The European Parliament hosted a photo exhibition to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The exhibition, developed by CBM and entitled ‘Access for all’, marked the 2008 theme of "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Dignity and justice for all." The photos illustrated CBM's work in promoting political empowerment and access to health, education, livelihood support and social inclusion in some of the most disadvantaged communities in developing countries.
At present only an estimated four percent of Persons with Disabilities in the developing world have access to development aid; speakers at the exhibition called for increased commitment and action to equalise opportunities for Persons with Disabilities around the world. Donor countries in particular needed to honour their role in ensuring that all development and humanitarian assistance was delivered to people with disabilities on an equal footing with others, according to speakers at the opening of 'Access for All'.
Hosting the exhibition was Gay Mitchell, Irish MEP, who frequently campaigns for development aid and poverty reduction at the European level. He pointed out the struggle involved in coming to the aid of farmers in developing countries whose families lives and livelihoods are threatened by the food crisis. Mitchell added that there was 'a need to keep renewing our commitment to poverty reduction and the MDGs', and that 'nowhere is the need felt more keenly than by people with disabilities in the developing world'.
John Bowis MEP, campaigner for the inclusion of disability across all areas of EC policy, noted: 'We are not asking for people to feel sorry for people with disabilities; we see pride and dignity in the faces of people in the exhibition here today, and it is this pride and dignity that we need to respond to. Disability is not inability- inability is cased by the barriers we as a society put in place'.
Bowis noted the impact on whole families of disability, not just in the persons themselved, but for others who were needed at home to care for a family member because of poverty and inadequate support.
Richard Howitt, Chair of the Parliaments Disability Intergroup, stated his commitment to ensuring that the CRPD will be full implemented both in internal and external EC policies, pointing out that 'the real difference worldwide caused by the UN CPPD will be in the developing world.'
The role of the European Commission in the implementation of the Convention was acknowledged by Carlotta Besozzi, Director of the European Disability Forum, who felt that: ''One of the key components in making this difference on people’s lives in the developing world will be the strengthening of the disability movement, especially in Africa.''
Howitt added: 'Where people with disabilities do not get access to relief and protection in emergencies, or where children with disabilities are hidden away at home and denied access to education because of stigma, we must work with those countries'.
Tanja Kern, CBM's Regional Director for the Middle East, closed by reflecting on CBM's work over the past 100 years. 'While much has been achieved in working with partners in over 100 countries, huge challenges still face people with disabilities, who are denied access to basic services and left out of the development agenda- of all the children currently excluded from education, one third are children with disabilities. We cannot hope to achieve the Millennium Development Goals without including people with disabilities'.
For further information on Access for All, please contact catherine.naughton@cbm.org
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