KEY TO IMPLEMENTATION OF UNCRPD: LONG TERM FUNDING TO DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN DPOS/OPDS.
Side Meeting Global Summit 12.45 -2.00 CET pm Wednesday 16th February 2022
Supported UKFCDO, External Affairs Canada, CDPF and Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations.
A key theme of this Global Summit is strengthening capacity of DPOs/OPDs in the Global South.
Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum (CDPF) conducted a rapid survey of our member organizations in 47 of the 54 Commonwealth countries. So far 50 have replied and the key demand is for long term funding for core costs, so organisations can function effectively in gathering and presenting representative views to Government. Funding of DPOs mainly comes as project funding from Non-Government Organisations and international agencies. With a few exceptions, there is no long-term funding for DPOs’ core running costs to carry out their key representative function.
The meeting will examine ways National Governments and other agencies can collaborate with DPOs/OPDs to fill this gap, which is preventing the creation of a climate for implementation of the rights contained in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
UNCRPD ratifying Governments have agreed under Article 4.3 and 33 to closely consult with DPOs/OPDs.
“In the development and implementation of legislation and policies to implement the present Convention, and in other decision-making processes concerning issues relating to persons with disabilities, States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations.”The meeting will hear from DPOs in India, Africa and the Caribbean on how they address capacity building and what they currently need to be effective at representing their members, developing their thinking, communicating with Government and improving the rights and lives of the disabled people they represent. The meeting will discuss ways forward and commitments needed at the Summit in this crucial area.
We will discuss the experience from around the Commonwealth and ways to go forward. The survey also demonstrated that a wide variety of organisations provide training to DPOs/OPDs of varying breadth and quality and that it is very hit and miss. We will also hear about Atlas Alliance Model where funding is given by Norwegian Government to be distributed by a DPO to South based DPOs. There needs to be a global mechanism coordinating training efforts to avoid duplication or gaps.
Agreed speakers:
Chair: Sarah Kamau, Chair CDPF, United Disabled People Kenya
Mawunyo Yakor-Dagbah, President Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations
Richard Rieser, Gen. Sec. Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum
Diane Dalton, UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office
Dr Sruti Mohapatra, CEO Swabhiman, Odisha, India
Musola Kaseketi, ZAFOD President/Women and Girls Rights, Zambia
Andrew Madella, Gen. Sec. Disabled People South Africa
Patience Ogolo-Dickson, Exec. Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative Nigeria
Dickson Mveyange, Exec. Director CHAVITA-Deaf People’s Rights Tanzania
Nathalie Murphy, Exec. Director Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities
Morten Eriksen, Executive Director at the Atlas Alliance,
Ioanna Sahas Martin, Director Natural Resources and Governance Division, Global Affairs Canada