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Newsletter
April 2016
Dear Partners,
The April 2016 Newsletter of the Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities (GPcwd) has arrived! In this edition we would like to draw your attention to some major developments as well as upcoming events in 2016.
WORK IN PROGRESS
GPcwd Task Forces
Child Protection Task Force
The GPCWD Child Protection Task Force is in the process of producing its work plan for this year. The task force plans to focus on issues including: the ending violence against children with disabilities campaign; the Global Studyon Children Deprived of Liberty; and the World Humanitarian Summit.
Last year the task force produced a literature review on child protection and children with disabilitiesLINK and position paper on research on violence against childrenLINK, which it will continue to promote in 2016. The papers can be found on the GPCWD website Finally, the task force is keen to explore cross task force collaborations and would welcome new members. Organisations and/or individuals with an interest of joining the task force are encouraged to email the secretariat for more information (email: )
ECD Task Force
The ECD Task Force is working on the development of the global mapping aimed at identifying good, inspiring, and inclusive ECD and ECI programs.As we develop services and priorities aimed at ensuring the rights and meeting the needs of young children with disabilities and their families, we have much to learn from examples in place throughout the world, but not yet systematically mapped , cataloged, or networked to facilitate collaboration and co-learning.
We are all struggling to make sense of the current Zika emergency and to respond in ways that build upon lessons learned and avoid mistakes of the past. Watching the emergency unfold and anticipating the challenges posed by the thousands of babies arriving with serious risk and disability brings great distress and sadness. So much is yet to be known, and yet, we must be proactive and immediate given the growing numbers and looming crisis. Our colleagues at CDC, WHO, and UNICEF are engaged in planning and appreciative of ECDtf participation.If you are interested in joining or our ECDtf Zika Emergency Task Team, please contact to be looped into current discussions. Meanwhile, resources and opportunities are available at
The next gathering of ECDtf members will be at the the Global Summit on Children in Costa Rica March 31-April 3LINK where we will have several presentations as well as a working meeting for current task teams and orientation of new members. We also expect formal or informal gatherings of ECDtf members at EASPD in AprilLINKand ISEI in JuneLINK. GPcwd colleagues attending those meetings are welcome to join us.
Plans are underway for an ECDtf gathering and side-event during the June 14-16 CRPD COSP meetings in New York. If you are planning on participating, please contact . The program might address Zika issues and/or Revisions of CRPD Comment 4 on Inclusive Education, and/or enhanced opportunities for collaboration among GPcwd task forces. Please see our current newsletter at more details on current activities and access to new resources. Please submit an expression of interest form available at that site if you would like to get involved.
ECD Task Force
Formally established in March 2015,theTask Force on Leadership & Mentoring for Children and Young Women with Disabilitieswill focus on providing access to mentoring opportunities and positive role models for youth with disabilities to achieve their human rights and full potential. This task force is co-chaired by Susan Sygall, the CEO of Mobility International USA (MIUSA)and Genelle C. Thomas, National Center Director for Partners for Youth with Disabilities, Inc. (PYC)
If you are interested in joining this task force, please send an email to with the subject line Leadership and Mentoring.
The GPcwd Child Protection Task Force had its first meeting of 2015 in February. During a productive two hour conference call, members discussed potential areas of future work and adopted the task force's position paper on the need to strengthen child protection in the post-2015 development agenda. The position paper emphasizes the importance of setting up multi-disciplinary, inclusive child protection systems and highlights the need to improve data collection on children with disabilities and children in vulnerable situations, including those living in alternative care settings. LINK TO THE DOCUMENT
Over the next few months, the task force will be working to develop a pilot project proposal.
