights in the Human Rights Review Process. Indeed, the inclusion of disability rights in this ongoing process is not yet guaranteed. Negociations are still open.

Luisa Fenu will be at the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg to convince the highest possible number of parliamentarians to ask this specific question to Lady Ashton.

Will she succeed in her mission? Follow her updates from Strasbourg!

Luisa Fenu is CBM's EU Liaison Office Policy Officer.


Our question to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security
 
"On 23 January 2011, the European Union (EU) concluded the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). This is the first human rights treaty concluded by the EU. Also, the EU is the only regional integration organisation to have ratified this Convention.

This underlines the EU’s will to fight against the violations of the rights of more than one billion people living with one or more disabilities worldwide and the EU’s determination to promote the full participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life, in accordance with the principles of respect of fundamental rights for all, without any discrimination.   

Yet, the EU still needs to fully implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, including in its external actions and policies. Moreover, the EU also needs to set up an effective monitoring mechanism.
 
Since the EU Human Rights Review represents a unique opportunity to put the EU’s commitment to fully implementing the UN CRPD and putting it into practice in all external actions and policies, can you confirm today that the Political Declaration as well as the Action Plan, accompanying the EU Human Rights Review Process, will include a chapter on disability rights? If so, how will you develop it?"


Tuesday 17 April 2012, 1331 CEST

When this morning I left Paris, I thought I only had one mission: convince parlamentarians to address CBM's question to Lady Ashton. Well, I was wrong.
When I got to Strasbourg this morning, I had first of all to negotiate to enter my hotel room. Indeed, the receptionist was categorically refusing to give me the room before 1400/1430. However, I have now managed to have my keys and I'm not waiting outside in cold and sunny Strasbourg.
Now I'm getting ready for my bigger mission. Very soon I'll leave to go to the Parliament.
Very first good news: one MEP has decided to send Lady Ashton a written question about disability rights as he won't be able to join the debate this afternoon.
A très bientôt ! Luisa    


Tuesday 17 April, 2139 CEST

On my way back to the hotel I was thinking how impressive, or not impressive,  was the debate.
Great emphasis was put on universalism. As said during the discussion with Lady Ashton, the most "obvious" human rights issues were mentioned: freedom of religion, freedom of expression,death penalty, torture and inhuman and degrading treatement, and women's rights. Also, it was stated that "less obvious" human rights issues should be an important part of the EU's discussion on human rights.
Nothing against it.
Interestingly, disability rights were not mentioned in any of the above mentioned categories.
Now, I am asking myself why is that? I could think that disability rights are very obvious, so obvious that they don't need to be mentioned anymore whereas other human rights issues give more appetite than others. Or, I could think that disability rights are not at all obvious. It is often said that people with disabilities are invisible, and people with disabilities were invisible in this important debate. The upcoming policy on human rights, or the so-called Human Rights Review Process, is of crucial importance for next years in the EU's external actions and policies. Thus the importance today of mentioning to Lady Ashton the EU's commitment in relation to the UN CRPD.
I'd like to think that awareness raising is so much needed. Breaches and violations of disability rights are generally not so obvious. That's why we will continue to make the point regarding disability rights in the context of the external policies during the course of the upcoming months and years.
My mission was in no way a failure. But it shows how big the challenge is.
By the way, the most impressive thing here in Strasbourg was the security at the European Parliament!

From the 30th of January to the 3rd of February, I will be taking part in the 50th session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD) at the United Nations in New York. This session is themed around poverty eradication. The rights of persons with disabilities as well as the rights of other marginalised groups of the population are very high on the agenda.

In addition, a number of civil society activities are planned around those debates, amongst them a panel discussion on "Mainstreaming Disability in Development Cooperation". I have the pleasure to represent the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) on the panel. I look forward to sharing information with you during the course of my first engagement at the UN level.

Lars Bosselmann is Advocacy Manager at the CBM EU Liaison Office.


Friday 3 February 2012, 1532 EST

I am on my way to the airport. The session was really exciting, as I did not know until the very last minute whether my intervention would be accepted. Finally, there was no time, so the CBM declaration will be read on Monday, but not by me! My very short time in New York is over and I enjoyed my first experience at the UN! Hope to be have more opportunities in the future. Best, Lars.


Friday 3 February 2012, 0700 EST

A new day starts/already my last day in New York. But before summarising my impressions, there is still one important thing that needs to be done: CBM has submitted an oral statement that should be on the agenda of the Commission for Social Development this morning. But whether I will have the pleasure to deliver that statement, depends on the length of all the other declarations made by UN member states. So I actually don't know if I will address the assembly, but I better prepare my statement now :-)

Done! The presentation at the side event went well and received good feedback. I was the last speaker on the panel and had very little time to make my points. I'll send an article describing events very soon. Best, Lars.

While back home people have already reached their lunch break, I am just about to start my new day. Today will see a side event at which I will speak on behalf of IDDC. You will hear how it went later. Best, Lars

Just a few lines from the UN lobby to say that it has been an exciting day so far! Disability is very high on the agenda. I was very happy with the statement that was made by the EU.

Best, Lars.

After the difficulties related to the strike yesterday, I finally made it to New York! Unfortunately, I already missed two very promising activities that were scheduled today: the Civil Society Forum ahead of the Commission for Social Development and a meeting with the development department at the EU Delegation to the United Nations. But instead of looking backwards to what could have been had I only arrived according to schedule, I am now really looking forward to the opening of the UN Commission for Social Development which will take place tomorrow. I only hope that I won't have too much trouble to get my entry pass!

You will read about this and much more in the next lines from New York...

False start!
Well, this is not a very positive way of starting this blog. But due to a national strike in Belgium, my flight to New York was cancelled. I will try my luck again tomorrow in the hope to share more positive news with you then.

Greetings from Brussels (and not yet from New York),

Lars

This year the European Development Days (EDD) will be held in Warsaw between the 15th and 16th of December 2011. Since there will not be panels related to inclusive development this year, a delegation of the International Development and Disability Consortium (IDDC) will participate to raise the voice of inclusive development.

Luisa Fenu will be representing CBM in this delegation, which will also include staff from Light for the World, PHOS and the IDDC Secretariat.

Last day of this trip in the amazing world of European development cooperation. Today we've been attending different panels covering the human rights approach, the Horn of Africa food crisis and the right to development for migrants. They were all very interesting, but disability is still far from being an obvious cross-cutting issue. Though I must admit that once raised, it seems to become very obvious for everyone. The good news is that there is still a lot to do! I'm enjoying this last polish cappuccino before flying back. This is all from Warsaw. Talk to you next blog. Luisa.

