Ref: 68/2007

Date: 03 December  2007

On the Occasion of the International Day of Disabled Persons:

PCHR and Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Gaza Organize a Workshop on Integration of Disabled Persons in Palestinian Society

On Monday, 13 December 2007, PCHR and the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Gaza organized a workshop entitled “Disabled Persons under International Human Rights Law and the Complexities of the Palestinian Situation: Towards a Vision of Integration.” Approximately 65 human rights activists, professionals in the fields of disability, academics, and civil society activists participated in the workshop.

PCHR’s Director, Raji Sourani, opened the workshop by welcoming the participants and stressing that integration of disabled persons is part of the economic and social rights agenda. In addition, he pointed that the workshop builds on previous activities aimed at implementing the Law of Disabled Palestinians No. 4 for the Year 1999.

The Director of Human Rights at the office of the UN High Commissioner stated that this is not the first joint action by the two parties on this field. In addition, he stressed the importance of compliance of local laws with international standards, including the Declaration on the Rights of the Disabled.

The first session included 4 papers. Dr. Tariq Mukheimar from the office of the UN High Commissioner talked about “Rights of Disabled Persons are Human Rights.” Dr. Mukheimar Abu Sa’da from Al-Azhar University talked about “Democracy and Disability Rights.” Mr. Sha’ban El-M’Bayyed, President of the National Commission for the Defense of the Disabled, gave a critical presentation of the rights of the disabled in Palestinian laws. The last paper in the first session was on “Disabled Female Palestinians between the Harshness of Reality and Future Ambitions” by Ms. Dalal El-Taji from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Khan Yunis.

The second session included another 4 papers. Mr. Hatem Hamdan, Director of El-Noor School for the Visually Disabled, talked about the role of governmental organizations, especially the Ministry of Social Affairs, in the protection of the rights of the disabled. Dr. Bassam Abu Hashish from Al-Aqsa University talked about the obstacles facing civil society organizations working in the fields of disability rights. Khalil Shaheen, Director of PCHR’s Economic and Social Rights Unit, talked about poverty and disability. He pointed that 10% of the population in the OPT are disabled; and that 85% of them live under the poverty line. Finally, Dr. Tariq Mukheimar gave a vision on advocacy mechanisms to encourage the fulfillment of disability rights.

After discussion, the participants reached the following recommendations:

–         Formulate a national plan to develop the conditions of disabled persons in Palestinian society.

–         Establish a coordination committee consisting of civil society organizations working in the fields of disability rights and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Gaza to follow up the implementation of the recommendations. –         This coordination committee formulates an annual plan pertaining to the development of conditions of the disabled.

–         Activation of the coordination committee of organizations working in the fields of disability and to formulate an advocacy plan targeting decision makers to enforce the rights of the disabled. –         Call to civil society organizations to incorporation the rights of disabled persons in their programs.

–         Increasing awareness activities on rights of the disabled. –         Increase training and rehabilitation of disabled persons, including advocacy skills, to increase their ability to pressure decision makers.

–         Provision of financial assistance to organizations working in the fields of disability through contacts with regional and international disability rights organizations. –         Calling upon donor countries and agencies to ensure that the recipients of their funding respect the necessary provisions pertaining to disability rights.

–         The governmental sector plays an important role in protecting the rights of the disabled.

–         Continuous advocacy of the Ministry of Social Affairs to establish a governmental panel to implement Law No. 4 for the Year 1999.