-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [DisabilityConvention] UNICEF CLOSURE OF FOCAL POINT ON
DISABILITY
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2003 11:22:18 +0800
From: brohier <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Last week we received the disturbing and distressing news that UNICEF
intends to close its focal point on disability w.e.f. Jul.1 this year!
The intention is to merge it within the Focal Point on Children at Risk.
Therefore, below please find letters of appeal written to Ms Carol
Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF by:
1. Kicki Nordstrom, President, World Blind Union (WBU), and
2. Larry Campbell, President, International Council for Education of
People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI),
copies of which I received this week.
My apologies if you receive this email more than once because I am
circulating it as widely as possible in view of the grave consequences
for children with disabilities which would follow, if UNICEF proceeds
with the decision. The two appeal letters have already been circulated
to a number of international and national NGOs in the hope that they too
will write to UNICEF to give reconsideration to its decision.
Therefore, I am forwarding the letters to you as well, in order to
mobilise greater worldwide support and to motivate all like-minded
governments and partners - be they international, regional, or national
- to appeal as strongly as possible and, at the same time, offering to
collaborate with UNICEF in its efforts to address the specific needs of
children and youths with disabilities, especially in the developing
countries.
It is for this reason that the World Bank is to be highly commended for
its special interest in Persons with Disabilities and its appointment of
Ms Judith E Heumann in its newly created post of Adviser, Disability &
Development.
We are all very much aware of the desperate need for more children with
disabilities to have access to even basic education. Some of you will
recall that it was UNICEF-EAPRO itself which drew our attention to the
fact that "only 1 in every 50 children with disability has access to
education" (UNICEF-EAPRO. Asian-Pacific Conference on Education for All
2000 Assessment, Bangkok, Thailand, January 17 - 20, 2000. Special
Roundtable "Inclusive Education: a Process, a Challenge)
We are also very conscious of the fact that the special needs of
children with disabilities have been greatly neglected, and even largely
ignored in some countries, in spite of the various Conventions and other
international instruments. Unless there is strong proactive support and
affirmative action, these needs will be further marginalised and our
disabled children and youths will be deprived of benefiting from the
mainstream programmes of the Millennium Development Goals, the Education
For All initiatives, and the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action.
Therefore, I urge you to take immediate steps to persuade your
government, your national organisations of and for Persons with
Disabilities, and your international NGO networks to send strong
supportive appeals to the Executive Director of UNICEF, asap, to ensure
that Children and Youths with Disabilities ARE seen, counted, and
included - TOGETHER with UNICEF, and other world bodies, WE CAN MAKE
IT HAPPEN!
In anticipation, thank you very much for your co-operation. (Please see
letters below)
Bill
(William G Brohier)
Regional Adviser, Education of Visually Impaired Persons,
CBM Christoffel-Blindenmission
Christian Blind Mission e.V., &
Past President
International Council for Education of
People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)
--------------
1. [ WBU LETTERHEAD DELETED]
Our Ref. Brev-03-15/sg
Stockholm 16 April 2003
Ms. Carol Bellamy, Director
UNICEF
Three United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017
Dear Ms. Bellamy,
I am writing this letter on behalf of the World Blind Union, (WBU)
representing the interests of blind children and adults throughout the
world. The World Blind Union represents 158 member countries with more
than 600 organizations representing 180 million blind and partially
sighted persons in the world. WBU is the official and sole voice for the
international blind and partially sighted population in the world.
The World Blind Union will with this letter protest against the closure
of the Focal Point on Disability, by UNICEF on July 1, 2003.
Blind children are among the most vulnerable of the world’s children.
The World Health Organization estimates there to be 1,400,000 blind
children worldwide. 73% of these children live in low-income countries
and under extreme poor conditions.
The International Council for the Education of People with Visual
Impairment, (ICEVI) estimates that only 5% of blind children worldwide
are receiving an education. Many blind and partially sighted children in
poor countries suffer from food, clean water, medical treatment,
education, lack of recognition and face superstition.
Blindness is unlike other disabilities in many ways. If sight is absent,
children need a great deal of additional stimulation and support for
normal development to continue to develop. Early intervention for blind
children and families is of the utmost importance.
Blindness is associated with great fear and superstition in many
cultures. For instance, it is not unusual in some parts of the world for
babies with albinism to be left to die at birth. Others are simply
denied any kinds of rights including education.
Blind children, given the opportunity for an education and acceptance
into society, have every possibility of being successful and valuable
citizens of every country.
By learning to read through the use of Braille, blind children can have
access to literacy and information. Children with low vision need large
print materials and optical aids to do the same. Learning to travel with
a cane or guide dog can enable a blind person to freely move about in
society.
UNICEF is known and respected around the world. The World Blind Union
offers to work with UNICEF to give the blind children of the world the
attention needed. Thereby we may jointly bring awareness of their issues
and offer solutions to communities and governments.
Children with disabilities, and blind children in particular, received
very little attention during the Special Session on Children in May
2002. The upcoming Convention on Disability offers UNICEF a perfect
opportunity to advocate for children with disabilities in a United
Nations forum.
Children with disabilities are not the same as all children at risk.
Children with disabilities need their particular disabling condition to
be addressed socially, medically, educationally, and politically.
Ms. Bellamy, the World Blind Union implores you to keep open the Focal
Point on Disability and not merge it with the Focal Point on Children at
Risk. Let us not allow children with disabilities to be lost in the
Convention on Disability as they were lost in the Convention on
Children.
You have the remarkable and honorable position of representing the
world’s children.
Blind children are a viable and valuable part of our world and we
entrust them to you, through UNICEF and the United Nations.
Please, reconsider the decision of the closure of the Focal Point on
disability and continue to work with disability issues separately as all
the other UN Agencies have find as the best way to protect those
interests who are of the greatest need of protection.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
(sgd) Kicki Nordstrom
President
World Blind Union
-----------------------------
[ICEVI LETTERHEAD DELETED]
April 17, 2003
Ms. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director
UNICEF
3 United Nations Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10017
Dear Ms. Bellamy:
I am writing to you in my capacity as the President of the International
Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI). ICEVI
is a global association of individuals and organizations that promotes
equal access to appropriate education for all children and youth with
visual impairment.
As an international organization representing the interests of more that
4,000 individuals and organizations concerned with the education of
children and youth with visual impairment we are very upset to learn of
your decision to close the Focal Point on Disability and merge it with
the Focal Point on Children at Risk.
The needs of children with disabilities are enormous and largely unmet.
In the case of children with visual impairment we know that less than 5%
of these children in the developing world have access to any form of
education. While you may argue that the these children will be served by
UNICEF’s “Focal Point on Children at Risk”; experience with similar
efforts to homogenize disability specific issues into other large scale
human development initiatives consistently yield the same results; the
needs of persons with disabilities simply get lost. Children with
disabilities, and specifically children with visual impairment require
and deserve specific strategies that address their unique needs.
ICEVI through its regional units has and wishes to continue to work
closely with UNICEF. However, we feel that the decision to close the
Focal Point on Disability, diminishes the common ground we share and
further minimizes the chances of reaching those 6 million children with
visual impairment; 90% of whom live in developing countries.
We respectfully ask you to reconsider your decision to close the Focal
Point on Disability.
Sincerely,
(sgd) Lawrence F. Campbell
President, ICEVI
cc: Executive Committee
NGO Committee of UNICEF
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