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NGO Committee on UNICEF:
Working Group on Disability
The Working Group on Children with Disabilities was established
in June 2005. The international disability organisations who
are members include: World Blind Union Children's Committee, International
Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment, Inclusion
International, Rehabilitation International, an independent consultant
to Save the Children, and UNICEF.
The Working
Group functions as an advisory group to the Child Protection Section
of UNICEF, which deals with children with disabilities.
The Working
Group's purpose is to include children with disabilities in all
UNICEF programmes and publications. The overall strategic
priorities for the group are to promote the rights of children with
disabilities through three important avenues:
1) To ensure
the strongest possible text for children in the Convention on Persons
with Disabilities and to promote its ratification and implementation.
2) By advocating
for the right to education for all children with disabilities and
the pursuit of Education for All.
3) By specifically
addressing the issue of violence against children with disabilities
and to link with the work of the UN Study on Violence.
2007-2008
Overall
Goals
- To promote the rights and inclusion of
children with disabilities
- To ensure that children with disabilities
are included in all UNICEF programs and publications
Action Plan
- To promote ratification and implementation
of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
by:
- Supporting the development of a child-friendly
version of the UN Disability Convention: UNICEF, in consultation
with the working group.
- Supporting the development of an advocacy
manual for civil society on the UN Convention, its implications
for children, possible partners and advocacy strategies: Save
the Children-UK, in consultation with the working group.
- Considering other ideas and projects
on implementation, particularly as they relate to children with
disabilities; and
- Including representatives of other organisations
(see attached list) in our information-exchange and communication
on the implementation of the Convention in order to:
- keep
each other appraised of initiatives and projects on implementation
of the Convention
- develop tools jointly where possible
- ensure tools we develop are endorsed
by the wider disability community.
2.
To advocate for the rights to education for all children with
disabilities and the pursuit of Education by All by:
a)
Promoting the Education for All Initiative (ICEVI)
b)
Providing input to UNESCO and UNICEF on their work in inclusive
education
c)
Providing input to the Special Rapporteur on Education
3.
To strengthen our Working Group by:
a) Sharing
information on conferences, meetings and other opportunities to
raise awareness and exchange ideas/information
For queries
please contact administrator@ngocomunicef.org
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