WWDA Joins Expert Working Group Compiling United Nations Flagship Report on Disability and Development
WWDA’s Executive Director has been invited to contribute to the United Nations flagship report on disability and development, coordinated by the United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the United Nations Inter-Agency Support Group (IASG) Working Group on Women and Girls.
As an expert member the working group, WWDA will be contributing to the section of the report focused on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls with disability, which will also be a cross-cutting topic across the report.
The final report will be tabled at the United Nations General Assembly in 2018. This report will compile and analyse national policies, programmes, best practices and available statistics regarding persons with disabilities, reflecting on progress made in addressing the sustainable development goals and the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
We invite you to endorse a Civil Society Statement to the Prime Minster, calling for an immediate Royal Commission into violence, abuse and neglect of people with disability.
The statement highlights the evidence for why a Royal Commission is necessary to address the systemic violence, abuse and neglect experienced by people with disability.
We invite you to endorse this document through the following Google Forms link https://goo.gl/forms/BTmuKyk9IEtYnEmu2 or by providing the name of your organisation and your email address to chris@wwda.org.au no later than Friday 26 May 2017.
A copy of the statement is available at the DPOA website.
Policy and Submissions
- WWDA made a brief submission to the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ study on the right to liberty and security of persons with disabilities. Access it from the WWDA website.
- WWDA and DPO Australia made a submission to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee inquiry into the delivery of outcomes under the National Disability Strategy 2010-2010 (NDS) to build inclusive and accessible communities. Access it from the DPOA website.
Collaboration
- WWDA and DPO Australia wrote and are co-ordinating a Civil Society Statement to the Prime Minister, calling for an immediate Royal Commission into violence, abuse and neglect of people with disability. Over 110 organisations have signed the statement so far. Organisations and individuals can access and endorse the statement up until COB Friday 26th May 2017.
Have Your Say
There’s Still Time to Have Your Say on the NDIS Code of Conduct
The Commonwealth is developing a national Code of Conduct to promote safe and ethical service delivery for the full scheme NDIS.
The development of a Code of Conduct is an important part of the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework which was released in February 2017.
Consultation is now open on the draft Code of Conduct and we encourage people with disability, their families and carers, providers and workers to share their comments and feedback.
The Code of Conduct sets out national standards and outlines expectations of behaviour for providers and workers delivering NDIS supports and services.
Once finalised, the Code will be overseen by the new NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission announced in Budget.
To get involved, visit www.engage.dss.gov.au to read the Discussion Paper, complete the survey or make a submission.
Consultation will be open until 5pm (AEST), 21 June 2017.
The Right to Independence and Inclusion
The United Nations Committee that overseas the Convention on the Rights of People with Disability (CRPD) have released their Draft General Comment on the right of persons with disabilities to live independently and be included in the community (CRPD, Article 19).
General Comments help Governments and other stakeholders to develop a shared understanding of what a specific human rights article means and how it can be implemented.
In the Australian context, Article 19 of the CRPD has particular relevance as we move toward a full NDIS roll-out and as many call on Governments to address housing affordability issues.
Organisations can make submissions regarding the Draft General Comment up until 30 June 2017.
Disability News
Essay: The Price of Disability (NY Times)
Disabling Ableism: How rethinking our understanding of disability could improve lives (University of Melbourne)
Federal budget 2017: The people (mostly women) the NDIS forgot (SMH)
Students with disability lack government funding to excel at school, statistics show (ABC News)
Group home ‘hell’: Open letter calls for royal commission into treatment of people with disabilities (ABC News)
From Our Members
WWDA and WWDA Youth Network are happy to promote creative and engaging work by our members on our Facebook pages, websites and in this newsletter. Let us know if you have something you would like to share or if you have found a resource or website you think others might be interested in.