The task force welcomes new members to the group. Organizations with an interest in joining the task force are encouraged to email the task force chair for more information
The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Task Force continues its work under the leadership of its Chair, Donald Wertlieb (). The task force is currently working with the ECD section in UNICEF to identify opportunities for collaboration in 2015. The most recent newsletter of this task force can be found here: LINK
National Partnerships for Children with Disabilities (NPcwd)
In consultation with UNICEF Country Offices, the Secretariat will be working on identifying opportunities for future NPcwd collaboration with partners who are working on children with disabilities and are operational at the national level. Partners will be encouraged to engage in these initiatives, once identified. For those who are interested in discussing potential collaboration on National Partnerships or on how to further strengthen existing national entities that focus on the rights of children with disabilities, please contact the Secretariat at
GPcwd Youth Council
GPcwd Governance Structure and Strategy
UNICEF is looking to share the responsibilities of the Secretariat with partners. To this end, the Secretariat’s efforts will be focusing on identifying funding to secure sustainability of its future work. In support, we welcome partners who are interested in making contributions to reach out by email to
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
NEW RESOURCES
UNICEF developed a new video – short interview with 18 year old Syrian boy, just arrived in Greece, who lost both legs when a bomb hit his house. He lived in Jordan as a refugee for 3 years before attempting the journey. He wants to go to Germany.
This video contains: International Sign, English narration, subtitles, Audio Description:
New infographic highlights why disability statistics matter
The new infographic launched by DESA draws attention to the lack of data and statistics on disability and how it contributes to the invisibility of persons with disabilities. This ongoing issue presents an obstacle to achieving development planning and implementation to improve the lives and well-being of persons with disabilities, around the world. (
UN Women – Roster of Gender Experts and Trainers
UN Women is inviting experts and trainers (individuals, not firms) on gender issues to share their professional experience and knowledge. Currently, the registration is open to specialists in the areas of gender equality, economic empowerment, political participation, peace and security, and HIV/AIDS. The database is expected to expand to provide more opportunities to register in other subject areas. The roster is an online platform that will help UN Women identify and mobilize a diverse range of experienced professionals and trainers on gender equality from around the world. - See more at: and
Civil society organizations presents joint response to the Report of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators
The International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) welcomes the Report of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs)applauding the inclusion of the 11 indicators on disability in the overall ‘Final list of proposed Sustainable Development Goal Indicators’. They note the clear recognition of the importance of adequate data to monitor progress achieved for persons with disabilities in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
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on gender equality from around the world. Details on how to apply and become part of this roster are available at:
PAST AND FUTURE EVENTS, AND UPDATES FROM PARTNERS
9th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP-CRPD), 14-16 June 2016, New York
The 9th session of the Conference of States Parties (COSP) to the CRPD will be held from 14 to 16 June 2016 at UN Headquarters in New York. The overarching theme of this year's session is "Implementing the 2030 development agenda for all persons with disabilities: Leaving no one behind". The sub-themes are: eliminating poverty and inequality for all persons with disabilities; promoting the rights of persons with mental and intellectual disabilities; enhancing accessibility to information and technology and inclusive development; and celebrating the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the CRPD. This year’s session will include elections for nine members of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to replace those whose terms are due to expire in December 2016. The online application process for new NGO Accreditation to the COSP will take place from 1 March to 9 May 2016, the online NGO Registration opens: 1 April (closes: 1 June), and the Application for side-events opens: 1 April (closes: 15 May). (
WHS – Disability Dialogues at the World Humanitarian Summit
The World Humanitarian Summit (WHS, 23 to 24 May 2016) preparatory process is seeking better ways to meet the needs of millions of people affected by conflicts and disasters. In collaboration with Handicap International, and with the support of the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC), the WHS secretariat launched an online survey in three parts to collect the views of: persons with disabilities that have been affected by a humanitarian crisis, the organizations representing them, and the humanitarian actors. The purpose of these surveys was to identify gaps and good practices in humanitarian response and to find a way towards a more inclusive humanitarian system. (
3d International conference on child disability issues
Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, 18-20 May 2016
Kelechek Plus Public Foundation, Hand in Hand Public Association and Janyryk National Network organizes 3d international three-day conference on children with disabilities called "Innovative approaches to working with children with special needs: Kyrgyzstan's and international experience", which will take place on 18-20 May 2016 in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
The main objectives of the conference are experience exchange, networking, and promoting effective cooperation between local and international NGOs, as well as governmental agencies.
