Objective
To promote
regional cooperation and information exchange on the
local production of low-cost, high quality and culturally
appropriate assistive devices, as a means of facilitating
the participation of people with disabilities in economic
and social activities.
Background
Poverty
prevents many people with disabilities from acquiring the
assistive devices which would enable them to be mobile
and participate in programmes for their economic and
social well-being. Furthermore, there is an acute
shortage of low-cost assistive devices, which are suited
to the life-style of users.
There is a
need for better awareness of the experiences that are
available in the ESCAP region concerning the design and
production of devices which are appropriate for persons
with disabilities living in their own environments.
The project
focuses on three types of assistive devices, i.e.,
prosthetic devices (artificial limbs), braces and
wheelchairs. Devices for persons with sensory
disabilities will also be covered.
Intended
impact
This project
will improve the awareness of Governments concerning the
potential within the ESCAP region for meeting the demand
for low-cost and culturally appropriate assistive
devices. It will establish or strengthen contact and
cooperation among practitioners concerned with the
development of assistive devices. It will underline the
importance of strengthening the participation of people
with disabilities in the design and production of
assistive devices.
Activities
A
prepatory mission to India to identify venue,
partners and field study sites for a technical
workshop.
Substantive
and other preparations for convening of a
technical workshop, including mobilization of
additional resources.
Conduct
of a technical workshop on the indigenous
production and distribution of assistive devices.
Collection
of supplementary information materials.
Preparation
of a manuscript containing information on, inter
alia, devices produced in ESCAP developing
countries, production processes, selected designs
for production by small workshops, contact
addresses of production sites, and distribution
modalities.
Printing
and dissemination of publication.
Donors
This project
received generous funding support of the Government of
the Republic of Korea. The Government of India and
Handicap International has contributed both funding and
technical support for the organization of the technical
workshop.II
Objectives
To support
selected ESCAP developing countries in the development
and implementation of pilot projects on the elimination
of physical barriers in the built environment for people
with disabilities and elderly persons, using technical
guidelines for this purpose developed in Phase I of the
project.
Background
The majority
of people with disabilities in the ESCAP region are poor.
Their opportunities of breaking out of poverty are
constricted by the physical obstacles that exist in the
built environment. Those obstacles prevent persons with
disabilities from attending schools, training programmes
and using public amenities.
Many
handicapping features also cause inconvenience or are a
source of danger to elderly persons, women and children.
Thus the promotion of accessibility to minimize or remove
those handicapping features will greatly benefit diverse
social groups whose needs are neglected in the rapid
urbanization under way in the region
The Agenda
for Action for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled
Persons, 1993 - 2002, recommends measures to improve
access for disabled persons' to facilities intended for
use by the public. Those include buildings and their
surrounding areas, roads, as well as infrastructure for
public transport, education, information, housing,
employment and commerce.
Under Phase I
of the ESCAP project titled "Promotion of
non-handicapping environments for disabled and elderly
persons in the Asia-Pacific region", a set of
guidelines on the promotion of non-handicapping physical
environments for disabled persons had been developed.
Phase II focuses on the implementation of the guidelines.
Under Phase II, seed funding is provided to Beijing and
New Delhi for pilot projects Technical assistance is
provided to other cities, such as Bangkok and Kuala
Lumpur. Implementation of Phase II, a three-year project,
commenced in May 1995.
Intended
impact
This project
will generate significant improvements in accessibility
for people with disabilities and elderly persons in
project areas in a number of capitals of populous ESCAP
developing countries. Models for access promotion will be
created in three subregions (East Asia, South-east Asia
and South Asia).
The models
will generate important lessons for the pursuance of
similar work in other cities and towns in ESCAP
developing countries. They will also pave the way for
related work on improving access to public transport
infrastructure and services.
Activities
Consultations
with concerned Governments and preparations for
the Yokohama workshop
Recruitment
of a project expert on accessibility.
Convening
of a Workshop on Pilot Projects to Promote Non
Handicapping Environments, Yokohama, Japan
Finalization
of pilot project proposals, including (a)
identification of a pilot project site, (b)
constitution of a working committee to ensure
implementation of the pilot project (c) conduct a
survey of the pilot project sites. conduct of an
inaugural seminar
Implementation
of pilot projects, including: (a) public
awareness raising and sensitization of
professional groups to access promotion, (b)
mobilization of additional resources (funding and
in-kind), (c) conduct of an inaugural seminar and
(d) conduct of a series of three workshops for
pilot project start-up, monitoring and
evaluation.
Facilitation
of participation of pilot project technical
personnel in a workshop-cum-field study programme
in conjunction with global congress on
barrier-free living environments; Sendai, Japan,
in follow up to the Yokohama workshop.
Organization
of technical cooperation among developing
countries (TCDC) exchanges to build national
capabilities on the promotion of non-handicapping
environments for persons with disabilities and
elderly persons.
Documentation
of pilot project experience and issuance of a
publication for region-wide dissemination.
Monitoring
and evaluation
The Working
Committees for the Pilot Projects, including
organizations of people with disabilities, will submit
quarterly progress reports to ESCAP. The concluding
workshop of each pilot project will focus on both
evaluation and development of follow-up action.
Donors
This project
received generous funding and technical support of the
Government of Japan, particularly the Ministry of
Construction.
Objectives
To promote
the equalization of opportunities for the participation
of poor people with disabilities in mainstream
development programmes by strengthening the capacity of
self-help organizations of people with disabilities to
participate effectively in national coordination
committees on disability.
Background
This project
is based on the results and achievements of earlier ESCAP
projects to assist the development of self-help
organizations of persons with disabilities, implemented
since 1990.
To achieve
the full participation and equality of people with
disabilities, disability concerns and the participation
of people with disabilities need to be included in
mainstream development programmes. The national
coordination committees on disability have a vital role
in achieving the needed active collaboration of all
government agencies and non-government organizations
including self-help organizations of people with
disabilities.
The active
participation of people with disabilities at all levels
particularly in the national coordination committees on
disabilities will enhance their participation in the
decision making process concerning policies and
programmes which directly or indirectly affect their
lives. In order to ensure this effective participation of
people with disabilities identification of the specific
training needs of members, training of trainers and
development of effective training tools for trainers in
self-help movements will have to be undertaken.
Intended
impact
The
establishment or strengthening of national coordination
committees on disability, with adequate representation of
people with disabilities, will increase the participation
of disabled people in national policy formulation and
implementation on matters that affect them.
The project
will provide increased training opportunities for members
of self-help organizations of disabled persons in
effective participation in national policy formulation
and implementation.
Activities
A project
expert has been recruited to assist the Secretariat in
implementing the following activities of the project:
Mid-point
review meeting for the Asian and Pacific Decade of
Disabled Persons, 1993 - 2002 to be held in Seoul. The
objectives of this meeting are to review the progress
made in the implementation of the Agenda for Action for
the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993 -
2002 and to identify futher areas to strengthen its
implementation.
Development
of trainers' tools for people with disabilities in close
consultation with trainers from diverse areas of
development. Special attention should be given to
effective methods for the social mobilization of
marginalized groups to participate in the development
process.
Outputs
Mid-point
meeting to review the progress of the Asian and Pacific
Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993 - 2002. Reports and
proceedings of the regional meeting and trainer' tools
for self-help organizations of people with disabilities
in Asia and the Pacific.
Donors
Government of
Japan and Government of the Republic of Korea.
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