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2019 AICHR Regional Dialogue on the Mainstreaming of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community (Gender Perspectives on Disability Rights)

Proponent:ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)
Implementing Agency:The Representative of Thailand to ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)

Background

ASEAN has been making important progress in its efforts to enhance disability rights and contribute to addressing the development gaps that affect persons with disabilities (PWDs). ASEAN Member States (AMSs) have adopted documents on mainstreaming and protection of the rights of PWDs including ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection (ADSP), and Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of the Persons with Disabilities in ASEAN Community. The topic on rights of PWDs has been also discussed at the policy level during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (AMMSWD). However, in order to achieve common approaches and position among AMSs, appropriate mechanisms need to be established to exchange views and information on related human rights issues.

Japan through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) has been consistently supporting a series of Regional Dialogues and associated activities to mainstream the rights of PWDs in the ASEAN Community, under the initiative of the Representative of Thailand to ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) since 2015. The first AICHR Regional Dialogue on the Mainstreaming of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community was conducted in 2015, followed by the 2nd Regional Dialogue in 2016 and the 3rd Regional Dialogue in 2017. The 4th Regional Dialogue was organized in 2018 with the theme on Accessibility through Universal Design. Against this background, the 2019 Regional Dialogue was implemented on 3 – 5 December 2019 highlighting Gender Perspectives on Disability Rights for the first time.

What is the project aiming for?

As a programmatic activity on policy consultation and interaction, the project has created a platform for exchange of views and practical lessons on the intersectionality of disability and gender perspectives through a dialogue among representatives from AICHR, social welfare ministries, ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children, National Human Rights Institutions, Civil Society Organisations among others. The project has contributed to ASEAN Enabling Masterplan: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which represents the culmination of JAIF’s continued support to the Regional Dialogues. The following are outputs of the project:

  • Human Rights-Based Approach plan to reduce barriers for persons with disabilities, especially women and girls with disabilities, in order to achieve an integrated ASEAN Community by all related ASEAN sectoral bodies1;
  • Enhanced cooperation between AICHR and related ASEAN sectoral bodies with coherent policies and approaches in addressing challenges of women and girls with disabilities in the ASEAN Community.

Gender equality is a cardinal principle to human rights as it is enshrined in international human rights instruments… this principle shall be upheld when it comes to the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in ASEAN.

Keynote speech of Ms. Risnamawati Utama, at the
2019 AICHR Regional Dialogue
on Gender Perspective on Disability Rights
3 December 2019
Bangkok, Thailand

The project 2019 AICHR Regional Dialogue on the Mainstreaming of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN Community (Gender Perspectives on Disability Rights) has supported the Five-Year Work Plan of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (2016-2020).

As of 29 February 2020

1 The project aimed to bring 55 sectoral body representative such as Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD), ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), Senior Economic Officials’ Meeting (SEOM), ASEAN National Tourism Organizations (ASEAN NTOs), Committee on Science and Technology (COST), Telecommunications and Information Technology Senior Officials Meeting (TELSOM), Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM), and Senior Officials Meeting on Education (SOM-ED).

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