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cbm president mobilises global effort to make development inclusive
People with disabilities in the most disadvantaged societies in our world cannot be ignored, says Foster
cbm is responding positively to the entry into force on May 3 of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, with a commitment to work in collaboration with our partners worldwide to ensure equal rights for persons with disabilities.
cbm is particularly concerned that governments all over the world take steps to implement the Convention, and in so doing ensure that of the estimated 650m people with a disability worldwide, people in the poorest communities have the chance to exercise their rights on an equal footing with others.
cbm urges fair implementation of the Convention by governments in cooperation with stakeholders, and a consensus as to how it can be used to improve quality of life of the approximately 80 per cent of people with a disability who live in low and middle-income countries.
Allen Foster, cbm president, said: “The UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities sends us the message that people with disabilities in the most disadvantaged societies in our world cannot be ignored.”
“Over 100 years, cbm has been working with its partners to assist millions of people, and yet this is only a drop in the ocean when one realises that over 500 million people live in countries where education and health services are inadequate and employment opportunities limited.”
Professor Foster explained: “cbm, working with local partner organisations, aims to provide people with a disability in the poorest areas of the world with access to healthcare, education, training or livelihood support with the goal of enabling them to participate in society on an equal basis with others.”
“It is now important to call upon governments to implement the Convention in a sustainable way so that the social and political change it promises can be mobilised in a concerted effort to improve the quality of life of persons with all kinds of disability."
cbm advocates a twin-track approach to disability, which involves mainstreaming disability in all strategic areas of development cooperation and supporting specific initiatives to enhance the empowerment of persons with disabilities, their families and the communities in which they live.
cbm’s guidelines on disability illustrate how cbm aims to work comprehensively, at community level, on the implementation of the UN Convention, where it really matters- in peoples’ homes and communities.
Some examples of cbm, together with its partner organisations, working in a long-term approach to disability and poverty are:
Professor Foster added: "cbm fully embraces the Convention and will continue its work to assist local partners to improve education, health and rehabilitation services and to promote the rights of persons with disability together with all sectors of society."
Matthew Hanning, interregional advocacy officer for cbm’s West Asia regional office, said: “The fact that the Convention has come into force so soon sends out a clear message of support to governments for its full implementation.”
M. Madhizhagan, public relations and inclusion officer for the cbm South Asia regional office, said: “There is still a long way to go in the implementation of the treaty if we are to raise awareness both within cbm, its partners and among those who stand to benefit from it.”
cbm is an international Christian disability and development organisation working since 1908 to improve the lives of persons with disability and those at risk of disability worldwide through access to healthcare, education, and livelihood support.
Find more facts on the UN Convention and on persons with disabilities here:
A full copy of the Convention is available here:
cbm is responding positively to the entry into force on May 3 of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, with a commitment to work in collaboration with our partners worldwide to ensure equal rights for persons with disabilities.
cbm is particularly concerned that governments all over the world take steps to implement the Convention, and in so doing ensure that of the estimated 650m people with a disability worldwide, people in the poorest communities have the chance to exercise their rights on an equal footing with others.
cbm urges fair implementation of the Convention by governments in cooperation with stakeholders, and a consensus as to how it can be used to improve quality of life of the approximately 80 per cent of people with a disability who live in low and middle-income countries.
Allen Foster, cbm president, said: “The UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities sends us the message that people with disabilities in the most disadvantaged societies in our world cannot be ignored.”
“Over 100 years, cbm has been working with its partners to assist millions of people, and yet this is only a drop in the ocean when one realises that over 500 million people live in countries where education and health services are inadequate and employment opportunities limited.”
Professor Foster explained: “cbm, working with local partner organisations, aims to provide people with a disability in the poorest areas of the world with access to healthcare, education, training or livelihood support with the goal of enabling them to participate in society on an equal basis with others.”
“It is now important to call upon governments to implement the Convention in a sustainable way so that the social and political change it promises can be mobilised in a concerted effort to improve the quality of life of persons with all kinds of disability."
cbm advocates a twin-track approach to disability, which involves mainstreaming disability in all strategic areas of development cooperation and supporting specific initiatives to enhance the empowerment of persons with disabilities, their families and the communities in which they live.
cbm’s guidelines on disability illustrate how cbm aims to work comprehensively, at community level, on the implementation of the UN Convention, where it really matters- in peoples’ homes and communities.
Some examples of cbm, together with its partner organisations, working in a long-term approach to disability and poverty are:
- Advocacy with community members on the rights of people with disabilities to employment in Abuja, Nigeria
- Making public transport in the Philippines accessible for people with disabilities
- Education work with the government of Papua New Guinea for the inclusion of children with disabilities
Professor Foster added: "cbm fully embraces the Convention and will continue its work to assist local partners to improve education, health and rehabilitation services and to promote the rights of persons with disability together with all sectors of society."
Matthew Hanning, interregional advocacy officer for cbm’s West Asia regional office, said: “The fact that the Convention has come into force so soon sends out a clear message of support to governments for its full implementation.”
M. Madhizhagan, public relations and inclusion officer for the cbm South Asia regional office, said: “There is still a long way to go in the implementation of the treaty if we are to raise awareness both within cbm, its partners and among those who stand to benefit from it.”
cbm is an international Christian disability and development organisation working since 1908 to improve the lives of persons with disability and those at risk of disability worldwide through access to healthcare, education, and livelihood support.
Find more facts on the UN Convention and on persons with disabilities here:
A full copy of the Convention is available here:
