Disability Buzz
UN Meetings Postponed
Due to terrorist attacks, international conferences important to the disability community have been postponed. As of September 20, our information is that:
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the UN Special Session on Children, to review a decade of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, will be rescheduled shortly to take place in May or June of 2002;
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the annual UN Assembly, scheduled for September 24-October 5, has been postponed for the first time in the 56 year history of the organization.
The international disability advocacy groups had planned caucuses and other strategies to impress upon the government representatives how important it is upgrade attention to disabled children and adults within all UN initiatives. This issue of DisabilityWorld features the documents prepared by Rehabilitation International and Inclusion International for distribution at the UN Special Session on Children.
RI Statutory Meetings in Lebanon Shortened, Conference Proceeds on Schedule Although the events of September 11 forced flight cancellations of some RI officers and assembly members, many others did manage to reach Lebanon in time for a shortened meeting of the annual Assembly on September 18. More than 350 participants arrived for the RI Arab Regional Conference, September 19-21 in Beirut. An interview with one of the conference planners, Prof. Nawaf Kabbara of Lebanon, appears in this issue of DisabilityWorld.
Father of International Mental Disability Movement Dies
Prof. Gunnar Dybwad, born in Leipzig, Germany, died September 13 in Massachusetts at the age of 92 after dedicating his life to improving the civil rights of people with intellectual disabilities worldwide. He and his wife, Rosemary, who died in 1992, were founders and longtime supporters of the International League of Families of the Mentally Handicapped, now known as Inclusion International. Earning his doctorate in law in 1934 from the University of Halle, Prof. Dybwad persistently mentored disability advocates about how to achieve advances through the legal and court systems in their countries. His academic appointments included professor of human development at Brandeis University. All who knew Gunnar will recall his impassioned speeches on behalf of disabled children, his derision of IQ tests and similar artifice, and his uncontainable glee when his side won a victory.
Event Planned to Launch the African Decade
Bob Ransom, one of our colleagues at the International Labor Organization, has asked us to inform DisabilityWorld readers that the Organization for African Unity and the African Union will sponsor a meeting November 19-23 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to develop a plan of action for the African Decade of Disabled Persons. One of Africa's foremost disability rights leaders, Joshua Malinga, is interviewed in this issue of DisabilityWorld.The event will be organized by the African Rehabilitation Institute in collaboration with disabled people's organizations and details are available via email from B.Z. Gumede: gumede@ecoweb.co.zw.
ILO Poster Competition Deadline: November 16
An ILO poster competition has been announced "to promote equal opportunities for women and men with disabilities, to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity." A series of posters is being planned to support the launch of the revised ILO Disability Strategy in December. An honorarium of $1000 will be awarded for the winning design, to be announced in Geneva on December 3, International Day of Disabled Persons. Details via email: IFPSkills@ILO.org or on the web: www.ilo.org/employment/disability
Spanish Presidency of European Union to Promote Inclusion
When the EU Presidency is rotated every six months, that country's leadership has opportunities to promote its priorities. It has been announced that under the Presidency of Spain, a conference to promote new models of full inclusion of disabled people will be held in Madrid, March 20-23, 2002. Frank Mulcahy, an officer of the Disabled People's International World Council, has been asked to organize a workshop on human rights and he is requesting copies of relevant studies and documents. Email: fmulcahy@iol.ie
Disabled Survivors of Terrorist Attacks
There have been several emailings this week by U.S. national and local independent living groups trying to ascertain the situation of disabled people living in downtown Manhattan who may be cut off from other people or services due to the lack of electricity, phone service and transportation in that area. Recently on CNN, a leading television personality, Larry King interviewed Michael Hingson, a blind businessman who walked down 78 floors in his escape from the World Trade Center. In response to King's incredulity, Hingson was fairly matter of fact about how he and his dog, Roselle, were able to make their way down together with many others, but he did comment that he recognized the smell of jet fuel and knew it was no ordinary fire above them. Read more in an article about how Americans with Disabilities Respond to the Attacks.
Equal Rights to Lose Your Paycheck?
And, finally, on a lighter note, we have received an announcement that this fall's convention of the gaming industry in Las Vegas will preview an accessible version of slot machines, featuring both Braille and speech access. Bally Gaming has partnered with Ray Charles and audio tracks of Ray and the Raylettes will be heard giving instructions.
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