Reporting about the session 'How To Prevent Another Famine In The Horn Of Africa: The Role Of The European Union In Building Resilience'
Luisa and I followed the debate on rights based approached with a panel discussion on the drought in the horn of Africa and building resilience to avoid famine. This was a challenging and sometimes quite technical discussion on agriculture and security and the impact of politics on humanitarian aid. ...read report in full on IDDC website

Impressions and reflections from the panel discussions

Mr. Tujan highlighted the important changes introduced under the Buzan accountability framework. As the only representative of civil society organisations in Buzan he particularly pointed out the change in the understanding of accountability implying new principles on transparency and accountability or on risk management. ...read report in full on IDDC website

The IDDC delegation currently meets with Marianne from DPOD and part of the Danish CONCORD delegation to share first impressions on the event. We also exchange ideas for preparing the Danish EU Presidency.
Our first impression of the EDD is very positive, the event is well organised and the opening session was interesting with strong statements by for example Shirin Ebadi, Nobel prize Laureate 2003 from Iran.

Welcome to Warsaw! I must admit I couldn't expect a more warm welcome. Modern and traditional at the same time. Polish people are friendly and very helpful.

After a brain storming session yesterday evening, this morning we are getting ready for a few meetings and our first panel this afternoon 'Agenda for change and human rights' organised by the European Commission. I'll be back during the day day. Warm greetings from Warsaw, Luisa

One hour left and I'm ready to leave. This afternoon I'm flying to Warsaw to be part of the IDDC delegation to the European Development Days (EDD). I'm very excited about it as we will be there to raise the voice of Inclusive Development. I'm sure this is going to be a successful event and we will come back with renewed energy, new people and a bunch of good memories. For this evening, my only hope is that the Polish winter will be gentle with me, but I'm ready to face it with woolly clothes :) Talk to you later...

From 18th to 23rd of November 2011, I will be on a exciting mission to Togo, West Africa. Together with CBM Regional Office in Lomé and their partners, we are planning various activities around the ACP-EU (African, Caribbean and Pacific) Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA). Amongst others, we are hosting a side event which will allow parliamentarians to learn about the situation of persons with disabilities in Togo. This knowledge will directly contribute to a report on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Developing Countries, a report which will be adopted by the JPA in Lomé. In that context, CBM will not only work together with parliamentarians to come-up with a strong and ambitious report, but also address the Assembly during the debates. Read more in this blog during the course of my stay in Togo.

My stay in Lomé draws to a close. Today, I spent some good time with the colleagues at the CBM Regional Office, to evaluate our activities and to discuss future cooperation. After that, I went to the JPA meeting, which had the final debate on the report on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities on its agenda. The debate has shown a large consensus on the current text of the report. So we can expect a vast majority at tomorrow's vote (which I will unfortunately miss, as I will be on my way to the airport).

Unless I have an internet connection tomorrow at the Addis airport, this is my last contribution to my blog from Togo. I hope that the information and more personal impressions gave you a flavour of what my stay looked like.

Salutations depuis Lomé,

I will be in meetings until later today, that's why I just wanted to share with you that my moderation of the Concord lunch debate went very well. And this despite the fact that I had to announce some bad news - that the first half of the lunch debate had to take place without lunch!

Salutation depuis Lomé, Lars

After a slightly less hectic morning (well, I read documents ahead of a concord event planned on Monday), we had our side event with parliamentarians that we were working on for the last three months. This event took place in a nice setting: a garden of a hotel where some of the parliamentarians are staying.

In the extreme Togolese heat of this Sunday afternoon, 10 members of parliament exchanged their ideas with persons with disabilities from Togolese organisations. In addition to the very good quality of the debate, persons with disabilities also performed several cultural plays to explain to the parliamentarians the situation of persons with disabilities in a more playful way.

Although we were all very satisfied with the end-result of the event, we were really stressed-out in the beginning, when only one parliamentarian from Zimbabwe was present.

Salutations depuis Lomé,

This morning has seen a very disappointing start of Day 2. The Women's Forum of the JPA had invited women with disabilities from Togolese CBM partners to address the gathering. But due to time constraints, the whole point of the agenda was dropped.

But the afternoon produced much more positive results. In fact, the President of the Togolese Federation of Disabled People organisations made a very strong 10 minute intervention during which he described the situation of persons with disabilities in Togo. This intervention preceeded the debate and vote by one of the JPA Committees on a report on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Developing Countries. Most of the amendments that we supported were carried by the Committee. Until the final vote of the report, we will now work on some changes to the text, but overall, we are happy with the report.

Salutations depuis Lomé,

After a safe landing in Lomé, and a 45 minutes waiting time at the immigration desk, I went straight to the CBM Regional Office. There, we had a very productive three-hour meeting during which all people involved in the various JPA activities got together.

It was great to see so many enthusiastic people around the table... finally in person rather than knowing them via email or Skype. We finalised a lot of the logistics for the side event with parliamentarians on Sunday afternoon. People feel very optimistic about our joint event, as 40 people have already announced their presence.

Salutations depuis Lomé, Lars.

I am just at Addis International Airport for a two-hour stop, before continuing my trip to Lomé. So far, everything goes according to plan, no delays or cancelled flights. And the first real Ethiopian coffee helps to overcome the consequences of the overnight flight :-)

It’s a strange feeling sitting in the UN building in New York. Having traversed the security and challenge of even getting from Nigeria, it felt a little like reaching hallowed ground. The UN in many ways is an ideal forum for global collaboration towards solving agreed priorities. I was there for a meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – a civil society organisation hearing in preparation for a High Level Summit in September. This is only the second such meeting that has been devoted to health (the first being HIV/Aids).

There is a risk that the activities of the UN are very far from reality in the countries where CBM works, but this meeting is an effort to hear the voices of those who will be affected by the outcomes. This is why CBM was represented. Non-Communicable diseases (like heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases, and mental health problems) cause two thirds of all global deaths every year, and are the leading cause of disability globally.

The focus on communicable conditions has been central to health priorities in poorer countries over the last decades, and funding for development in health has reflected this. This is of course right, but three quarters of all people living with disabilities that are a consequence of NCDs live in poorer countries, and as lifestyles change in low income countries, NCDs are becoming progressively more important.

CBM is engaging with the movement to scale up responses to NCDs and is working with partners to implement good practice in this area. We are already doing this, for example in the area of mental health, and need to continue to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities in strategic forums like the UN.  This is the only way that we can make sure that decisions made are relevant and focused on the real needs of those who will be affected by decisions made.

A chat about the World Report

After the launch of the Report in New York, CBM's Catherine Naughton sat together with representatives from two of CBM's African partners to discuss it. Madame Pinda, from the Togolese Ministry of Health, and Mr Katatchom, from FETAPH (Network of Disabled Peoples Organisations) in Togo, talked about their impressions of the Report itself, and how they can use it. This led them on to a discussion about the situation of persons with disabilities in Togo and the huge job that lives ahead to make changes.

