Susana Stiglich, Disability Advocate, Peru
Background
Susana Stiglich, a deaf disability advocate, was selected as one of the participants in the RI/WID Beijing+5 training and advocacy event and she provided the following updates to her work in early 2001.
Interviewer: One of the purposes of the Global Strategies Project was to introduce women with disabilities to role models, career options and to establish an ongoing network of women with disabilities at all levels of career development. Did the Beijing+5 conference have an impact in these areas? Have you stayed in contact with your fellow participants?
SS: The Beijing Plus Five conference had an amazing impact on me. First of all because since I work with people with disabilities and for the disabled in Peru, was wonderful to learn about disabled women's issues which were unheard of here in my country. I really learned from the speakers, their experiences, projects developed, and investigations that they had done. All those experiences have helped me to visualize and include a gender perspective in everything I do.
I have maintained contact with all the deaf participants, and Latin American participants, sharing information by email mostly.
Interviewer: Describe projects which you have developed that have been enhanced by your participation in the Beijing Plus five conference.
SS: "As I have mentioned above, the Beijing Plus Five experience has influenced all areas of my work. At the Defensoría del Pueblo, I have been doing an investigation on the current situation on special education in Peru, this investigation has concluded and we are waiting to have our report published soon with the collaboration of Save the Children Sweden (I will send you a copy soon).
Sexual Abuse & Neglect
In this investigation we included topics such as the education of disabled girls, sexual abuse and neglect.
This research and investigation is the first of its kind in our country.
Our investigation motivated Save the Children Sweden to conduct another investigation specifically on sexual abuse in disabled children in general, and exploring what are the protection mechanisms provided by public service programs throughout Peru. Another study will be conducted soon on discrimination towards women, children and disabled people by Save the Children Sweden too.
At Defensoría del Pueblo, we will continue doing more investigations in this field since we have noticed the need to do more investigations of this kind. Our office, has the faculty of persuasion, and as our main function is to supervise government administration (ministries of education, health, women and human development, economy, labor, etc.) we can issue "Resoluciones Defensoriales" (which is a law) and enforce compliance of Peruvian and international laws and covenants subscribed.
Accessibility
"In APRODDIS, we have been working on a variety of disability topics. Specifically on accessibility, we are developing the promotion of tourism for disabled people, we worked intensively to improve the accessibility of the 2001 general presidential elections, and on a new project, "Manos Que Hablan" (Hands that Talk).
Also concerning accessibility, we have conducted a series of workshop and seminars, including an international conference on accessibility which was held in November 11 and 12 last year. We will be doing a repeat of this international conference on accessibility in three of the largest cities outside of Lima: Trujillo, Cusco and Arequipa.
Tourism
"I have written a chapter on tourism for the deaf for Prom Peru. Prom Peru is a commission in charge of promoting tourism in Peru in all areas. They have published this manual, which has been distributed nationwide to all tourism service providers (hotels, restaurants, museums, etc.).
National Elections
"This year, we had new presidential elections in April and in June. APRODDIS worked with local disabled organizations and the Office for Electoral Processes (ONPE- Peru). We aired three television commercials about the right to vote for disabled people, radio commercials containing the same information, manuals on how to vote on tape and in Braille system, and how to become an observer during the elections using tapes and the Braille system as well. During the elections disabled women and men participated as observers for Transparencia (national organization that does observation during elections) as a result of signed agreements between APRODDIS and Transparencia. We also traveled to all 23 cities in Peru conducting seminars on the right to vote for disabled people, why they need to vote, and the current legislation which enforces various facilities, for example, reserved parking for the disabled and the use of a special voting ballot in Braille.
"It was a great experience and the participation of disabled people in the elections has incremented. Thanks to IFES, the Canadian Agency for Development Cooperation, the Swedish Agency for Development Cooperation and many others this project was a success.
Peurvian Sign Language
"Another project that I have been involved as project coordinator is Manos Que Hablan. Sign Language in Peru is not officially recognized and it hasn't been well researched. This project attempts through a sociolinguistic study, to standardize Peruvian Sign Language and unify the deaf community. Currently in our country, the deaf community is divided due to the difference in sign languages used, and ways to teach deaf children in schools.
"We have now established a nationwide net of "Manos que Hablan volunteers" that are mostly deaf people, teachers of the deaf, and hearing people that know sign language. Our team, has traveled nationwide conducting on site investigations about deaf people, sign language, schools for the deaf, interpreters, and other areas of interest thanks to the support of APRODDIS which is the principal promoter. Other promoters are Peruvian Association for the Deaf, Unión Biblica del Peru, and various schools for the deaf. We don't have funding for this project yet, but we continue looking for all kinds of support to begin the study in conjunction with the department of linguistics of the Pontifica Universidad Católica del Peru in the following months. In the study, equal numbers of women and men will be utilized."
Interviewer: Do you feel at this type of conference which utilized role models and practical exchanges of experience in addition to academic presentations could be useful to other groups in the future in your country?
SS: "This conference was important because utilized role models of all types of disabilities. This was especially inspiring, motivating and uplifting because when we work in our countries sometimes we feel we are working alone--- but we are not alone, we have the support of outstanding professionals around the world who can help us when needed, share experiences and support us in specific issues.
Academic presentations are also important, because we need to be updated with current investigations, laws, literature on disabled girls and women, and activities since we can use this information to back up our projects in our countries.
I think the conference in New York for Beijing Plus Five was an outstanding conference. The same type of conference would be very, very useful in our country. How can this be done? APRODDIS offers to be a counterpart to host a follow-up Beijing Plus Five seminar. We can work together to organize a similar conference here in Peru. With adequate timing and preparation we would love to have this conference repeated in Peru.
I will never be able to stop thanking the organizers for the invitation to participate and the support they have given to me."
|
