Developing the Capacity of DPOs in the Commonwealth Countries South Pacific to implement the UN CRPD
The Objective is to promote the human rights of disabled people in the South Pacific and to undertake activities that would support the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Methodology
Implementation of the project will be undertaken through mobilisation of DPOs in Commonwealth South Pacific countries, exchanges between DPOs, training, mapping of donor led projects for DPOs, research and capacity building activities.
UK Partner World of Inclusion has been contracted to deliver this project by the United Kingdom Council of Disabled people. The funder is the Commonwealth Foundation. Richard Rieser who is leading this project is an experienced international trainer and advocate and was the UKDPC representative in New York for Ad Hoc Committee 6,7 and 8 and the recent Conference of State Parties (2010).
Phase One: September – December 2010
Activities
- Define with South Pacific DPOs precisely what capacity building should entail to meet their needs.
- Mapping of DPO capacity in the South Pacific
- Identification of DPO national and regional networks and bodies for political engagement and capacity building initiatives
- Identification of possible disabled capacity builders and trainers from South Pacific
- Mapping of donor and INGO activities in capacity building in the region
- Identification and contracting with local partner DPO to plan and organise regional capacity building training events
- Identify young disabled people who are potential new leaders in the disability movement in the South Pacific
- Development of seed fund for capacity building and youth leadership
- Production of course manual and training materials
Progress
This phase is under way and it has been agreed to work with the Pacific Disability Forum and the PNG National Assembly of People with Disabilities as lead partners.
a) The PDF has supplied contact details of DPOs in the 8 target countries- Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
b) A questionnaire will be sent to each to gather information for the up to date mapping
c) Each island country is asked to select 2 leaders and a young activist/ leader ( 25 years of age or under) to be considered for taking part in the capacity building week in Port Morseby 24th January 2011.
d) The Pacific Regional Strategy and other documents have been supplied by PDF. We need more detailed documents and data if these exist of the numbers and social position of disabled people with regard to education, employment, rehabilitation, transport and support in each Island Country.
e) Capacity building for Disabled Peoples Organisations is a key part of the project. We need information from each Island Country about how much progress they have made around the establishment of National Councils for Persons with Disabilities.
f) Identification of key areas for capacity building. We have to develop suitable materials and a training pack. Please deliberate and feedback the key areas you think should be covered in a 6 day training on capacity building for DPO leaders and youth leaders around the signing, ratification, implementation and monitoring of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.
Phase Two: January – February 2011
Activities
- Regional DPO and youth capacity building and leadership event
- Development of DPO country and regional action plan
- Development of youth leadership programmes
- Allocation of seed money based on action plans
Phase Three: February – April 2011
Activities
- Ongoing consultancy through Skype conference/tele-conference calls
- Peer support in region
Phase Four: March 2011 Onwards
Activities
Creating Sustainability:
- Follow up consultancy to review progress of action plan implementation
- Develop new action plan and proposals for ongoing development of DPOs and regional peer support network
- Development of young disabled leaders network
- Review of seed money outcomes and spending
- Development of strategic and business plans for each DPO
UKDPC and World of Inclusion will provide on going support and advice remotely to help with the above. We will be in the role of critical friends.
See the following Reports Developed for the Project
Commonwealth Pacific Island Countries
August 8, 2014
In September 2011 Richard Rieser (CEO of World of Inclusion or WOI) was asked by the UK Disabled People’s Council (UKDPC) and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation to organise disability equality training around the implementation and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) for the 8 Pacific Commonwealth island countries consisting of Kiribati, Nauru, Papa New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Situational analysis (see document 1) was carried out by Richard on the implementation of disability rights with the Pacific Disability Forum (PDF). The Forum then organised a workshop at which three representatives from each island were present (they consisted of a man, a woman and a youth activist). They were joined by two trainers from both the PDF (from Fiji) and WOI. The training lasted for six days.
The flavour of the training is given in the ten minute film available below:
A full training package was developed and delivered over a 6 day period (see document 2) on Human Rights and Implementing the UNCRPD. This was backed up with a Power Point presentation.
A final report gives an assessment of the impact of training on these island nations as well as follow-up (see document 3).
The outcomes of the project were presented and reflected upon both at the Commonwealth Headquarters in London in May 2012 as well as at a fringe meeting at the Conference of State Parties in September 2012 in New York.
Document 1: Situational Analysis Pacific Islands
Document 2: Capacity building for Pacific Islands
Document 3: Final Report Pacific Islands