--- Madame Pinda:

"Thanks to the WHO for the invitation and our gratitude also to CBM to give us this opportunity to travel here and to participate in this high level meeting on the World Report on Disability. I am particularly struck by the new statistics presented in the Report. The estimates in the report of more than 15% of the population, worries me. We should all be worried - we should all get involved - it calls us to action.

"With the estimates from 1970 at 10% of the population, Togo, our country, has not been able to take  into consideration all the needs of people with disabilities in all domains - health, education, social, etc. I am saying that now is time to act together, with this Report. We need to use the information we have here, to tackle the obstacles and barriers faced by people with disabilities; the barriers are large in our country. Collaboration and partnership are essential to achieve our objectives."

--- Catherine asked Mr Katatchom whether he felt the Report will be useful for DPOs in Togo:

"There are many things in this report, and the Report is in a lot of detail;  DPOs [Disabled People's Organisations]will need to have a summary. It is too heavy a document for us to go to the State with. We will use the summary for advocacy. We need the means. We need support from the other partners, CBM and the WHO.

"Going back to Togo, we need to communicate about the report to the public, the partners, to share this information. After sharing it, we need to then discuss with other partners - UNICEF, EU, UNFPA. And state organisations like embassies - we need to show them that we are aware of the new developments, and also make them aware of the new developments.

"The report is not like the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) - it does not have legal force. However, it’s a tool to help us achieve the rights in the CRPD. A State like Togo, that has ratified the CRPD, will be able to use to Report to guide their actions for implementation.

"My biggest wish is that we can find a way of using the report to influence bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Many governments and international organisations have direct support to government in major programmes for health, social protection, education, infrastructure. This is done between those parties. Until now it has not been possible to ensure that persons with disabilities are included in these programmes, so that they could also benefit from them. How can we use this report to call on the partners involved to work together with others to make sure that persons with disabilities are fully included in their programmes?"

--- Madame Pinda, herself a physiotherapist by background and currently responsible for Community Based Rehabilitation in Togo, as well as other rehabilitation services such as physiotherapy and assistive devices, highlighted one of the major challenges:

"On the government side, there are insufficient resources to fund public services for the population. There has not been a high political priority given to access to services in particular for people with disabilities.

"Our community based rehabilitation programme (CBR) is run jointly with government , yet there are no significant resources. Even if the Togo government did provide support, it is still not going to be enough. International cooperation will be essential for the implementation of this report."

----- Mr Katatchom then expanded on the need for better support to CBR in Togo:

"CBR can be a major basic support to inclusion for people with disabilities. We see this well supported in some countries near us like Ghana."

--- The Report does endorse CBR as an approach to inclusive community development, empowering people with disabilities and facilitating access to persons with disabilities to healthcare, rehabilitation, education, and employment.

--- Mr Katatchom was positive about the openness and willingness of government officials in Togo to support the disability movement and people with disabilities in Togo:

"Decision makers are more and more informed. We have worked for years on this. They are willing. But the resources are not there. We really will need a strengthened reinforced cooperation with international partners to move forward to implement the Report. Broadly speaking, civil society organisation are not fully involved in all the matters that concern development planning - this is another gap which we are trying to address.

We know that we will need to plan, and work together - states, DPOs, NGOs and international partners - so that people with disabilities will be able to benefit from all development efforts in Togo".

--- Catherine said that once she closed her laptop and chatted more informally with her two colleagues from Togo, they talked about how the everyday experience of people with disabilities in Togo could be changed if the Report is implemented.

Madame Pinda spoke with passion about the current lack of services. She described a young woman who came to her centre needing a new prosthesis (artificial limb); the lady had been using her old prosthesis for 15 years. It was falling apart. It had torn and destroyed her skin. But she had continued to use it because she had nothing else.

From Catherine Naughton at the launch of the World Report on Disability in New York

Thursday 9th June, 8.30 pm New York (EDT)
The discussions in the afternoon went on till 6pm, when they abruptly ended (due to another meeting starting in the room).
Together with me in New York are two of CBMs partners in Togo- Madame Pinda, from the Ministry of Health, and Mr Katactom from FETAPH, the national platform of Disabled Peoples Organisation in Togo.

Madame Pinda was in good company, with representatives of Ministries for Health from across the world present. Mr Katacthom was also able to meet with many other disability activists, but also with government agencies responsible for development, and interested in disability. It was a good opportunity for promoting their work, and thinking about future cooperation with new partners.

There were no other representatives from French speaking African countries, as far as we could see.
Both Madme Pinda and Mr Katachom were really happy to have a copy of the Report in French, and predict  that it will be really helpful in furthering the rights of people with disabilities in Togo.

The day is getting long and I have not eaten since breakfast. Due to jet lag, breakfast was early (4 am). This is truly testing my concentration. However, we are now hearing quite lively, strong speeches from the US State Department, IDDC, The Japanese International Cooperation agency, the Government of Brazil and the International Disability Alliance on the next steps from the Report.

Judy Heumann, Special Advisor on Disability Rights for the US State Department said that she had been told earlier in the day, that she ‘…was very lucky that accessibility was so good in the USA’. She responded ‘there was no luck involved, we worked for this’.  It is a shame that we truly think that if people with disabilities are allowed into the same buildings as everyone else, they are lucky.

The best thing I heard today was from Cor Meijer from the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. He questioned how we can sit around considering who else can be included? How can we ask about the cost effectiveness of inclusion? He remarked that it was like asking about the cost effectiveness of being part of society. Cost effectiveness should not be in the equation. In this regard he disagreed with the Reports recommendation that further evidence and research was needed in cost effectiveness of inclusive education. We do not do it because it is cost effective.

The launch event plenary in the big meeting room is over. We had speeches from Faustina, from Ministers for Health from Mexico, Rwanda, the Director General of WHO, the leading driver of the Report, Alana Officer from WHO, the World Bank. We had a final rousing speech from Professor Ron McCallum, the chair of the International Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities- he gave a great speech reminding us all of the discrimination faced by people with disabilities every day. He reminded us that everyday children with disabilities are still hidden in their homes from public view. This is still the reality in the countries CBM works.

Now, during the late afternoon session of the launch, there is a specific expert discussion on the individual chapters of the Report; discussions are taking place on the following themes:

The idea of these discussions  is to make sure that the launch of the Report is accompanied by detailed discussions on how to implement the recommendations. While decision makers are in the room, it is the time to talk about moving forward. Now I am listening to the various authors views on the Report and next steps.

What I did not mention earlier, is that is it 41 degrees C in New York today!

Now the Report is being launched. The session is starting with clips from a series of films made with the support of CBM- What’s disability to me? Do look at the clips, they are great!

The launch of the Report begins with Faustina Urassa, (from the video set in Tanzania).
‘I am honored to be present at this launch. I had an accident in 2000 and had a spinal cord injury. Although my accident took place at work , my employer paid my medical bill- but I lost my job. ‘
However, Fasutina then goes on to say how she rebuilt her life, through training herself, joining a disabled persons association, and meeting other people. Faustina finished with a call to action: ‘ We the stakeholders are the ones to make it happen, if we don’t this can just be another document sitting on the shelves’.
 
Margaret Chan, the Director General of WHO then took the floor. She presented the new disability prevalence estimates from the Report ‘More than 1 billion people experience disability- most people with disabilities face obstacles at every turn of their lives’. She went on to explain how people with disabilities are often denied healthcare, or given inadequate healthcare.
‘We know disability is associated with social exclusion- this Report sets out the evidence in such detail that it demands attention.’ She also talked about the central role of people with disabilities and their representative organisations in the Report. ‘Some 150 countries have signed the CRPD, and 100 have ratified- showing strong commitment.  With this data they now have the data, the knowledge and practical advice to deliver on their commitments’

I am on the way to New York for the launch of the World Report on Disability.

For some years, CBM has been supporting the development of the Report, and it is just great to see it published! It will be launched at the UN Headquarters by the Directorate General of WHO and the Vice President of the World Bank, which gives it a great profile - the profile it deserves I think.

In New York, people from all over the world will witness the launch, and the debate and discussion that goes on afterwards about what we need to do next - having all this new information on the situation of people with disabilities globally, what are we going to do? ( At least that’s what I expect and hope will be discussed).

Till now, CBM has supported the Report both financially and in terms of giving technical expertise and input. From now on, we can scale up our support by including the Report, all its new data and it recommendations into out programme work. The Report will help us target and do our job better. We will also be encouraging other development stakeholders we work with - like Governments, Development Organisations, Research institutions - to also use the Report.

We would especially like to work together with people with disabilities in our partner countries worldwide using the evidence and recommendations from the Report to improve their situation in their own countries and communities.

In order to really think this through, and start doing it, we have invited some partners to attend the launch. This will let them see first hand not only the contents of the Report, but also the political attention it is getting at the International level, and will help them plan how they can generate the same, or even better attention in their countries.

I will really try my best to make sure you hear from our partners in the coming couple of days from New York.

There’s a great new tool the trachoma control community can use as we move toward our goal of eliminating blinding trachoma by 2020.

Visit the new website at www.trachomacoalition.org and you’ll see where international development organisations are supporting national Ministries of Health to implement the SAFE strategy.  As many of you know, the WHO-endorsed SAFE strategy combines treatment (Surgery and Antibiotics) with prevention (Face-washing and Environmental change), such as increasing access to water and sanitation.

But we never knew exactly where in the 57 trachoma endemic countries SAFE activities were taking place and who was supporting that work.  Now we do.

Hosted by the International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC) - of which CBM is a member - the new website features information from a variety of experts, both individuals and organisations, making it a much needed hub and sharing point for all players in the trachoma community.

The ICTC website complements the Trachoma Atlas at www.trachomaatlas.org which has country maps with population-based prevalence data on trachoma. Both websites are open-access, and the maps are free.

What’s exciting about these two new online tools is this fact: not only can public health professionals and managers of trachoma-control programs use them in their work but the general public can also learn about this preventable blinding disease and spread the word about the growing movement to eliminate it by 2020 and end the suffering of millions of people worldwide.

From Gerard C. Paul Jr, Phillipe Guillaume and Samuel Romelus.

We are three local rehabilitation technicians working for CBM at the Adventiste hospital/Diquini in the Carrefour district of Eastern Port-au-Prince. A few days ago we went to the 'Nouvelle Zoranje' primary school to talk to children about disability. We were accompanied by Kim, a volunteer with an NGO called Prosthetika, which activities include direct services to amputees working side by side with local technician trainees. Physical therapists provide exercise therapy and gait training to the patients.
 
We drove on route 9 towards Cité Soleil, one of the largest slums in Haiti. Located on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Cité Soleil has nearly 300,000 people most of whom live in poverty. Originally built to house a few thousand workers, the slum knows today all sorts of social ills - endemic unemployment, illiteracy, desertion of public services, poor sanitation, crime and violence, etc.

The 'Nouvelle Zoranje' school is a few kilometres from Cité Soleil, near the small village of 'La Renaissance', one of the first projects of 'community villages' with the objective of building houses, an educational centre and farms that can generate jobs and/or new opportunities.
 
The school consists of two buildings built according to accessibility standards that allow wheelchairs to move easily. A very large yard allows children to play football, basketball and all sorts of other games.
 
There are four children with disabilities in this school; three use a wheelchair and one has hemiplegia.
 
We went to 3 different classrooms guided by Anat, the Israeli volunteer who directs the school.

We first introduced CBM, its overall goals and work for people with disabilities. Then we introduced ourselves and what we do as rehabilitation technicians for CBM. We explained what we mean by disability and how human beings such as children are different (the size, the general appearance etc.). We underlined the importance of a good interaction between children with disabilities and children without disabilities. For example, children without disabilities must be careful when pushing children with disabilities in a wheelchair in order to avoid falls, direct shocks and every accident in general. We also told them that a positive attitude is crucial when they meet people with disabilities. It is important not to laugh and make fun of them but help them if they need.
 
We showed the children some support devices for people with disabilities that help them in their everyday lives such as crutches and a leg prosthetic with knee joint. We also explained their use and benefit.
 
From what we saw that day, we plan to return to this school to make adjustments with tools on some wheelchairs as some of the foot rests are too low for the childrens’ feet. And we may also come back to have more talks on interaction between people with disabilities and people without disabilities in general.

From Gumy Dorvilmar

One of the rehabilitation centres established by CBM in Haiti is located in the district of Croix-des-Missions in the north of Port-au-Prince. Approximately 100 individuals receive physical therapy at the antenna and in the community every week. Over 100 people participate in psychosocial activities, which include people living with disabilities as well as their friends and family members.

Last Friday I went to the antenna to participate in a talent show which was a joint effort between Yvon Adolphe (animator) and Thermicile Derilus (team leader) from CBM.

First, it was an attempt to increase the empowerment of the beneficiaries. Our staff observed that the beneficiaries often demonstrated the belief that they were not capable of certain tasks.  As a component of psychosocial rehab, the hope was for the beneficiaries to increase in self-confidence by participating in the talent show and also for the audience to learn from their examples.
 
