Global community of professionals working in Communication for Development
Communication for Development (C4D) promising practices are dialogue-driven interventions that lead to the sustainable improvement of living conditions for children and their families, particularly the most vulnerable. This booklet brings together four outstanding examples from Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Viet Nam, where UNICEF-supported interventions by governments and civil society organizations are bringing about positive change.
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This report provides insights into the challenges that hinder the participation of Armenian women with disabilities and identifies the means to address them. To conduct the research, Agate utilized IFES’ Intersectionality Assessment Framework, organizing participatory focus group discussions with men and women with disabilities and their peers from urban and rural areas of Armenia.
Armenian women with disabilities identified various attitudinal, communication, environmental and institutional barriers to participation in formal political spaces and in the recent demonstrations that led to a change of political leadership. Women with hearing disabilities noted that they did not participate in political campaigns because they did not have access to information about candidates and the process.
The report found that women with disabilities are not participating in formal political spaces equally with their peers. The attitude of the public, Armenian patriarchal society and family indifference also increase the likelihood of women with disabilities becoming marginalized from political processes. Even so, it revealed that building confidence in women with disabilities and raising awareness of rights would provide a critical foundation to overcoming their inner fears and building their capacity to participate as voters, candidates, observers, and other leaders in political life. Finally, when women with disabilities have the opportunity to detect and assess discrimination, government stakeholders should involve them in policymaking and legislation that concerns them.
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There is very little qualitative and quantitative data on disability-related issues worldwide. ‘Voices of the Marginalised’ is a pioneering research study aimed at understanding the specific challenges faced by men and women with disabilities and older people, living in two different countries – Bangladesh and Tanzania. The stories collected in each report tell of the experiences of older people and persons with disabilities in one country, at one moment in time, providing valuable testimony of the considerable equality and poverty challenges they face – in particular in securing livelihoods; accessing public services; living free of discrimination, bullying, harassment and violence; and accessing justice. The methodology chosen was a community-based participatory approach.
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This toolkit was developed as part of an Inclusion International project, Accessing the Ballot Box, funded by the UN Democracy Fund. The project was designed to address the limited political participation of people with intellectual disabilities in Kenya, Zanzibar and Lebanon.
It sought to identify and challenge the barriers people with intellectual disabilities face in exercising their right to civic engagement and political participation and increase the awareness and knowledge of project stakeholders (people with intellectual disabilities, their families and representative organizations, service providers and governments) on building inclusive democratic processes.
While the project was focused on three countries, the tools and resources have been designed to be applicable in ALL countries. The limited political participation of people with intellectual disabilities is a result of a number of factors – law, policy and practice. Even in countries where no legal prohibition exists, the data suggests that political participation remains low.
Political participation is not simply the act of casting a ballot on election day. Political participation – happens before, during and after elections. To increase political participation and to help shape inclusive civic engagement, our focus, too, must extend beyond the ballot box to look at what inclusive political participation means and how people with intellectual disabilities can access the ballot box.
Click here for full toolkit.
Global Disability Summit – Civil Society Statement
24 July 2018, London, United Kingdom
On 23 July 2018 (London) over 600 representatives from Organisations of Persons with Disabilities also referred to as DPOs, Civil Society, Governments, Multilateral Organisations, and the Private Sector met to support the implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Agenda 2030.
Collaboratively, we wish to convey the following Statement:
We commit to working with all stakeholders here at the Summit to ensure that all persons with disabilities can have full and equal enjoyment of their rights and fundamental freedoms, as set out in the CRPD.
Agenda 2030 is an important opportunity to promote the rights of persons with disabilities globally, and the CRPD should be its guiding framework.
We acknowledge the steps taken to realise the rights of persons with disabilities and their families, by Governments and organisations here today. However, there remains much more to be done.
Today, we call on those present to make measurable, ambitious and lasting commitments. Commitments which will be made a reality and not just stay on paper.
It is time to implement the CRPD in every corner of the world: in every city, in every train station, in every village, in every mountain and valley, in every refugee camp and in every school.
We all, you all, the World Leaders in this room, have a unique opportunity. But also a responsibility.
We call on you all here today to:
Finally, we wish to convey that we fully support the Charter for Change and its effective follow-up.
We thank you for the opportunity to be active participants here today and wish everyone a meaningful and productive Summit.
(Reproduced in full from the International Disability Access website: http://www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/cs-statement)
Full details of the Summit can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/global-disability-summit-2018/about