Disabled peoples’ organizations should seek to strengthen their advocacy role with regard to the education of children with disabilities This might include having a designated person responsible for change in this area Representation should be encouraged of disabled persons at relevant education meetings, education committees, etc
Disabled peoples’ organizations should collaborate and cooperate with schools, to support the family and children with disabilities and to facilitate acceptance in school
Disabled peoples’ organizations should encourage establishment of peer support groups or the development of programmes for younger persons with disabilities
Disabled peoples’ organizations should organize public awareness and advocacy programmes to secure more support for student needs in schools Older persons with disabilities should act as role models, sharing their experiences at schools and with teachers and administrators
Disabled Peoples’ organizations should consider developing and supporting self-advocacy groups for children and youth with disabilities, and establishing mentoring programmes between youth and adults with disabilities
Biwako Millennium Framework, Priority Area A.
Self-help organizations of persons with disabilities and related family and parent associations.
Target 1. Governments, international funding agencies and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) should, by 2004, establish policies with the requisite resource allocations to support the development and formation of self-help organizations of persons with disabilities in all areas, and with a specific focus on slum and rural dwellers Governments should take steps to ensure the formation of parents associations at local levels by the year 2005 and federate them at the national level by year 2010
Target 2. Governments and civil society organizations should, by 2005, fully include organizations
of persons with disabilities in their decision-making processes involving planning and programme implementation which directly and indirectly affect their lives
Action required to achieve targets
1 Governments should implement measures under the direction of the national coordination committee on disability to increase the level of consultations between self-help organizations of persons with disabilities and diverse sectoral ministries, as well as with civil society and the private sector These measures should include training of persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities, on how to participate effectively in the various decision-making processes Governments should establish guidelines for the conduct of consultations and the process should be periodically reviewed and evaluated by representatives of self-help organizations of persons with diverse disabilities
2 Governments should establish a policy review panel within the national coordination committee on disability consisting of representatives of persons with diverse disabilities The panel should review all policies and their implementation which directly or indirectly affect persons with disabilities
3 Governments should take action to increase the representation of persons with disabilities in all areas of public life, including government, at all levels from national to local, as well as the legislature and judicial bodies This should be promoted by means of affirmative action and anti-discrimination legislation
4 Self-help organizations should develop programmes for capacity-building to empower their members, including youth and women with disabilities, to take consultative and leadership roles in the community at large as well as in their own organizations and enable them to serve as trainers in the development of leadership and management skills of members of self-help organizations
Lessons learned: Moving forward towards inclusive education
for children with disabilities
Disabled peoples’ organizations have a critical role to play in advising government on policy and on implementation strategy Their network of organizations and contact at grassroots level with the disability community puts them in a powerful position to influence families and the community and persuade families to send their children to school They can act as one link between stakeholders They can also broaden their membership beyond adults and encourage other, younger membership in their own organization or act as an umbrella group with other organizations
The Biwako Millennium Framework places organizations of persons with disabilities at the forefront of action to be taken to achieve an inclusive, rights-based and barrier-free society by 2012 Achievements in Thailand demonstrate the significant contribution that can be made when strong organizations are
formed, and advocacy to government is received in a constructive and cooperative manner Formal consultative status is the goal towards which all national organizations of persons with disabilities should work This requires willingness to form cross-disability organizations, and for the disability community to work together
In relation to education the voice of parents and families of children with disabilities is very important Some parents of children with disabilities face frustration at the unwillingness of disabled peoples’ organizations to include them as members In other cases parents may be unaware of the rights of their children, lack the confidence to send them to school, or fear how they will be treated Organizations of persons with disabilities have a responsibility to address both these issues
Checklist
1 How active are disabled peoples’ organizations in the field of education in your country? Do they have chapters or subgroups for students with disabilities of all ages? Do they also support parents of children with disabilities?
2 Do disabled peoples’ organizations have a voice in creating policy in the country? Are they accepted partners at the national and school level?
3 Are disabled peoples’ organizations widespread in your country? Do they have representation at the community, regional and national levels? Do they reach out to rural areas?
4 Do disabled peoples’ organizations share information on a regular basis on their own members’ experiences and/or conduct research into schools’ openness and success in teaching students with disabilities?
5 Does the government or the ministry of education consult with organizations of persons with disabilities in a formal manner in the formulation of policy to include children with disabilities in the educational system?
6 Has the government established an advisory council of persons with disabilities to inform it on all policy decisions concerning persons with disabilities, including children?
7 Are members of organizations of persons with disabilities represented on any national coordination council on disabilities?
8 What steps would you need to take to establish a formal consultation mechanism with organizations of persons with disabilities?