FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

CENTRE FOR DISABILITY RESEARCH AND POLICY

Building capacity in rights-based disability policy in South East AsiaAusAID funded ALAF Program Feb-Mar 2013

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Prof. Gwynnyth LlewellynDr. Rebecca Barton

Ms. Alexandra Lewis Gargett

Aim and purpose of program

› Aim

- To increase capacity in rights-based disability policy in 8 South East Asian countries

› Purpose

- For Fellows to learn from the Australian experience in developing rights based disability policy.

Context

› 15% of world’s population live with disability – 630 million live in SE Asia (WHO, 2011)

› International shift from charity-based to rights-based approach to disability driven by United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2008)

› Regional focus on disability in Asia and the Pacific through Biwako Millennium Strategy and Biwako plus 5 (2003-2012)

Foundations of the program

› Driven by:

- A need for developing capacity in disability rights based policy identified by AusAID’s experience in the region

- Specific learning goals of participants as determined prior to commencement

› Framed by:

- United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (2008)

- Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific 2013-2022 (2012)

Features of the program

› Participants included representatives from:

- 8 countries – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Timor Leste, Indonesia

- Government departments responsible for disability portfolio, National Statistics Offices, Disabled People’s Organisations (DPO’s) and Non-Government Organisations (NGO’s).

Features of the program

• Content– Organised around 6 key areas:

1. International and national legislative and regulatory frameworks and reporting

2. Structure of disability program in Australia and implementation through decentralised government

3. DPOs and participation of people with disabilities in policy, programming and evaluation in Australia

4. National Disability Strategy and National Disability Research Agenda

5. National Disability Insurance Scheme

6. National Statistics Collection

– Delivered by experts/key stakeholders in Australia

– Supported development of case-study

Case study 1 – Aim

Title: Enhancing the implementation of Quota System to Provide More Employment to PWDs as required by Government Regulation Number 43 Year 1998: A Case Study in Padang City West Sumatera Province Indonesia.

• Challenges with implementing the existing quota system for employing people with disabilities

• The aim of the case study is to:

develop database of skills and interests and labour needs

facilitate worker/ employer matching days

Case study 1 – Progress so far

› Survey conducted in 89 villages within 11 sub-districts

› 1856 people with disabilities surveyed

› Of those surveyed 135 (7%) stated they want to work

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52%29%

19%

Reasons for not showing in-terest in work

Have no skills to work

Low or no education level

Live on full financial support and care from family

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Case study 1 – Progress

› Education level

- Low education level of job seekers with disabilities

- Minimum qualification standard of most employers is bachelor degree

› Employment

- 61% preferred the idea of working for themselves versus 39% who would like to work for others

10%

20%

25%19%

22%

4%

Level of education of job seekers with disabilities

Never attended schoolSpecial SchoolsInclusive - Elemen-tary SchoolInclusive - Junior High SchoolInclusive - Senior High SchoolBaccalaureate and above

47%

30%

23%

Reasons for choosing not to work for others

Problems with accessibility

Decreased self confidence

Fear of discrim-ination

Case study 2 – Aim

› Lao PDR

• Lao PDR ratified the UNCRPD in 2009

• The Decree on Protection and promotion of the Rights and Interests of Persons with Disabilities was first drafted in 2008 and presented to government in February 2011.

• Feedback included 12 specific recommendations.

• National Committee for Disabled People are responsible for revising the document, in collaboration with relevant ministries.

› Aim of case study:

• To review the draft Decree based on recommendations;

• To submit to Ministry for Justice, Department of Law by August 2013

• To be submitted for government meeting agenda within 2013

Case study 2 – Progress

› The first workshop on finalization of Disability Decree took place on the 21st - 22nd May 2013

- National Committee for Disabled People members appointed by the Minister of Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare

› The first draft (finalized in this workshop) was submitted to the Ministry of Justice for additional recommendations.

› A second workshop will be organized for final revision (based on recommendations from Ministry of Justice) before submission to the government meeting.

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Outcomes of the ALAF program

› Cross-sectoral collaboration

- “I would say that the best aspect of the Fellowship is the opportunity to work on a case study together with your Fellows who are in government. It is very important for Fellows from DPOs to have an opportunity to build good relationships with…those working in the government.” (Fellow from the Philippines)

› Development and strengthening of regional relationships (facebook, mailing list)

› Increase capacity

- “Seminars and discussions have given me a new perspective on understanding Disability and its policy's framework. Also, the importance of comparable standardized data on disability and research findings.” (Fellow from Myanmar)   

› Implementation of case studies

- Two Fellows pursuing higher degree by research in Australia developing the case study work into doctoral level and masters level research studies

- Lao PDR

Ongoing activities

› Our team supporting implementation of case studies (e.g. advocacy for funding)

› Working with AusAID to develop future programs that build on the lessons learned:

- Building on the premium advantage of the cross-sectoral approach within country including government agencies, DPO’s and NGO’s

- Broadening the range of agencies to include non-disability focus for example human rights agencies, gender agencies

- Locating timing in relation to UNCRPD reporting for maximum advantage

- Building on potential opportunities for on-going country-to-country and regional collaborations/ networks

- Continue to build on involvement of people with disabilities and DPOs

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References

› Tsaputra, A. (2013) Report of case study: Enhancing the implementation of Quota System to Provide More Employment to PWDs as required by Government Regulation Number 43 Year 1998: A Case Study in Padang City West Sumatera Province Indonesia. (Made available through personal communication with author)

› United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/ConventionRightsPersonsWithDisabilities.aspx.

› United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (2012). Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. Retrieved from http://www.unescap.org/publications/detail.asp?id=1523

› United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (2007). Biwako plus five: further efforts towards an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific. Retrieved from http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/convention/biwako5.htm

› World Health Organization. (2011). World report on disability: World Health Organization. Geneva

Centre for Disability Research and Policy

www.sydney.edu.au/health_sciences/cdrp/

Email: disabilitypolicy.centre@sydney.edu.au

Phone: 61 2 9351 9721