Report on First Session of BMF-SCM, 17-19 July 2006, Bangkok, Thailand
Reported by Misako Nomura,
Deputy Director of Information Center,
Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (JSRPD)
UNESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) in Bangkok proposed and agreed the formulation process of "Biwako plus 5"(Biwako Plus Five-forward looking strategies for the second half of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2008-2012)) in the tenth session of the TWGDC (Thematic Working Group on Disability-related Concerns) . TWGDC has been involved deeply with formulation and promotion of the successful implementation of BMF (the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific). The primary objective of BMF-SCM which renewed its name, towards midpoint review in 2007 is to formulate Biwako plus 5. Its first session took place from 17th to 19th July 2006 . BMF-SCM will function in a limited period, "the Second Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Person 2003-2012"
At the beginning there was a presentation by UNESCAP about past activities of promotion of BMF, review of implementation of BMF and the guidance of formulation process of Biwako plus 5.
In order to discuss the draft of Biwako plus 5 proposed by the UNESCAP the participants were divided into 5 working group based on the priority areas of BMF. I participated in the physical and informational accessibility working group as I could not find TWGDC ICT Taskforce equivalent working group in the new working groups. The following is the details of 5 working groups.
- Self-help group of persons with disabilities, women with disabilities
- Sectoral issues-prevention, early intervention, education, employment
- Sectoral issues -physical and informational accessibility
- Policy-national action plan on disability, rights-based legislation, convention, disability statistics
- Development and disability-CBR, poverty alleviation
In regard to the recommendations on information and communication technologies, its participants of that working group proposed "the promotion of international standard on accessible information and communication technologies, universal design and the use of assistive technologies". In addition, I proposed to incorporate "Disability related texts" included in WSIS final document to the BMF plus 5 since it was achieved by the initiatives taken by people of ICT TWGDC task force. During the meeting, I asked national delegates to answer the questionnaire of "The Survey of Access to Information and Communication for Persons with Disabilities", the survey which JSRPD is conducting, to supplement the survey conducted by ESCAP in 2004 monitoring the implementation of BMF. Since JSRPD is facing difficulty in collecting replies to the questionnaire from more government in each country I was given an opportunity to give a brief explanation and mid-point report of the survey.
Discussion on Biwako plus 5 will be continued in the Second Session of BMF-SCM which is due in October.