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United Nations Voluntary Fund on DisabilityOverview of Activities for 1990-1996During this period, the Fund focused on support for catalytic action in the disability field. During the period 1990-1996, training was the principal activity among the 106 projects supported by the Fund, followed by information support and technical exchanges (see table 2). The Fund provided nearly US$ 1.5 million in co-financing grants for these activities (see table 1), grants ranging from US$5,000 to US$ 20,000. More than 90 per cent of the Fund-assisted projects have been implemented in the developing regions of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Asia; these projects also received the corresponding share of the resources disbursed. The remaining projects supported have been of a global or an interregional nature aimed at delivering the benefit of Fund-assisted activities to the maximum number of disabled persons possible. The majority of Fund-assisted projects in the 1990s are being implemented by non-government organizations (90 per cent), in cooperation with Governments. This reflects their rapidly increasing presence in not only promoting but also planning and taking responsibility in cooperation with Governments to carry out a wide range of catalytic and innovative action in the social field (see table 3). The Arab Gulf Programme for the United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND) has continued to be a major partner in supporting the activities of the Fund. Since 1990, co-financing agreements have been signed with AGFUND for nine disability projects, representing US$337,000 in co-financing grants. In 1996, there are two completed projects, four are currently ongoing and one is being processed for release of the AGFUND co-financing grant. Selected projects experienceBurkina Faso (BKF/92/D11): this project was implemented by a local non-governmental organization, the Association des parents d'enfants ence'phalopathes, in Ouagadougou. In 1995, the Fund co-financed US$15,000 to cover the cost of 22 staff members of the Association for training in Benin and France. The trainees learned the different approaches to provide rehabilitation programmes for mentally disabled children. Regional Eastern Africa (RAF/95/D01): a project to increase wheelchair production in Eastern Africa, it was implemented by Wheel Mobility Centre of San Francisco State University, in cooperation with the Union of Disabled Persons in Kenya and the National Council of Churches of Kenya, and has been very successful in producing wheelchairs for disabled women in Kenya and Zimbabwe. The grant of US$30,00 co- financed the cost of transporting wheelchair kits to these countries and of setting up a pilot training workshop organized with the help of local non-governmental organizations in Kenya and Zimbabwe. In this way, local women with disabilities have learned about the construction, repair/and maintenance of wheelchairs that are suitable for their country. Interregional (INT/96/D18): in the summer of 1996 in Atlanta1/, the Third Paralympic Congress was held a week just before the Paralympic Games. A grant of US$20,000 co-financed participation by 11 representatives from least developed countries in the Congress. Table 1.United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability: projects supported and grants disbursed by region, January 1990-December 1996 (United States dollars) Region No. of Value of
projects grants
Africa 32 501,420 Asia & the Pacific 22 294,000 Latin America and Caribbean 14 134,675 Western Asia 20 262,800 Europe 2 18,407 Interregional/global 16 272,624 Total 106 1,483,926 Table 2.United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability: projects supported and grants disbursed, by area of activity, January 1990 - December. 1996 (United States dollars) Area No. of Value of
projects grants
Information 20 245,724 Training a/ 66 889,332 Technical exchanges 11 223,990 Institution building 3 30,400 Income generation 3 40,000 Pilot action (technical aids) 1 6,000 Development of human resources 20 240,000 a/ Including 5 projects with both training and income-generation components. Table 3. United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability: projects supported and grants disbursed, by project implementing agent, January 1990 to December 1996 Implementing agent No. of Value of
projects grants
Non-governmental organization 85 963,259
Government/ministry 3 78,000
United Nations 14 206,140
Others (universities/research
institutes) 4 52,907
Multiplier effect of grants from the FundAlthough grants from the Fund are modest - some US$20,000 on average - their catalytic role in implementation of the World Programme of Action has been significant. Available data indicate that every dollar provided from the Fund as a grant has resulted in the mobilization of an additional four to five dollars for activities of benefit to disabled persons. Furthermore, the Fund has been very effective in promoting greater awareness of disability-related issues by its support of those activities which are often overlooked in large-scale development plans, and its provision of small but critically needed financial and technical resources. Project co-financing experienceIn order to augment the resources of the Fund, which are considerably less than those required to meet the resource needs of many priority projects received, the Fund has sought to establish co-financing arrangements with bilateral development agencies, non-governmental funding entities and the private sector. Chief among these relationships has been the Fund's co-operation with AGFUND in co- financing a number of disability-related projects. In recognition of his distinguished leadership and initiative in the disability field, the Secretary-General of the United Nations had the honour to present a testimonial to His Royal Highness Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, President of AGFUND. Project co-financing contributions have also been effected with the Canadian International Development Agency, Cooperation for Development, a non-governmental organizaton in the United Kingdom, and Austrian Red Cross. For more information on the Fund,contact: John Langmore, Director |