The program will have both plenary sessions as well as workshops, which will be held simultaneously in three or four sessions. Focus on the practiccal aspect proved successful during the previous two conferences as all participants attended all three days of the events. At the opening of the event we will see the representatives of the president of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government, relevant ministries, and all international organizations working on disability issues.
As with the previous conferences, there will be a wide coverage of the event in all the TV channels and other leading mass media. A Facebook page in Russian and web-site will cover the course of preparation
Application form in English: LINK
47th UN Statistical Commission: Side-event on disability statistics
In the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and of the 2020 World Population and Housing Census Programme, a side-event was held on 10 March during the upcoming session of the UN Statistical Commission (8-11 March). The side-event entitled: "Disability statistics and measurement: National experiences and opportunities for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". It provided an opportunity to learn more about national experiences on measurement of disability through censuses of the 2010 round. The event highlighted work that is being carried out at the international level to improve the quality, relevance and availability of statistics on disability, as well as provide further information on country practices and experiences regarding the measurement of disability. (
Side-event at CSW60 on women and girls with disabilities
During the 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60, 14-24 March 2016), DESA, in collaboration with UN Women and DFID, organized a side-event on women and girls with disabilities, entitled: "Operationalizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for Women and Girls with Disabilities". The 2030 Agenda promises to close the gender gap, strengthen support for institutions in relation to gender equality and the empowerment of women. It recognizes that the empowerment of all women and girls is crucial for the achievement of all goals and targets in the new global development framework. Women and girls with disabilities similarly have a critical role to play in the SDGs in order to effectively leave no one behind. A multistakeholder discussion took place to explore priority issues and specific goals for the realization of the SDGs for women and girls with disabilities, as well as discuss how existing mechanisms can be used to strengthen links between gender, disability and sustainable development. (
World Down Syndrome Day Conference, 21 March
On 19 December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day (A/RES/66/149). The World Down Syndrome Day Conference will be organized by Down Syndrome International and co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Australia, Brazil, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Mongolia, Poland and Singapore, UNICEF and UN DESA, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA). The panellists will include self-advocates with Down syndrome, family members and friends with personal insight of inclusion within their communities, Government and UN officials, experts and civil society participants. The discussion covered the importance of including children and adults with Down syndrome and the benefits to them, their families and communities. (
UNICEF – Disability Statistics: A Key to Inclusion, side-event at the 47th Statistical Commission
UNICEF will conduct a side-event during the 47th session of the UN Statistical Commission entitled: "Disability Statistics: A Key to Inclusion - New Data Collection Tools and Partnerships". The event will bring together national statistical offices, disabled people’s organizations and other stakeholders to discuss the importance of producing internationally comparable data to help achieve the 2030 Development Agenda. To address the need for comparable and reliable data, UNICEF and the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, in collaboration with numerous partners, have developed a survey module on child functioning for use in surveys and censuses. The module reflects current thinking around disability and can produce internationally comparable data. The module was presented, discussed, and revised at several expert consultations since 2011, involving representatives of disabled people’s organizations, academic institutions, international organizations and national statistical offices. The event will introduce the new UNICEF/Washington Group survey module on child functioning and launch a campaign "Count Me In" to advocate for the importance of collecting data on children with disabilities. The event will be held on Wednesday 9 March, 6:15 to 8:00 pm at UNICEF House. (
Please share with the Secretariat any updates, materials or events that you would like to be included in the next GPcwd newsletter in May. The deadline for submission for the next newsletter is 1 June 2016.
Best wishes,
GPcwd Secretariat