Second, by experiencing an increase in self-confidence, it was hoped that beneficiaries would increase in resilience against stressful situations.
 
Third, CBM wanted to celebrate moving into a permanent location with the community!
 
Among the beneficiaries, 12 persons with disabilities performed and 60 attended in addition to their friends and families. The 12 beneficiaries were proud to perform for the public and show their creative ability. From poetry to say aloud that disability is not a misfortune, to music and drama to externalise their emotions.

Some CBM’s members were present as well as special guests including the Scouts of Haiti and Dr. Jose Augustin the clinic director of Centre de Santé Croix-des-Missions where the antenna was previously located. Heather Weaver, the head of this project presented a certificate of honour to Dr. Augustin as a sign of thanks. Very moved, Thermicile thanked the beneficiaries for their investment in organising this day.

I was particularly impressed by Roulio Clotire having a physical disability. He used his wheelchair to give an extraordinary show. Under the applause of the audience, he rolled his chair on two wheels! He was at ease in his movements. I imagine all the hours of workouts to achieve this result...

Prevention against cholera was also part of the day. 48 hygiene kits were distributed to prevent this disease that has killed more than 4,000 people since its introduction in October 2010. Too many dead after the earthquake of January 12 2010 I think.

The drummer Ricardo Bastian, also disabled, was very satisfied. "I had never played in front of an audience so attentive. It was an intense time of sharing, love and brotherhood in the place of people with any disability."
 
Those present felt that this kind of activity is likely to prove to everyone that people with disabilities can participate in their own way to rebuild the country. Yvon hopes to have a similar celebration two times a year - not necessarily a talent show every time, but other festivities with similar goals to increase empowerment amongst our beneficiaries. 

Seeing this show, I think that Haiti is being reborn from its ruins. I believe that an activity like this comes when the people with disabilities have the need to develop.

From Karen Heinicke-Motsch

'Keeping the promise: mainstreaming disability in the MDGs' is the theme this year for the International Day celebrations.

The UN celebration included introductory remarks from country delegations to the UN (Tanzania, the Philippines and Mexico), the Global Partnership for Disability and Development (GPDD), Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and WHO, followed by the panel discussion which I participated in. Other panelists included representation from DESA, WHO, The World Bank and GPDD, and it was chaired by a leader in the New York City disability movement.   The panel was a nice mix of presentation and interactive discussion. The attendance seemed small as we sat in the large conference hall, but there were people from various country delegations as well as civil society groups in the room who were active in the question and answer session.

In the afternoon WHO and DESA ran a small workshop introducing the CBR Guidelines.   The room was a nice setting as we were able to sit around a large table, listen, talk and learn from each other.   Representatives from UN agencies, country delegations and civil society groups shared the table and contributed to the discussion.

A film festival ran concurrently and included films from around the world.   Unfortunately, with the Guidelines workshop running at the same time I missed the films.   I did see one short film this morning, though, which was created in preparation for the World Report.   I was pleased to see CBM’s logo on that film alongside that of the WHO and the World Bank.   If you want to see the short piece, which was filmed in Moshi, Tanzania, you can find it at WHO’s youtube link - www.youtube.com/user/who - (I know, who knew WHO had a youtube link, right?) The WHO sent out a message today introducing the film and providing the link.   Here’s an excerpt:

See what she told us on Facebook or at the World Report website, www.who.int/disabilities/world_report.

I must confess to feeling a post workshop slump.   But it’s Friday night in New York, so the celebration continues!   I am heading to dinner this evening with a couple of colleagues.   There is reason for all of us to celebrate on this International Day and good people around us to mark the day and then move forward with as we keep the promise.

From Karen Heinicke-Motsch

So here we go; at the encouragement of Gordon and the examples set by Diedre and Catherine I am now blogging to share news and impressions with you from the United Nations on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.  Celebrations are going on all over the world; CBM is celebrating as well -  you can learn more about how we are celebrating the big day here.
 
I am now on the train between DC and NYC.  I’ve just finished putting together my short presentation for the panel discussion tomorrow organized by UNDESA on the role of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) in the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  I am pleased and proud to say that I was able to choose from a wide variety of examples from around  the world of CBM’s experience on the theme of the Day.  I am also sure that there are many more examples of CBM’s experience that I have yet to learn about.
 
Two weeks ago I moved with my husband Thomas from the west coast of the US to the DC area.  I am very glad to be taking the train up to NYC rather than flying 6 hours across the continent to get there.  My head has gone even further east this evening as I found Filipino fare in the station this evening and the pancit bihon was as good as I remember it being in the Bicol region of the Philippines where I first began working in the CBR field for CBM.  Continuing on my eastward journey of the mind as I head north, I just read an article in the NY Times about Andhra Pradesh’s grass roots democracy experiment which empowers villagers as ‘social auditors’ and has a goal of ensuring that development reaches the poor by combating fraud and waste.  
 
Grassroots to global – G2G – a phrase I have seen used lately in development, in economics, in peace building and even by Avon is key to CBR’s success:  strong local networks implement and strengthen national CBR and inclusive development policy which in turn strengthen regional and international response to disability as a human rights and as a development issue.  Similarly CBM and its partners both contribute to and are strengthened by the networks we belong to.  
 
I am stopping now and will trust Gordon to either toss this or find a nugget of usefulness contained within to share with you.

From Kasia Mills

CBM New Zealand has organised a week of advocacy and awareness raising events in recognition of December 3rd, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.  A year of planning and a few months of intense coordinating is resulting in the message of inclusive development being sent to the right people. 

The theme of this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Keeping the Promise: Realizing MDGs for Persons with Disabilities Towards 2015 and Beyond”.  In recognition of this day, CBM NZ’s Enable 2010 Conference was held in Wellington in line with this theme, and we were happy that representatives from many of New Zealand’s major NGOs were there – World Vision, ChildFund, TearFund, UNICEF, Leprosy Mission, and Oxfam as well as the Council for International Development as well as several local disability organisations. 

The day’s discussions highlighted statistics, stories, inclusive MDGs, mainstreaming, policy change, practical implementation, Article 32 and more.

Executive Director for the Multilateral team of the New Zealand Aid Programme gave a presentation on New Zealand’s Inclusive Development.  Other presentations came from Ms Anne Hawker, President of Rehabilitation International (the first female President, by the way, and long time DPO leader) and from ChildFund New Zealand, which fuelled the day’s conversations.  A former Human Rights Commissioner and current Disability Rights Commissioner also attended. 

After lunch, Dr Allen Foster, President of CBM, was slotted to discuss the cost of exclusion.

But something interesting happened.  

Instead of doing his planned speech, Dr Foster said “I don’t think you need to hear about the cost of exclusion right now.”  And he was right.  Instead, he turned the presentation into a dialogue – directly with the people with disabilities in the room. 

He didn’t ask anyone else their opinion directly. 

He said, “Yuma, what have you lost because you have lost your sight – what is YOUR cost of exclusion?  How do you feel you have been excluded?”… “Evan, how have you been shut out of employment opportunities?”  and “Robyn, what are you most upset about being excluded from?”

And just like that, the conversation changed.

Sports and recreation.  Arts.  Reading books.  Independence.  Resentment.  Isolation.  I’m a nuisance.  I am a leader.  I am funny.  Why is it us and them, why isn’t it we.  I am married.

The list when on and on, and the room needed to hear it.

Despite presentations from people with disability and from experienced medical and development practitioners, and a video from the head of a DPO in Papua New Guinea, the day’s conversations had not actually been lead by people with disabilities – until then. 

Dr Foster concluded the day’s conversations with this simple statement: “You want to know how to mainstream disability?  You want to know how to change policy? Put a person with disability in charge of it – and everything will change.”

As we reflect on December 3rd, I think the most important thing each and every person can do is to consider how we, as individuals, react and interact with life’s diversity, and how we can truly make this international disability movement an inclusive one.

From Tobias Pflanz

Kampala’s streets and pavements can be dangerous for pedestrians. Not that the crime rate in Uganda’s capital is so high, no, it's because the potholes in the asphalt are so deep and numerous.

Missing man hole covers can be nasty surprises. Mostly there is no pavement anyway; instead, you find steep ditches to both sides of the road and streetlights in the dark barely exist. And there is the traffic: Uncountable motorbikes (whose passengers carry anything from glass panels to coffins), shared taxis, buses, cars… If they are not locked in a traffic jam they usually speed along the roads – pedestrians being ignored.

For me walking the street in Kampala is a mixture of adventure and challenge. For my CoRSU Hospital colleague Irene it is simply a nightmare.

Irene is 28 years old and has had difficulties walking since an infection in her childhood. That’s why she needs to rely on public transport for her shopping – and that’s where the trouble starts: Shared taxis are usually overcrowded, getting on and off has to be done quickly, the drivers honk their horn, the 'conductors' rush you.

“I’m constantly under pressure, people hardly ever make room for me or understand my situation.”, she says.

Then the markets: People squeeze past a seemingly never ending maze of crammed and stuffed market stalls. No chance for wheelchairs.

“Even I have problems to get through the market with my clutches”, Irene continues.

All shopping areas are crowded like that: Parts of the pavement are used as display areas and you must beware of stamping on the canvas let alone the goods or the shoes of the owners.

“Due to my disability I just need more space for walking and feel often insecure. I constantly have to avoid the wrath of the sellers and simultaneously need to be careful not to fall onto the street and be hit by a crazy moped driver”, Irene illustrates, and adds, “some of my friends in wheelchairs avoid the city completely nowadays. They feel that there is no place for them. Even public buildings and banks usually don’t provide a ramp or a lift, only steep steps instead. We simply are a poor country”.

Getting around town is for her by no means an adventure.

From Tobias Pflanz

That smile had a name: Eivan.

When I entered CoRSU Hospital for the first time in January, the sparkling eyes of that-10 year-old boy from Northern Uganda greeted me. He couldn’t walk, both his legs were in cast. But he was smiling all the time because he had hope. He was born with club feet and for many years he could only sit or lie down. He couldn’t play or go to school. The kids in his neighbourhood laughed at him.

His mother Pauline didn’t know what to do. Was there no help? Back then the north of Uganda was still in a guerrilla war and she had to fight for the survival of her family every single day – alone. Her husband, Eivan’s father, had been killed by rebels…

When the war in the north was over to the greatest extent, Pauline searched for a doctor in the town. At the end of last year she finally heard about CoRSU, the new rehabilitation hospital close to the capital Kampala. CBM supported the building of the clinic.

A CoRSU partner in the north of Uganda transferred Eivan to CoRSU in autumn last year. Here, CBM doctor Fulvio Franceschi operated the boy for free. After that I quite often met him at the physiotherapy enthusiastically doing his exercises.

He kept working hard for many months. When, a few weeks ago, he came running towards me for the first time, I was overwhelmed. “I will soon be going to school”, he cried. It was one of those moments were you can literally touch by happiness.

I have similar feelings whenever I visit Fred, one of our CBM sponsorship child. Before the surgery of his cleft palate it wasn’t clear how long Fred would survive. Today he is a self confident boy who is not made fun of anymore, making good progress in his speech therapy.

At CoRSU you can experience stories like those of Eivan and Fred; stories of happiness that show how important the work of the doctors, therapists, nurses and social workers at CoRSU is. Live changing work for children which is made possible by your donations. I would like to thank you very much for this.

With greetings, from Uganda.

From Catherine Naughton

This is the first time ever I am attempting to write a blog. If you find this readable, you can assume it has been heavily edited.

Today I am in Geneva, Switzerland, at the headquarters of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the launch of the ‘mhGAP Intervention Guide’.  Basically this is a guide to help health workers deliver mental health services in low resource settings.

CBM has been supporting the development of this much needed guide. In particular, our community mental health co-workers have been involved in its development and testing. CBM is particularly concerned that the intervention guide will help health workers deliver good quality, appropriate mental health services in the poorest countries. In places where the need is greatest, there is a severe lack of support services. Mental health services have traditionally been limited to institutional settings, where people with psychosocial disabilities, are away from their family, their home and community and are not always adequately protected from harm.

People with psychosocial disabilities are subjected to a huge amount of human rights abuse in many countries in the world, and this is even more likely to be the case in large institutions. The good news is that, according to the intervention Guide launched today, the majority of support, care and treatment can be delivered in the community setting.

The launch today in Geneva, attended by global experts, researchers and policy makers, was addressed by the Director General of WHO, Margaret Chan. This gives an indication of the high level of importance WHO places on this  initiative, and indeed on mental health in general. Today’s launch meeting has also been addressed by two of my  CBM colleagues.

Dr Julian Eaton, a CBM Mental Health Advisor, is an English psychiatrist who has been working in Nigeria for 7 years. Julian is really enthusiastic about the intervention guide, and has called it a ‘game changer’ he believes it has the potential to transform mental health care globally.

In his speech, he strongly emphasised  the need to focus on energetic implementation - and in particular that service users were fully involved in the implementation.  He also called for a serious effort to build local capacity - not only are local people in the countries where CBM work capable of doing the work, they are more capable than people coming from other settings.

He talked about the need to start working with general medical and nursing schools to make sure a new generation of mental health professionals emerges. However, to make sure this happens the legislation and policies need to be in place to make sure these people will have jobs, and be able to practice in community settings.

