03 August 2011
Meeting to discuss disability inclusive development
Strengthening the partnership between governments and organisations for people with disabilities in the Pacific region
will be one of the issues to be discussed at the 2nd Government Focal Points for Disability meeting to be held in Nadi,
Fiji 10 – 12 August 2011.
“Pacific Islands Forum Leaders strongly support the promotion of an inclusive, barrier-free, and rights-based society
for people with disabilities in the region and at their Meeting in Vanuatu last year affirmed the need for disability
inclusive development in all government programmes,” says Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands
Forum Secretariat
“The 800,000 people living with disabilities in the region are among some of the poorest and most vulnerable and face
many barriers to full participation in society and it is imperative that their plight is taken into consideration in
whatever development initiative is undertaken in the region by governments, development partners and the civil society.”
The Government Focal Points for Disability meeting, which will also be attended by government representatives from Forum
Island countries, organizations working for people with disabilities in the region, development partners and CROP
agencies, will also raise awareness of the Pacific Regional Strategy on Disability (PRSD), its action plan, and
monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
The meeting will also discuss capacity building in policy development with regard to the implementation of the PRSD and
the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Participants will consider how to strengthen the partnership between governments in Forum island countries and Disabled
Peoples Organisations at the national level in their work on signing, ratifying and implementing the Convention.
They will also discuss the various initiatives undertaken by Pacific Island Countries at the national level in the
recent past and share ideas on good practices and challenges.
The meeting is coordinated by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji and funded by the Government of
Australia through AusAID.
ENDS