Inter-American Training Seminar for Leaders with Disabilities
Santiago de Chile
March 18-20 2001
By Rosangela Berman-Bieler (iidisab@aol.com)
The InterAmerican Institute on Disability (IID), through its main and Andean offices organized the event within the framework of the Inter American Development Bank's and the Inter American Investment Corporation's Governor's Annual Assembly.
The leadership training was also co-organized with the Corporation for the Assistance to the Visually Impaired (COPRADEV) and the National Fund for Disabilities (FONADIS), both based in Chile, and with regional and international support listed below.
Attended by 80 leaders representing all the major disability sectors, 54 were from Chile, and the rest from several Latin American countries. The group was formed by already established and emerging leaders who met to exchange experiences and discuss various aspects of disability and human rights advocacy.
Participants and representatives from civil society were given had structured opportunities to carry out high-level advocacy within the IDB Seminar and within the Annual Assembly, plus to make political and personal contacts (Learn about the contents of the Training Program at www.iidisability.org).
IDB and the World Bank
Another activity organized by IID related to the leadership program was a five hour seminar on "How to Include Disability within Social Development Strategies," that took place at the Diego Portales University's Law School.
This seminar enabled establishment of a direct dialogue among the various sectors of the region: nongovernmental organizations, government officials, and other participants in the IDB Seminar from the previous day. The purpose of the exchange was to analyze strategies for collaboration and action together with Development Bank programs being planned or implemented in the Region.
Participants in these discussions included Ernest Messiah, Coordinator for Disability Activities at the Inter American Development Bank, and Tom Hoopengardner, Coordinator for Disabilities and Development at the World Bank.
Since this exchange not only provided a direct dialogue on cooperation mechanisms among civil society and lenders, but also created opportunities for personal contacts with representatives from these lending agencies, the event was considered a success.
Impact and Results
Reviewing the impact of the overall event, it appears that just the act of planning the training in a coordinated fashion within the important parallel activities that took place in Santiago resulted in serious attention being placed on disability activities in the region. Moreover, it was a cost efficient strategy since participants were exposed to different high-level political situations within activities planned for the occasion.
One of the resulting documents from the event was the "CARTA DE SANTIAGO", that among other important proposals, launches the challenging idea of creating a Latin America and the Caribbean Human Rights Forum for People with Disabilities.
Another event was a meeting that representatives from the IID had with Cabinet Secretary Delpiano, Department of Women (SERNAM) resulting in a commitment to organize a Latin American Seminar for training women with disabilities in May 2002 in Chile.
Assessment
We received numerous comments that allow us to make a qualitative assessment of the Seminar. From the 41 post-event evaluations received, 21 had substantive comments from participants. In statistical terms, a fifty one percent active response from participants indicates a high level of enthusiasm and, therefore, a high level of accomplishment.
The Seminar was able to promote an effective level of advocacy on the subject among the participants, and three main characteristics were highlighted: the informative content and the exchange of information; its detailed analysis of the subject matter; and its farsightedness. On this latter characteristic, the great majority of participants who answered the post evaluation pointed out that the Seminar opened the doors to rising levels of awareness and advocacy on the subject.
In terms of criticism, participants pointed out the mental health issues were not explored and a lack of learning materials to support presentations. On the latter, some participants thought that there was a rhetorical bent that made the comprehension of subjects somewhat difficult. But as one participant declared, in general presentations were good, very good, and extraordinary,
Assessment Questionnaires
In terms of assessment, participants received two questionnaires, one before, and the other after the course. Their content can be accessed at www.iidisability.orgfor research.
Collaborators
The InterAmerican Institute on Disability (IID), as promoter of the disability content of these meetings, could not have been successful without the assistance from the following agencies and individuals:
Sponsors:
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Law School, Diego Portales University, Jurisprudence on Disability Program / Public Interest Action Program.
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Fondo Nacional de la Discapacidad (National Fund for Disability)- FONADIS.
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Instituto de Normalización Previsional (Social Security Institute) - INP
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Corporación Pro-Ayuda al Débil Visual (Assistance fort the Visually Impaired Corporation)- COPRADEV
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Puente Alto City Hall
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ITINERIS-Talleres de Capacitacion Institucional en Discapacidad (Institute for Training on Disability)
Supporters:
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InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB)
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Rehabilitation International (RI)
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World Institute on Disability (WID)
General Coordination:
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Rosangela Berman Bieler, Inter American Institute on Disability-IID, President, Main Office, Washington, DC - USA
National Coordination:
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María Soledad Cisternas Reyes, Inter American Institute on Disability -IID Representative, Andean Office, Santiago de Chile, Director, Jurisprudence on Disability Program, Law School, Diego Portales University
Collaborators and Training Staff In Chile:
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Lautaro Saavedra, Disability Office, Ministry of Planning and Cooperation
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Soledad Fernández, Latin American Group for Professional Rehabilitation GLARP-IIPD
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Brenda Araque, Executive Director, Fundfem Trabajo Para Una Hermana (Women's Fund for a Job for a Sister)
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Pedro Serrano, Professor, Federico Santa María Technical University
International:
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Diego Gonzalez Castañon, ITINERIS-Institutional Training on Disability Workshop, Argentina
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Andrea Aznar, ITINERIS- Institutional Training on Disability Workshop, Argentina
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Marta Aristizabal Gómez, GLARP-IIPD, Colombia
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Alicia Contreras, Whirlwind Women, MEXICO/USA
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Silvia Bastante and Estela Landeros, Americas Foundation/OAS, USA.
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Catalina Colaci, Yukon College/SENDA, Canada
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Eva Gavillan, Department of Education, National Institute for Research on Disability and rehabilitation, USA
IID Contacts:
IID, Main Office, Washington, DC
51 Monroe St., Suite 805-A
Rockville, MD 20850 EE.UU
Tel.: 1(301) 309-9469
Fax: 1(301) 309-9486
Email: iid@iidisability.org
Web: www.iidisability.org
IID, Andean Office, Santiago, Chile
Avenida Eliodoro Yañez 809 of. 13
Providencia
Santiago - Chile
Tel: 56-2-6762601
Fax: 56-2-6762623
Email: mscisternas@123mail.cl
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