Professor Allen Foster, CBM's president, addressed the audience on the topic of whether ‘basic health packages’ work. He spoke in a very vivid way about ‘packages’ in general and created an analogy between ‘packages’ we receive as people, and ‘health care packages’ received by people through a health care system (the postal service, in his analogy).  Here is a small excerpt from his speech:

‘……. We need to ask many questions about packages to know if they will work. Does the package meet the need? Is the package complete? Will people be able to use the package in the  way they want? Is the package nice? Is it well presented? Is it culturally acceptable? Can different societies accept it?  If packages stay in the post office, it does not help anyone. Is there is a distribution system that will deliver that package? Is the health system targeting people who need it? It’s easy to deliver packages in cities - how about in rural areas? Is there parallel postal distribution systems? A delivery system with no packages is a waste. A package with no distribution system will not get to the people. However in terms of health care, we know that good intervention packages strengthen a delivery system… ‘

Professor Foster ended by summarising CBM's viewpoints - the mental health service package must be acceptable and wanted by the user, it must be adapted to the local context, and delivered through a strong health systems.

There was a lot of agreement at the launch on what it will take to close the ‘mental health gap’ - the enormous different between the need for services, and the servicres available. Now we need to work together with partners to make sure the gap can be closed ...this is the big challenge.

From Déirdre de Búrca

I think it's important now to look back at the few days that I spent at the MDG Review Summit and to come to some conclusions about its outcomes.

 

 

In general, the response of the Development NGO community has been a positive one. The official outcome document of the review summit reflects some welcome elements of a rights-based approach to the Millennium Development Goals, and a focus on vulnerable populations, which were largely absent from the original Millennium Declaration in 2000.

• respect for all human rights, including the right to development, the rule of law, gender equality (Para 3)
• gender equality, the empowerment of women, women’s full enjoyment of all human rights and the eradication of poverty are essential to economic and social development (Para 12)
• Respecting, promoting and protecting all human rights, including the right to development (23 j)
• Strengthening statistical capacity to produce reliable disaggregated data for better programmes and policy evaluation and formulation (23 s)
• A recognition that policies and actions must focus on the poor and those living in the most vulnerable situations, including persons with disabilities, so that they benefit from progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. In this respect there is a particular need to provide more equitable access to economic opportunities and social services (28)
• A recognition that the respect for and promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of effective work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (53)
• A statement that all countries require adequate, timely, reliable and disaggregated data, including demographic data, in order to design better programmes and policies for sustainable development (68)
• A commitment to promote full and productive employment and decent work for all, including for women, indigenous people, young people, people with disabilities and rural populations (70 d)
• A commitment to make special efforts to meet the nutritional needs of women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities, as well as those living in vulnerable situations, through targeted and effective programming (70 v)
• A commitment to remove barriers, outside and within education systems, so as to provide equitable educational and learning opportunities for all children, since knowledge and education are key factors for sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth and for the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals, through continued political emphasis on education and by promoting, with the support of the international community, civil society and the private sector, appropriate and targeted, evidence-based measures such as abolishing school fees, providing school meals, ensuring that schools have separate sanitation facilities for boys and girls and in other ways making primary education for all children available, accessible and affordable (71 c)
• A commitment to strengthen efforts to ensure primary education as a fundamental element of the response to and preparedness for humanitarian emergencies, ensuring that affected countries are supported, at their request, in their efforts to restore their education systems by the international community (70 j)
• A commitment to ensure access to education and successful schooling of girls by removing barriers and (72 b)
• A commitment to realizing the values and principles of primary healthcare including equity, solidarity, social justice, universal access to services, multi-sectoral action, transparency, accountability community participation, and empowerment, as the basis for strengthening health systems, and recall in this regard the Declaration of Alma-Ata (73 a)
• A commitment to remove barriers to access (health care)  (73 b)

(iii) Were there any specific references to people with disabilities by states?
 
A number of States who spoke at the Review Summit made specific reference to people with disabilities in relation to the achievement of the MDGs. These states included Finland, Austria, Barbados, Japan, and Bosnia (see here - halfway down page)

 

While the new rights-based language contained within the MDG Review outcome document is considered very positive, many MDG commentators point to the fact that there is still a lack of any clear Action Plans or accountability mechanisms that will hold states to the commitments they have made within the reviewed MDG framework. There is also general concern about the likely impact of the global economic downturn on future flows of development aid to the poorest countries of the world.

 

There is a growing sense of realism that with five years left to achieve the MDGs, it will be a real challenge to meet the original goals set within that time-frame. Discussions have already started about the global development framework that might replace the MDGs after 2015. It is clear that this question should start to be debated and considered by the Development NGO community, and others, rather than leaving it until the 2015 deadline approaches.

 

I was very fortunate to be invited to a seminar jointly organised by Realizing Rights - the Ethical Globalisation Initiative and the Center for Economic and Social Rights on my last day in New York. The title of the seminar was "Human Rights and Development- Taking Stock and Moving Forward". The point was made that there is a real need to build bridges between Human Rights and Development and to ensure that the development efforts of states are consistent with their human rights obligations. The idea that development represents charity from rich to poor was challenged. It was argued that MDGs are a vehicle to build awareness for human rights.

 

I reminded those present of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Article 32 of that Convention which represents a very important bridge between human rights and development. Now that we are thinking about what the global development framework might look like after 2015, I think we should plan to ensure that a human rights framework is fully embedded into whatever new paradigm emerges.

 

So I'm back in Dublin now, but the work is only just beginning! Thanks for following my blog over the last week.

From Déirdre de Búrca

So back at the UN Headquarters today and Barack Obama is due to speak, along with many other leaders. It's interesting to follow what the Heads of State of different countries are saying about the MDGs. From a disability point of view it's been disappointing that, despite the new references to disability and vulnerability in the text of the MDG Review outcome document,  most of the political leaders that have spoken to date havent mentioned the importance of ensuring that vulnerable populations, or people with disabilities, benefit from MDG activities. The exceptions are the contributions made by Austria, Finland and Barbados (you can follow the contributions of States on the MDG summit section of UN website).
 
It's also been interesting to hear the many references by political leaders to the current global financial crisis and the likely impact on the MDG outcomes. I think its important to remember that even when economies across the world were booming, progress towards achieving the MDG goals was still unacceptably slow. In Ireland's case, while we became one of the richest countries in the world, we often cited concerns about competitiveness to justify our reluctance to move faster on reaching the 0.7% of GNI that we had pledged to help us to deliver on our MDG commmitments. The point that needs to be made is that regardless of economic circumstances in the majority world, we need to agree that a certain percentage of our wealth/income is always directed at tackling global hunger, poverty and under-development.
 
