Ryosuke Matsui
RI Vice President for Asia and the Pacific, and
Chairman, RI Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific
During the UN Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992) and the on-going Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled persons (1993-2002), it has been observing that many new and positive developments are taking place in many countries in the field of Disability. However, in order to achieve the full participation and equality of persons with disabilities, which is the ultimate goal of these decades, still a lot has to be achieved. More collective efforts by means of effective sharing of experiences and information on the relevant programmes & activities have to be made. It is widely expected that under the excellent editorship of Dr. Joseph Kwok (Hong Kong), Mrs. Karen Ngai (Hong Kong) and Ms. Carol Searle (New Zealand), the Asia and Pacific Journal on Disability, jointly published by RI Regional Committee for the Asia and Pacific & Regional NGO Network for the Promotion of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (RNN), can provide a forum that will facilitate exchange of experiences & information among various individuals, groups and organisations working to realize the Agendas for Actions of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons as well as the UN Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities of Disabled Persons.
We sincerely look forward to your active support and cooperation for the steady development of this Journal.
ASIA & PACIFIC JOURNAL ON DISABILITY
Vol.1, No. 1, September 1997
Published by the Asia and Pacific Regional Committee of Rehabilitation International (RI) and the Regional NGO Network (RNN)