Beyond the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons

Ryosuke Matsui
RI Vice President for Asia and the Pacific, and Chairman, RI Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific


Abstract Beyond the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, there will be much tasks to be accomplished. International cooperation and exchange is considered of top priority among all the tasks. The paper is going to describe the initiatives and preparation work taken by Japan. Problems and suggestions in relation to the cooperation activities are also discussed.

Introduction

In 1997 the relevant Japanese GOs and NGOs organized a series of special events, including the 20th National Rehabilitation Conference held in Tokyo with over 600 participants with or without disabilities, to commemorate the midpoint of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (APDDP). One of the major developments in Japan in relation to the Decade was the establishment in 1993 of a long term national plan concerning disability measures from 1993 to 2002, and also a following disability plan in 1995 which was subtitled as a seven year normalization strategy (1996-2002) with numerical target to achieve especially in the social welfare sector during the period. One of the important pillars of both the long-term plan and the disability plan is international cooperation and exchange in the disability field.

Establishment of Local NGO Network

A part of NGO side response to the international cooperation and exchange in this field is the establishment of Japan NGO Network on Disability (JANNET) in December 1993 with the aim of further promoting related international cooperation and exchange projects and also being more effective in meeting the needs of developing countries in the region to develop rehabilitation and welfare programs and services for persons with disabilities through sharing relevant mutual information and experience.
Though it also aims at promoting actual cooperation among member organizations and information exchange with related overseas organizations, its present activities remain, at the moment, limited to bi-annual meetings for sharing information and experience of the related activities of the member organizations in addition to the publication of a quarterly newsletter and a directory of related NGOs in Japan.
On a long term basis JANNET might be able to act as a leading entity, as proposed in the Agenda for Action of the APDDP, to further develop disability programs in developing countries in the region through regional cooperation activities. However, it solely depends on the availability of necessary resources, including qualified personnel and funding, which would be shared by the member organizations.

Establishment of Regional Cooperation Mechanism

At the Meeting of Senior Officials to mark the midpoint of the APDDP held in Seoul from 26 to 29 September 1997 which was attended by representatives of 24 governments, one representative of UNICEF and some 30 observers, of related NGOs, proposals adopted for further actions to be taken during the second half of the Decade. Though these proposals cover all twelve policy areas specified under the Agenda for Action, there is no indication made regarding the regional networking mechanism to support national pursuance of the Agenda for Action.

In the original text of the Agenda for Action it is proposed:
"Agencies and organizations whose work focuses on particular areas of concern could organize themselves into a sub-network. The totality of the sub-network would constitute the information and technical exchange network for the implementation of resolution 48/3 of the APDDP..... Each sub-network would assume to take up the responsibility for facilitating advancement in its particular area during the APDDP."

In order to sustain the momentum of the APDDP and also support in pursuance of its Agenda for Action to the member countries and associate member countries or areas in the region beyond the end of the Decade, it is essential to establish regional or sub-regional networks in such specific subject areas as information, accessibility and communication, education, training and employment, rehabilitation services, assistive devices and self-help organizations, to develop relevant expertise and human resources as indicated in the section of regional cooperation of the Agenda for Action.
Toward that end, Asia and Pacific Network of Work Centers for Persons with Disabilities (APWD) was recently established in conjunction with the International Organization for the Promotion of Work for Handicapped Persons (IPWH) Annual Assembly Meeting held in Kyoto in early November 1997. Its major objective is to facilitate the development of workshop activities so as to make them more viable and effective in providing more meaningful and productive work opportunities for people with disabilities. Its secretariat is located, for the time being, in the Japan Council of Social Employment Centers, care of the Japanese National Council of Social Welfare.

Further Tasks

It is rather not so difficult to start such networking activities. However, critical issues like how to secure adequate human and financial resources to sustain and further develop these activities involved in the establishment of such local, sub-regional or regional networks. A part of their solutions might be to mobilize the support of various social sectors, including funding organizations. In order to strengthen the support-base of various social sectors, the annual campaign activities of the Regional NGO Network for the Promotion of the APDDP (RNN) may not be enough. We need to put more efforts and resources in providing regular developmental education programs for various sectors of the society to deepen their understanding of the real situations and needs of persons with disabilities especially in developing countries in the region as well as to encourage them to take part in relevant cooperation activities to adequately meet the needs of those population.

ASIA & PACIFIC JOUNAL ON DISABILITY

Vol. 1, No. 2, March 1998

Published by the Asia and Pacific Regional Committee of Rehabilitation International (RI) and the Regional NGO Network (RNN)