The really poor people of the world shouldn't have to suffer because of boom and bust cycles in our global economic system. International political consensus needs to build around the idea that a certain percentage of global income is permanently directed at poorer regions of the world. Creativity can be used in designing new ways to supplement existing financial flows to the developing world. For example, a transaction tax on international financial speculation is one idea that has been around for a while - why not push for the implementation of something like a Tobin Tax? Big corporations also need to become more involved in providing financing and other resources to assist with international development efforts, particularly where very vulnerable populations are concerned.
 
On that note, I have arranged to meet someone who works for an American philanthropic organisation for a chat later on today. I want to explore with him whether his organisation would be interested in funding any of CBM's activities/projects involving people with disabilities in the developing world. I also attended a very interesting assembly of GCAP (Global Campaign Against Poverty) today but will wait until I write my blog tomorrow to go into any detail.

From Déirdre de Búrca

It's 1am and I am just back in my hotel after a very long day. The day began with a request from the Irish Dept of Foreign Affairs to be at the Barclay's Intercontinental Hotel at 8am to go through security for the Hunger seminar with Hilary Clinton and Minister Micheal Martin. I duly turned up at 8am and was delighted to find that I would be in the main room where Secretary Clinton was speaking. The event was very well organised and made it clear that Ireland and the US are going to prioritise partnering to reduce childhood undernutrition. In fact the Minister made the announcement that 20% of Ireland's overall development aid budget would be dedicated to tackling hunger from here on.

Hilary Clinton looked very well and sounded very upbeat and energetic. The room was full of ministers and other important dignitaries from international bodies such as the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, the European Union etc. The campaign to tackle childhood nutrition is being called '1000 days', as the first 1000 days of a child's life are the most important from the point of view of nutrition - damage done at this stage through lack of nutrition can be irreversible. I also met many of the Irish Aid personnel at this event who had done a really fabulous job organising the event.

I spent the afternoon in a GCAP (Global Call to Action Against Poverty) side event that had been called for people representing vulnerable and excluded groups in relation to the MDGs. It was a fascinating meeting and a very 'philosophical' discussion was held about the possible title of the group and its proposed terms of reference. I then went to the Irish UN Perm Rep's building in NY where Irish Aid has offices on the 19th floor. All of the Irish Development NGO community had a face to face meeting with Ministers Micheal Martin and Peter Power and senior Irish Aid people about the MDG Review Summit outcome, the upcoming Irish budget and any global development framework that might replace the MDGs after 2015. (No firm conclusions were reached on the latter).

The rest of the evening was spent socialising and I am just home now. I'm too tired to write anything interesting so I will wait until tomorrow. Goodnight and hope this post didn't put you to sleep!

From Déirdre de Búrca

Well - I just spent a full and very interesting day around the UN Headquarters where the great and the good were assembled. Security was very tight as all of the Heads of State were attending for the Opening Plenary Session. I was at a number of 'side events' that occurred on the margins so didnt see any 'celebrity' politicians - pity!

The Outcome Document of the Review Summit to be approved by the summit is in circulation. It is a fairly good document. It both serves to  re-affirm the international community’s commitments and obligations within the MDG Framework, but also provides for new issues of focus.

For the first time ever, the issue of Disability has been included in the MDG framework. The role of the private sector in achieving the MDGs is also explicitly recognised. Finally, there is clear agreement in the document on some of the follow-up required. This includes an annual review by the UN General Assembly of progress towards the MDGs, a review summit to be organised in 2013 to ensure progress on the MDGs, and a process of reflection to be initiated by the UN Secretary General about the required framework for Development, beyond 2015.

I have been given a pass for the Hunger event organised by the US and Irish Governments tomorrow (Tues) morning at which both the Irish minister for Foreign  Affairs, Micheal Martin, will speak, along with the US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. Security will be very tight so we have been asked to be at the venue at 8am tomorrow morning. This means that I should have been in bed several hours ago. Anyway, I'm on my way there right now, so will blog again tomorrow later in the day.

From Déirdre de Búrca

After a rather noisy night's sleep in an Upper West side hotel last night, I'm about to head out to meet someone for breakfast before the day's proceedings begin at the UN Headquarters. She works for the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) and has been influential, along with others, in getting the issue of disability integrated into the draft text that is likely to form the Declaration of this MDG Review Summit. That is a huge achievement as I think I mentioned in my blog yesterday that astonishingly, the original Millennium Development Goals Declaration document in 2000 didn't mention disability at all.

For the public at large it can sometimes appear strange to be fretting over whether a particular wording appears in an official document or not. However, it is hugely important. The original MDG Declaration document and the Review Summit Declaration that should emerge from this summit I am attending in New York will frame and shape global development efforts over the coming years. Governments around the world tend to take their policy direction from the priorities that are highlighted in these official international agreements.

I expect today to be a very busy day with all of the events that I am attending, and the security that will surround them! All of the Heads of State and Government are expected today so the UN Headquarters will be a hive of activity. I'd better go and not miss my breakfast appointment! Will blog later to let you know how the day has gone and what has been achieved!

From Déirdre de Búrca

I head off this morning to the UN Millenium Development Goals (MDG) Review Summit in New York with an official Irish delegation. I have been hired as the new Advocacy Co-ordinator for CBM Ireland. It is just a part of a much larger international christian organisation- CBM International - working on behalf of people with disabilities in developing countries. The summit itself is about measuring what has been disappointing progress towards achieving the Millenium Development Goals, to which governments signed up in 2000. It is also part of an effort to quicken the pace at which targets are met so that the original 2015 deadline has some hope of being achieved.
 
 I will certainly be busy over the next few days, as, along with others,  I lobby and network to try to ensure that the issue of disability is properly integrated into the official text emerging from the UN Review Summit. International momentum is building to include people with disabilities within global development efforts. Unfortunately in developing countries, people with disabilities experience disproportionately high rates of poverty. They face exclusion from mainstream social, economic and political life, with limited access to key areas of development, including health, education, food, shelter and employment.
 
Many people might be shocked to hear that 80% of disabled people live in developing countries, of which 82% live below the poverty line. Unfortunately the orginal wording of the MDGs did not mention disability. CBM is working on many fronts, and in many countries, to ensure amonst other objectives : (i) the inclusion of people with disabilities in international development  (ii) the inclusion of children with disabilities in quality primary education (MDG2) (iii) The prioritisation of women's and children's health, particularly around pregnancy and birth, as so many disabilities arise from poor birthing practices.
 
I will be writing a daily blog from New York so will give you feedback on any progress made at the Review Summit. Tomorrow I'll tell you exactly how CBM believes see disability can be effectively included in the Millenium Development Goals.