U.S. Agency for International Development Issues Progress Report on Disability Policy

Janet Allem of USAID reports that the Second Annual Report of the USAID Disability Policy Team is now available at http://www.info.usaid.gov/about/disability. Two years ago, USAID issued a policy to encourage inclusion of people with disabilities in all USAID activities. The first Annual Report, issued January 1999, recommended the adoption of five intermediary goals to increase inclusion of people with disabilities. This Second Annual report details progress made to implement those goals.

The Report gives examples of AID work around the world supporting various disability projects. Below are excerpts from the Nicaragua section.
 

The Government of Nicaragua passed Law # 202 on the "Prevention, Rehabilitation and Equality of Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities." This law requires equality of access in places of employment, education, public entertainment, cultural institutions and tourist attractions. Presidential Decree # 50-97 further mandates the establishment of norms and regulations to implement the law through a multi-sectoral commission under the leadership of the Ministry of Health. To date, however, little progress has occurred in implementing this law or enforcing its requirements.
 

Civil Society Support

On the other hand, an active and large community of private voluntary organizations is working in Nicaragua to represent and advocate for the needs of persons with disabilities and their families. These groups represent those with spinal cord injuries, the hearing impaired, war victims, etc. An outstanding example is the work of the National Association of the Nicaraguan Hearing-Impaired (ANSNIC) that has attracted the international attention of linguists, as well as the New York Times Magazine in a feature article October 24, 1999. ANSNIC has a unique and highly successful education program in sign language. Under the auspices of ANSNIC, several Nicaraguan NGOs, working for the rights and needs of PWDs, have formed a consortium, FECONORI (Federation for Coordination of Nicaraguan Organizations for Rehabilitation and Integration). This umbrella consortium seeks to promote implementation of Law # 202, raise public awareness and improve the quality of life.

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports' special education department, supporting a model that emphasizes multi-grade rural schools, has requested USAID assistance for training of master teachers, school directors and supervisors on topics directly addressing the integration of special needs students into the classroom and the need to respond to different learning styles. Over the next two years, 2500 teacher trainers nationwide will be assisted in these topics.

PROFAMILIA is USAID/Nicaragua's largest local NGO providing reproductive health services. PROFAMILIA now has clinics open in most of the country's major cities and has expanded its services to offer counselling, social services and on-site medical consultations for women, men and children. The Mission is exploring ways of integrating additional diagnostic and referral services for persons with disabilities into this program. These services would include early detection and initial assessments of adults and children suspected of having physical or psychological disabilities followed by referral to appropriate specialists.

The Mission also has made the rights and the political participation of groups representing persons with disabilities a priority under its competitive grants intervention within its democracy/governance program. The competitive grants program will be managed by a local NGO with USAID supervision. Nicaraguan NGOs will apply to carry out programs in a number of specific areas in order to strengthen Nicaraguan civil society. The rights and participation of person with disabilities will be one of the specific programmatic areas.

In addition, USAID/Nicaragua will host a meeting this year for representatives from the more than 100 local and international NGOs/PVOs working in Nicaragua with the aim of improving the lives of disabled people. The meeting will encourage and increase the participation of persons with disabilities in USAID's development assistance activities.

Because of the large number of disabilities that resulted from Nicaragua's civil war, USAID/Nicaragua has contacted the Patrick J. Leahy War Victims Fund (LAWF) to inquire about potential funding for Nicaragua. LAWF works directly with PAHO; hence, the Mission is coordinating directly with PAHO/Managua on this effort.