japanese

Task force on Regional Cooperation

A review of the policy target "Regional Cooperation" of the Agenda of Action of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002

Task Force Coordinator:
Joseph Kwok, Ph.D., J.P.
September 2002

The official targets on regional cooperation adopted in 1993 and also subsequent major reviews coordinated by ESCAP

Regional cooperation is one of the twelve major policy categories adopted for the Agenda of Action of the A/P Decade. The primary purpose of Regional Cooperation is to promote the implementation of the targets of action of the A/P Decade at both national and regional levels.
The Decade Agenda for Action in 1993 adopted the following specific targets for Regional Cooperation.

1. Networking

   1.1 Building up a regional network of agencies and organizations to undertaking specific activities in selected areas through the proposed network.

   1.2 The network would operate on a decentralized basis. Agencies and organizations whose work focuses on particular areas of concern could organize themselves into a sub-network.

   1.3 Each sub-network would assume responsibility for facilitating advancements in its particular area during the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, especially concerning the:

   1. Increase in the availability of resources (e.g., technology, techniques, skills, materials) in the ESCAP region for the implementation of resolution 48/3 with respect to the particular priority area;

   2. Facilitation of the exchange of information on that area;

   3. Support for the strengthening of research and development methodologies for that area to improve the relevance of the techniques, technology and material generated to conditions in the developing countries of the region.

   1.4 Each lead entity would, in turn, assume primary responsibility for undertaking activities such as:

   1. Development of a regional information and data base on technical cooperation needs, resources, potential, on-going activities, implementation experience and key contact persons;

   2. Initiation of networking arrangements among all agencies and organizations interested in furthering that particular priority area;

   3. Ensuring the accessibility of current information on resources and needs concerning that particular area;

   4. Development of a roster of experienced persons whose services could, upon request, be called upon to assist countries, particularly to promote technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDC) in the implementation of resolution 48/3;

   5. Formulation and implementation of specific technical cooperation activities that will have a tangible and positive impact on persons with disabilities in the respective area. The decentralized nature of the network would facilitate the funding of its activities through the sharing of the responsibility among the participants. The lead entities in particular would bear a major part of the cost of the activities of their respective sub-networks, as a part of their contribution to regional cooperation. The possibility of mobilizing adequate supplementary funding to promote the effective functioning of the network as a whole may be explored.

Major initiatives from countries in support of Regional Cooperation to realize the Agenda of Action of the Decade:

In reviewing the achievements of Regional Cooperation for the promotion of the Decade, it is important to note that the following challenges that the Region has been facing over the past decade: the Regional financial crises, political instability in a some countries, and racial conflicts. Given such a background, it would be pleased to note the following development landmarks as reported by countries in the region.

First, there has been a significant increase in individual countries' participation in the two major regional platforms supporting the Decade, The Thematic Working Group on Disability Concerns under ESACP, and Regional NGO Network for the Promotion of the A/P Decade. A growing number of disabled people's participation from across the region in annual campaigns organized by RNN is another useful indicator for effective regional cooperation.

Second, there are also regional events hosted by individual countries that have major and lasting impacts on disability movements both at the regional level and the international level. Examples include:

• the nine countries / territories which hosted the RNN Campaigns for the Region, and the significant post campaign development in disability measures of host countries

• APWD (Asian and Pacific Network for Work-Centers of People with Disabilities) was established in 1997 to develop working places for people with disabilities and to exchange their products in the region.

• the Inter-country Seminar on Multisectoral

  Collaborative Action for People with Disabilities on December 2-6, 1996 hosted by Malaysia

• the World Summit of NGOs held in Beijing in March 2000 bringing about a united front to promote the International Convention on the Rights of Disabled People

• Ministry of Social Welfare, Bangladesh and NFOWD organized Second South Asian Conference of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) December 1997 in Dhaka

• Setting up of South Asian CBR Net-Work branch office in Sri Lanka has facilitated South Asian Co-orperation.

• Initiaitve from Palau supporting Pacific Basin Interagency Leadership Conference which takes place every two years at different island sites in the Pacific Basin. Created in 1994. Its purpose is to advance leadership skills/knowledge of people in the basin of issues that impact the lives of people with disabilities.

• A new regional network of women with disability (RNWWD) was initiated during the Campaign 2000 in Bangkok.

• Initiated by ESCAP, and participated by a substantial number of UN systems and INGOs, concrete and collaborative support for East Timor was started in 2000. District and National Workshops on Disability Concerns and Surveys were carried out in 2001 with funding support from Asia Trust and RI 16^th World Congress Fund. These and other similar joint initiatives vividly demonstrate effective regional cooperation supporting countries in need.

• FESPIC Games of the Region and the Paralympics 2000 in Sydney

Third, some countries have made relatively extra-ordinary substantial inputs to regional cooperation events, notably from Japan, which funded and organized a range of regional training courses as well as funding ESCAP initiatives in promoting self-help organizations of people with disabilities in the Region.

Fourth, some countries have entered into bilateral cooperation programmes in support of the Decade, e.g. the bilateral programme between China and Mongolia, and the networking between Cook Islands and New Zealand.

Fifth, The Thai and Japanese Government are now working together to establish the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability in Thailand in order to support continuous regional efforts toward the goal of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons. This center will act as an information center for persons with disabilities and agencies concerned as well as a regional co-operation center for the Asia-Pacific region.

Further concerns on regional cooperation in promoting the A/P Decade

First, more concerted efforts and more resources are required in building up a regional network of agencies and organizations to undertaking specific activities in selected areas including freedom of barriers, information communication technology, vocational training and employment.

Second, subregional cooperation should be enhanced particular in those subregions which have been less active in the past Decade, e.g. South Asia and Pacific islands.

Third, governments in the Region should be urged to take more initiatives and provide more resources in supporting regional and subregional activities initiated by both ESCAP and regional NGOs, including the Asia-Pacific Development Centre on Disability will be established by 2004 in Bangkok. APDCD could take the lead in establishing a new networking of centers of excellence in the Region.

Fourth, governments should support ESCAP in taking initiatives to facilitate regional cooperation and carrying out concrete regional and sub regional activities.

Fifth, governments and ESCAP should ensure disability concerns are integrated parts of all major mainstream regional and subregional platforms, and to provide channels for NGOs at national and regional levels to take an active part in those platforms.

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