Last Minute

14/12: A European – Arab common agenda for the UN CRPD

On 14 December, the European Disability Forum (EDF) and the Arab Organisation of Persons with Disabilities (AOPD), in cooperation with the European Economic and Social Committee (ESSC) organised an international conference “The European – Arab International Cooperation: A common agenda for the UN CRPD”.

Taking place at the EESC premises, the conference gathered leaders from the Arab disability movement as well as from the European disability movement, international cooperation organisations, policy makers and international social donors. The conference explored the position of disability in the current international cooperation policy of the European Union, in the external financing instruments as well as the position that the European Union should have in the future post millennium development framework. Moreover, it explored the case of the cooperation between the European Union and the Arab countries lessons that can be learnt.

Opening the conference, the President of the EESC, Staffan Nilsson, highlighted the importance of the cooperation of civil society between Europe and the Arab region, based on the UN CRPD.  

EDF President, Yannis Vardakastanis, as well as the President of AOPD, Nawaf Kabbara, also underlined the necessity for cooperation in these challenging times for both regions:

“This cooperation comes in the most historical moment for both areas: the Arab democratic spring and the European economic crisis. We see profound changes taking place in Arabic countries. But also in the EU zone, we are facing a profound economic crisis, which becomes more and more a human rights crisis. In this challenging time, it is very important to increase the capacity of our organisations, to be able to represent the persons with disabilities, to communicate and fight for their rights. In this difficult situation, cooperation is very important”, stressed EDF President, Yannis Vardakastanis.

“What is needed in the Arab spring is a paradigm shift in dealing with social issues in the Arab world so that citizens are in charge of determining the policies of their governments and not the other way around. It is, therefore, vital for the disability movement to ensure that disability is going to be in the agenda. We look forward to a continual constructive cooperation between the European and the Arab disability movement and to an exchange of experiences towards better policies for persons with disabilities”, stated the President of AOPD, Nawaf Kabbara.


> THE PROJECT

The event was organised in the context of the Spanish Agency for Cooperation and Development (AECID) funded project called MUSAWA II. The project aims at promoting dialogue between European and Arab organisations of persons with disabilities in order to ensure that national policy making and implementation is in compliance with the UN CRPD The project seeks a better coordinated movement for persons with disabilities, more democratic and inclusive in every country; inclusive for women with disabilities; efficient and performing and; participating in the international movement of persons with disabilities.


> DOWNLOAD

 The agenda of the conference


> CONTACT

Javier Güemes | EDF deputy director | javier.guemes@edf-feph.org




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