Framework for a New Regional NGO Network on Disability
Background
At the 2002 Osaka Forum, the Regional Ngo Network (RNN) completed its founding mission and will be dissolving at the closing of the A/P Decade, 1993-2002. Also in 2002 the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) proclaimed an extension of A/P Decade guided by "inclusive, barrier-free and rights- based" approaches from 2003-2012. The year 2002 also witnesses that UN has started the consultation process of the discussions on drafting of an International Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Along with these developments, the idea of forming a new regional NGO network on disability has been welcomed by various sectors to strengthen regional initiatives and momentum to meet the rising expectations and demands of the New Millennium. The proposed new regional NGO network could maintain an active sharing with IDA as well as active partnership with ESCAP.
The proposed Framework
- Name of the new network: Asia and Pacific Disability Forum (APDF)
- Objective: To support ESCAP resolution 58/4 on "Promoting an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights Based Society for People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region in the Twenty-first Century," and to promote the 2nd Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003 Ð 2012, through implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific.
- Membership:
3.1 Nation-wide/Territory-wide cross-disability umbrella organizations, which are preferably a kind of federation of major local disability organizations.
3.2 Regional branches of IDA members (DPI, II, RI, WBU, WFD, WFDB, WNUSP) and other international organizations which have regional programs of or for people with disabilities.
- Coordinating Committee: A Coordinating Committee is to undertake general planning for APDF, including promotional regional campaigns for the 2nd A/P Decade. The Committee will consist of the following members;
4.1 A representative, who is a person with a disability, from each country/territory where past RNN campaign conferences were organized during 1993Ð 2002 (9 persons)
4.2 A representative, who is a person with a disability, from each prospective country/territory where a campaign conference to promote the 2nd A/P Decade is to be organized during 2003 Ð 2012 (10 persons)
4.3 A representative from each regional branch of IDA members (7 persons) and other international organizations (several)
4.4 The Chair of the Coordinating Committee will be the Chair of APDF.
- Chair: Chair of APDF will be a representative, who is a person with a disability, of the host organization of next campaign conference. The term of the chair will be one year.
- Advisors: Advisors may be appointed by the Coordinating Committee.
- Working Committees: Under the Coordinating Committee the following Working Committees will be established to promote APDF activities;
7.1 UN Convention on Disability Rights Promotion Committee
7.2 Campaign Committee
7.3 Information Committee
7.4 Gender Issues Committee
7.5 Research & Development Committee
7.6 Planning & Management Committee
- Secretariat: the Secretariat will be located, for the beginning years, in Japan. The Secretariat will consist of the Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and Executive Director. These Secretariat staff members will be appointed by the Coordinating Committee. For the time being, Secretary General and Executive Director will be appointed from relevant personnel of the Japanese member organizations of APDF.
- Major activities:
9.1 Coordinating Committee meetings: Coordinating Committee meetings will be held twice a year in conjunction with an annual campaign conference and ESCAP regional working group meeting.
9.2 General meeting: General meeting will be held in conjunction with an annual campaign conference
9.3 Campaign conference: An annual campaign conference will be organized on a rotational basis among sub-regions*. Its first location is yet to be determined.
9.4 Technical assistance: Technical assistance is to be provided to the least developed countries in the region.
9.5 Supports to the Asian and Pacific Development Center on Disability (APDCD). APDF will support the regional activities of the APDCD.
9.6 Information services: Information services will be provided to relevant organizations and individuals through website, newsletters, and Asia and Pacific Journal on Disability, etc.
9.7 Research & Development: To make surveys of actual situations of persons with disabilities especially in the least developed countries to assess their basic needs, as well as to develop appropriate technology to assist persons with disabilities in those countries.
- Funding sources:
10.1 Contributions from member organizations
10.2 Subsidies/grants from international and national organizations, governments, funding organizations and private sectors in the region
10.3 Donations
10.4 Revenues from projects and activities
10.5 Others
*Asian and Pacific Region is divided into the following sub-regions;
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South and South-West Asia (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and others)
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North and Central Asia (Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and others)
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Pacific (Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Vanuatu and others)
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South-East Asia (Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao, Indonesia and others)
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East and North-East Asia (China, Hong Kong SAR, China, Korea, Mongolia, Japan and others)
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