Promoting the Rights of Disabled Children Globally

The 56 page report of the October 5, 1999 seminar, "Seen and Heard: Promoting the Rights of the Disabled Child Globally," organized by the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) in Brighton, England is now available.

Excerpted below are the Introduction, Table of Contents and Chapter 9 from the report. Copies of this report can be obtained from the IDDC administrator administrator@iddc.org.uk

Introduction

The articles in this report reflect a wide range of perspectives and approaches in relation to promoting disabled child rights, most of which were presented during this one day seminar. They do not reflect an IDDC view but rather the real and diverse perspectives of people who are working in the world today to promote disabled child rights. 

Part I presents an overview of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and how its relates to disabled children. Simone Aspis, (an adult who as a child was labelled as having a learning disability) concludes this section with a challenging crtitique of the CRC from the perspective of persons with learning disability.

Part II focuses in some detail on specfic perspectives, for example, issues relating to deaf children, young persons with physical disability from North and South, and also young disabled people attending a special school in the UK.

Part III presents a selection of practical action in the form of programmes and networks promoting disabled children's rights. In addition, individual member agencies of IDDC focusing on children, such as Save the Children UK and Radda Barnen, have a lot more information on programmes not presented in this report, but available from their offices.

The report concludes with examples of two key information networks which can be used to promote disabled child rights globally. 

More examples of good practice and innovative programmes can be submitted to the IDDC website (www.iddc.org.uk) by sending to co-ordinator@iddc.org.uk

Copies of this report can be obtained from the IDDC administrator administrator@iddc.org.uk

Sue Stubbs, IDDC Co-ordinator 

INTRODUCTION

PART I : The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Implications for Disabled Children

1.Introduction to the CRC and the Role of the Monitoring Committee, Queenie Mokhuane

2.Introduction to the Working Group ; « Rights for Disabled Children » DAA

3.Save the Children Alliance Project on Violations and Good Practice 

4.The Right to Education : The CRC and the Salamanca Statement, UNESCO

5.Article 12 of the CRC : Implications for Children with Learning Disability, Simone Aspis

PART II : Key Issues and Different Perspectives

6.Voices of Young Disabled People : The PACT Project from Yorkshire

7.Deaf Issues Globally, Doreen Woodford

8.Global Issues for Children with Learning Disability ; Nancy Breitenbach, 

9.Perspectives on Disabled Children from Beverley Ashton, ADD

10.Young Persons with Physical Disability : Perspectives from PHOS seminar

PART III : Practical Programme Examples on Promoting Disabled Children's Rights

11.Preventing Blindness and Early Intervention: Christofel Blinden Mission

12.A Community Programme in Ethiopia : Leonard Cheshire International

13.Disabled Child Rights and Conflict Situations

13.1.Save the Children's Programme in Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

13.2.A Perspective from Handicap International : Claude Simonnot

14. Inclusive Education and Rights of Disabled Children

14.1.La Nostra Famiglia

14.2.Exclusion in Schooling  AIFO

15.Information and the Rights of Disabled Children

15.1.EENET : Susie Miles

15.2.Healthlink Worldwide : Heather Payne

List of Participants in One Day Seminar,Brighton

Beverley Ashton, Action on Disability and Development

Disabled children have the same basic needs as all children - adequate food, shelter, security, nurture and social contact. They are as good, or as naughty as all children.They are as brave or as fearful as their lives demand that they be.They need security but they also need to be able to play, take risks, have triumphs and experience mishaps.They need support but also to have expectations placed upon them to prepare them for adulthood.

Most disabled children will become disabled adults but few of them know this.As they learn that little boys become men and little girls become women, many disabled children believe that they will grow up non-disabled.

As they progress through childhood and prepare for their future it is important for them to have appropriate role models.They need to learn the skills demanded of disabled adults and to feel good about their identity.For this reason, it is important that disabled children meet the disabled adults from their own societies.

Marginalisation of disabled children

Disabled children have fewer demands placed on them.They may not be able to perform some of the simple household tasks other small children do to contribute to the household economy, but then their mothers may not teach or ask them to do others that they could.Disabled children are likely to be fed last and may have to survive infections as best they can without medical intervention as their fate is seen to be "the will of god".Later, disabled children are less likely to be sent to school for fear that they will not cope, will face ridicule or that their disclosure will affect the marriage prospects of their siblings.

Even at this early stage in life, a disabled child is often seen as the passive recipient of whatever fate delivers.

Having not attended school, disabled young people are at a significant disadvantage in obtaining apprenticeships and job training placements.This in turn makes it difficult for them to obtain work, earn an income or financially support a family.Even those who have been to school are not easily able to find paid work or gain access to the credit they need to begin a business.

As disabled girls are deemed unmarriagable, they are not able to secure their future through a husband's income.

Reduced capacity to support the family

As society excludes disabled people the pay-back, or social security, disabled children can offer their parents later in life is severely reduced.They are not seen as worthwhile investment by the family, who speak of them as a "useless mouth to feed".

This early lack of investment in disabled children is not just a reflection of ignorance.In situations of poverty this is a desperate but rational economic decision by the family.Excluded from job-training, employment, and access to credit disabled young people are not in a position to financially support elderly parents.Indeed unmarriagable disabled women and their illegitimate children often remain dependent on family support themselves.

Self-help approach to change

ADD believes that disabled people themselves are the most powerful advocates for changing attitudes and breaking down the barriers created by society.We continue to work with disabled people's organisations in Africa and Asia, supporting their campaign for the rightful inclusion of all disabled adults and children in society.