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COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor

2020

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Evidence is emerging that persons with disabilities are being disproportionately affected by the Coronavirus pandemic and emergency measures being taken by governments worldwide. As governments rush to respond to the virus, it is more critical than ever to guarantee that measures taken are fully inclusive of persons with disabilities and prevent human rights violations from taking place.

 

With the endorsements of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Mr Dainius Pūras, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Ms Catalina Devandas Aguilar, a coalition of six disability rights organisations is today launching a major international monitoring initiative entitled “COVID-19 Disability Rights Monitor” to conduct rapid independent monitoring of state measures concerning persons with disabilities. The first element of this global initiative is the launch of two surveys requesting official information from governments and requesting the testimonies of persons with disabilities and their representative organisations. The surveys aim to collect information about what states are doing to protect core rights of persons with disabilities including the rights to life, access to health and essential services.

Scoping Progress in Education

GLOBAL EDUCATION MONITORING TEAM
2019

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Scoping Progress in Education (SCOPE) brings together administrative data, household surveys, learning assessments and education finance from various data producers, notably the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, to explore the progress made towards SDG 4, the global education goal.

It complements the printed edition of the Global Education Monitoring Report, enabling users to interact with the data to understand the achievements and challenges of countries and regions as they aim to reach the targets. Shareable and downloadable, users can create images and data files to explore further, print, or use online or in presentations

Global education monitoring report, 2019: migration, displacement and education: building bridges, not walls

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO)
et al
2018

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“The 2019 GEM Report continues its assessment of progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on education and its ten targets, as well as other related education targets in the SDG agenda.


Its main focus is on the theme of migration and displacement. It presents evidence on the implications of different types of migration and displacement for education systems but also the impact that reforming education curricula and approaches to pedagogy and teacher preparation can have on addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by migration and displacement. It gives voice to experiences in host and home communities.


With the help of case studies, it illustrates approaches which work and could be scaled up. In this way, it aims to be a tool for practitioners. It will make the case for investing in education of good quality in rural areas suffering from depopulation and in slum areas suffering from large population inflows; in countries with high rates of emigration and those with high rates of immigration; in short-term refugee emergencies and in protracted crises. Its analysis, conclusions and recommendations advance the aims of SDG 4 and its call to leave no one behind.”

The Sphere Handbook 2018

SPHERE
2018

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The Sphere Handbook is the oldest initiative in the field of humanitarian standards. It has been field-tested over twenty years and  regularly updated to ensure it remains fit for purpose in a changing world. What does not change is its rights-based foundations: people have the right to assistance, the right to life with dignity, the right to protection and security, and the right to fully participate in decisions related to their own recovery.

The Sphere Handbook 2018 is the fourth edition.

The Sphere Handbook comprises the Humanitarian Charter, the Protection Principles, the Core Humanitarian Standard, and minimum humanitarian standards in four vital areas of response:

Water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH)
Food security and nutrition
Shelter and settlement
Health

 

There are numerous references to people with disabilities through the handbook.

Greece: Refugees with Disabilities Overlooked, Underserved

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
January 2017

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Refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants with disabilities are not properly identified and do not enjoy equal access to services in reception centres in Greece.  On the basis of research carried out in mainland Greece and on the Greek islands in October 2016 and January 2017, and follow-up phone interviews in December 2016 and January 2017, Human Rights Watch found that asylum seekers and refugees with disabilities are not properly identified in Greece, in part because of a rushed registration process and the need for better guidance for staff. Without an adequate understanding of the scale and needs, aid agencies cannot respond effectively. Problems with equal access to water and sanitation services, food distribution, shelter, and health care including mental health and psychosocial support are reported.

Disability law and reasonable accommodation beyond employment. A legal analysis of the situation in EU Member States.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DIRECTOR-GENERAL FOR JUSTICE AND CONSUMERS
WADDINGTON, Lisa
BRODERICK, Andrea
POULOS, Anne
November 2016

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This report analyses the situation in the 28 EU Member States with regard to obligations to provide reasonable accommodation outside the field of employment. More specifically, the report outlines the duties contained in Member States’ laws and policies with respect to reasonable accommodation in the areas covered by the 2008 proposal of the European Commission for a directive to protect people from discrimination on the ground of disability, as well as discrimination on a number of other grounds (henceforth 2008 proposal). The 2008 proposal addresses the fields of social protection, including social security, healthcare and social housing; education; and access to, and supply of, goods and services, including housing. It seeks to prohibit six kinds of discrimination including, in the context of disability, an unjustified denial of a reasonable accommodation

