Disabled
Peoples’ International Asia Pacific Regional Council
organized the Capacity Building Training-Seminar
for Persons with Disabilities in Asia-Pacific Region (CBTS)
within the theme "Toward an Inclusive, Barrier-free,
Rights-based Society for Persons With Disabilities" in
Kathmandu, Nepal from 13th to 17th February 2004 in which
50 delegates participated from 28 countries, including more
than 50 local participants. The CBTS aimed to promote young
leadership in the region and to build capacities to promote
the Biwako Millennium Framework as well as to help them in
mobilizing support for the ongoing work for the International
Convention to Promote and Protect the Rights of Disabled Persons
in their respective countries. In view of the foregoing, we
commit ourselves to promote the disability movement in the
region:
- Establish a mechanism for the inclusion of Persons with
Disabilities at all levels of decision-making particularly
in the government;
- Ensure equal opportunities for Women with Disabilities
through their participation in decision-making processes
and the repeal of existing legislation that discriminates
against them ;
- Ensure that accessibility is promoted through the implementation
of existing accessibility legislation in countries or
the enactment of accessibility legislation in countries
where these are not yet existent;
- Ensure better communication facilities for people with
hearing impairment and visual impairment by appropriate
promotion of sign language and Braille, and recognize
them as national languages;
- Ensure equal opportunities for employment through the
provision of appropriate education and skills to Persons
with Disabilities;
- Empower and develop Disabled Peoples' Organizations
so they may influence their respective governments and
create awareness on disability issues in the society;
- Strengthen sub-regional activities through the formation
of cross-disability forums at the sub-regional level;
We recognize the efforts of the Government of Nepal and
its agencies in collaborating with Disabled Peoples' International-Asia
Pacific, Japan International Cooperation Agency and leaders
of the disability movement in the region for taking the
initiative to organize this seminar.
We call upon all the Governments of the Asia Pacific Region
to support the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities.
Katmandu, Nepal
17 February 2004 |
