As December 3 is an International Day for Person with Disabilities, I am posting this statement crafted in a gathering of Indigenous Persons with Disabilities where they pushed for the realization of their rights and welfare as PWDs are among the poor, marginalized and neglected sector of our society.
Statement by the
First Gathering of Indigenous Persons with Disabilities from Asia and the Pacific, organized by the Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Global Network,
Supported by the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, Disability Rights Advocacy Fund and the International Disability Alliance
We, indigenous persons with disabilities[1]and indigenous peoples from 12 countries in Asia and the Pacific, representing national and regional organizations of persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples’ organizations gathered in Bangkok, Thailand from 22 – 25 June 2015 to share experiences in order to promote the rights and inclusion of indigenous persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific.
Recalling
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD, 2006), the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN DRIP, 2007) and the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention of the International Labour Organisation (no. 169, 1989),
The Outcome Documents of the High-Level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Realization of the Millennium Development Goals and Other Internationally Agreed Development Goals for Persons with Disabilities (2013), the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (2014) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015),
The Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific 2013-2022 and the Pacific Regional Strategy on Disability 2010-2015, as well as the ASEAN Strategic Framework for Social Welfare and Development 2011-2015,
Welcoming
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues “Study on the situation of indigenous persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on challenges faced with respect to the full enjoyment of human rights and inclusion in development” (2012) as well as the recommendations relating to indigenous persons with disabilities included in the reports of the 12th, 13th and 14th sessions of the Permanent Forum,
The Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues thematic paper on the rights of indigenous peoples/persons with disabilities (2014) and the report of the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (2014),
Taking into account that 15% of the world’s population—one billion people—has a disability[2], and applying this percentage to the global indigenous population (estimated at 300 million)[3] the number of indigenous persons with disabilities is estimated at approximately 45million, of which many live in Asia and the Pacific,
Deeply concerned
By the limited data and statistics available on indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities, in particular indigenous persons with disabilities, due to the lack of reliable documentation such as birth registration, as well as the lack of disaggregation of data by ethnicity and disability status,
That indigenous peoples in Asia and the Pacific face constant challenges to their ancestral homeland and resources, culture, traditions and languages, and forced evictions, evacuations, militarization, polluted/destroyed resources and environments due to extractive industries and intensive use of agrochemicals, among other things, which exacerbates the condition of indigenous persons with disabilities and may cause significant health hazards to indigenous peoples, including indigenous persons with disabilities,
That indigenous persons with disabilities face multiple discrimination and barriers to participate in society due to their indigeneity and as persons with disabilities, including lack of access to development programmes and funds, education, employment, health care, communication and transportation services,
That indigenous persons with disabilities are over represented among those living in absolute poverty and continue to exist as one of the world’s most at risk populations,
That indigenous persons with disabilities are more at risk from the effects of climate change and natural disasters, and are excluded from humanitarian planning, response, recovery, relief and rehabilitation efforts,
Stressing
That some groups of indigenous persons with disabilities such indigenous children and elderly persons with disabilities, persons with psychosocial disabilities and persons with intellectual disabilities face greater marginalization and are particularly vulnerable,
That indigenous women and girls with disabilities are more at risk of aggravated discrimination as well as violence from the effects of large-scale extractive industries and forced evictions, evacuations and militarization,
The challenge of indigenous persons with disabilities to have their voices heard and to be involved in policies and programmes that impact their lives, including with free, prior and informed consent,
Deeply disappointed that the Millennium Development Goals had no impact on indigenous persons with disabilities due to the lack of inclusion and accessibility of related policy and programme design, implementation and monitoring,
Calls upon Member States in Asia and the Pacific Region who have not done so to ratify the UN CRPD and its optional protocol, and to sign the UN DRIP,
Urges Member States in Asia and the Pacific Region to take all appropriate measures to:
1. 1. Implement the UN CRPD and the UN DRIP, providing equal opportunities and support to indigenous persons with disabilities in a way that is respectful to their traditions and culture, with particular attention to indigenous women and girls, children and elderly persons with disabilities;
2. 2. Implement the recommendations relating to indigenous persons with disabilities in the Outcome Documents of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction;
3. 3. Strive to achieve the goals and targets, and monitor the indicators of the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific, including for indigenous persons with disabilities;
4. 4. Ensure the involvement of indigenous persons with disabilities, including indigenous women and girls with disabilities, in decision-making processes and policies and programmes that impact their lives;
5. 5. Strengthen the mandate of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in order to more effectively promote and respect the principles outlined in the UNDRIP;
6. 6. Include indigenous persons with disabilities in the targets and indicators of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, as well as disaggregation of data by ethnicity and disability status.
[1]In line with the Outcome Document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (2014)
[3]The World Bank, http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples/overview#1
The celebration of the International Day for Persons With Disabilities in Baguio City, Philippines on December 3, 2015.