DOI: 10.2838/15305

Society at a Glance 2016 : OECD Social Indicators

OECD
November 2016

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Society at a Glance 2016 aims to address the growing demand for quantitative evidence on the social situation, its trends, and its possible drivers across OECD countries. One objective is to assess and compare social outcomes that are currently the focus of policy debates. Another is to provide an overview of societal responses, and how effective policy actions have been in furthering social development. This edition of Society at a Glance discusses policy actions in response to the situation of youth Neither in Employment, Education, nor Training (NEET). Indicators on youth are therefore a particular focus

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264261488-en

Digital Inclusion: a white paper

HOOGERWERF, Evert-Jan
MAVROU, Katerina
et al
2016

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This white paper will provide the reader with insight into the role technology plays for the full participation of persons with disabilities and older people in the digital society. The authors consider equal opportunities to participate in all realms of life a human right. The paper will help the reader to understand what the barriers to full digital inclusion for these groups are, how changing scenarios in society should lead to the definition of new goals and how these goals could be reached. 

This white paper looks forward and challenges the reader to identify strategies to tackle the digital divide. In the first section, it analyses trends and policy objectives as defined by the international community in 6 different areas relevant to the digital divide:

Disability and participation

Education

Employment

Health and social care

Technology

(Social) Media 

The writing of this white paper is the result of a three-year long project funded by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme. The ENTELIS project has brought together various organisations from different European countries and beyond and has resulted in the establishment of a sustainable network, supported by three European umbrella organisations: EASPD (European Association of Service Providers to Persons with Disabilities), AAATE (Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe) and EVBB (European Association of Vocational Training Institutes). For them supporting the network means creating an opportunity for their member organisations and other interested stakeholders to actively engage with technology and technology users with disabilities in education, vocational training and person centred support services. Their common understanding is that ICT and AT can empower people with disabilities, lead to more fulfilled lives and a more inclusive society but that this can only be reached if there is effective collaboration between sectors. Their expectation is that the network will empower their member organisations in making this become reality and this document and in particular the roadmap contained in there might provide good guidance for that. 

 

Zero project report 2013

FEMBEK, Michael
et al
November 2012

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This report provides details on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities with the aim to improve lives of people with disabilities and their legal rights. Details of research, statistics from surveys done in 55 participating countries, social indicators, employment indicators, innovative practices and innovative policies are presented to measure improvement of access to transport, career development, education, equal opportunity and human rights for people with disabilities

Zero project report 2012 summary

ESSL FOUNDATION
November 2012

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The easy read summary of the 2012 Zero Project report presents information about the progress of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This summary provides examples of good practice and laws survey results from 35 countries, 2 states in the US and 9 provinces in Austria

Common European guidelines on the transition from institutional to community based care|Guidance on implementing and supporting a sustained transition from institutional care to family-based and community-based alternatives for children, persons with dis

THE EUROPEAN EXPERT GROUP ON THE TRANSITION FROM INSTITUTIONAL TO COMMUNITY BASED CARE (EEG)
November 2012

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These guidelines "provide practical advice about how to make a sustained transition from institutional care to family-based and community based alternatives for individuals currently living in institutions and those living in the community, often without adequate support. The Guidelines are aimed primarily at policy and decision makers in the European Union and the neighbouring countries with responsibility for the provision of care and support services for children, people with disabilities and their families, people with mental health problems and older people"

Toolkit on the use of European Union funds for the transition from institutional to community based care

THE EUROPEAN EXPERT GROUP ON THE TRANSITION FROM INSTITUTIONAL TO COMMUNITY BASED CARE (EEG)
November 2012

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This toolkit "aims to explain how European Union funds can support national, regional and local authorities in designing and implementing structural reforms aimed at facilitating the development of quality family-based and community-based alternatives to institutional care. It addresses primarily the desk officers of the European Commission, managing authorities, intermediate bodies, monitoring committees and project promoters in the EU Member States and in acceding, candidate and potential candidate countries; and any other donors investing in services for children, people with disabilities, people with mental health problems or older people"

Sphere guidelines : humanitarian charter and minimum standards in humanitarian response|3rd Ed

THE SPHERE PROJECT
2011

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This handbook establishes shared principles and a set of universal minimum standards in core areas of humanitarian response. It provides a new chapter on protection principles, which considers the protection and safety of populations affected by disaster or armed conflict as an integral part of humanitarian response. It describes core standards for effective and accountable humanitarian response and advocacy, and outlines the minimum standards in the following four technical chapters: water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion; food security and nutrition; shelter, settlement and non-food items; and health action. Each minimum standard highlights key actions, key indicators and guidance notes
This edition also addresses emerging issues, such as climate change, disaster risk reduction, early recovery of services and livelihoods, cash transfers, and civil-military relations. Understanding and supporting local responses to disaster is a priority reflected in the whole handbook, as is reinforcing the capacity of local actors
This handbook is useful to all working in humanitarian response

The right to political participation of persons with mental health problems and persons with intellectual disabilities

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS (FRA)
November 2010

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This report provides the first results from a legal study carried out by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) in the context of its project on the "Fundamental rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental health problems." It begins with an analysis of the key international and European principles relating to the right to political participation. The situation in EU Member States is summarised and compared in Section 2. The report then presents the legal situation in the EU Member States and concludes with some possible ways forward
Note: This report is also available in easy read format

Access to HIV/AIDS and sexual violence protection services among women and men with hearing, visual and physical impairments in Battambang and Kampong Cham provinces of Cambodia

MAC-SEING, Muriel
August 2010

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"This article presents the findings of a study on access to HIV prevention and sexual violence protection services among persons with disabilities in Cambodia, based on a gender and cross-impairment analysis. The results show obvious discrepancies between women and men of different impairments in regards to their level of HIV knowledge and risks to sexual violence, in particular among women with disabilities. Furthermore, local services providers revealed their lack of awareness on disability issues and capacity in providing accessible services to them. Ways forward in addressing the rights of women and men with disabilities, as well as gaps in services delivery will have to be addressed in concerted manners at political, societal and community levels"

World alzheimer report 2010 : the global economic impact of dementia

WIMO, Anders
PRINCE, Martin
2010

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This report provides a global picture of the economic impact of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. "The report includes an estimate of the worldwide cost of dementia, including direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs and costs of informal (family) care. The estimates are broken down by world region and include analysis of the differences between low and high income countries. The report also contains important policy recommendations and makes clear to key decision-makers that doing nothing is not an option"

Disability and development : a contribution to promoting the interests of persons with disabilities in German development cooperation

FISCHER, Anja
FRANKE, Katja
ROMPEL, Matthias
Eds
November 2006

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This policy paper was produced by the organization GTZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Written in accessible, plain language, the paper aims to demonstrate the importance of mainstreaming the interests of people with disabilities into national poverty reduction strategies and development frameworks. The paper highlights the important role of international organisations and bilateral donors. It also makes clear the German Development Cooperation's (DC) policy to promote a rights-based approach to inclusive development and the social model of disability. The paper concludes with examples of German DC project activities and a review of the situation for disabled people in Germany. This paper would be useful for anyone with an interest in mainstreaming disability in development cooperation, in particular, disability policy-makers, NGOs, and disabled people working in advocacy and development

Index for inclusion : developing play, learning and participation in early years and childcare

BOOTH, Tony
AINSCOW, Mel
KINGSTON, Denise
2006

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"The Index is a detailed set of materials to help settings increase the participation of young children in play and learning. The Index involves a self-review of all aspects of a setting, drawing on additional help as needed. It encourages the involvement in inclusive development of all practitioners, volunteers, management committee/governors, children, young people and their parents/carers. Actions to assist inclusion are prioritised and a development plan is drawn up, implemented and reviewed using the Index materials. These changes are sustained in the setting as the process progresses annually"
A CD Rom and an Index for Inclusion insert for early years and childcare are available when the resource is purchased from the publisher

Situation of disabled people in the enlarged European Union : the European Action Plan 2006-2007

Commission of the European Communities
November 2005

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This action plan follows the European Union Disability Strategy of 2005. It relates specifically to mainstreaming disability in policy formulation and is intended to ensure a coherent follow-up to the European Year of Disabled People. The paper recognises that disability policy is most effectively dealt with at national level but aims to provide a dynamic framework to develop a broader EU Disability Strategy. It includes important information and data on the employment situation of people with disabilities, as well as laying down guidelines for developing accessible goods, services and inclusive policies. This paper would be useful to anyone with an interest in mainstreaming disability in development cooperation, in particular policy-makers, NGOs and disabled people's organisations

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