ACHIEVING DISABILITY RIGHTS THROUGH MAINSTREAMING AT REGIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL
European conference, 6 – 7 of November 2006
Committee of Regions- Brussels
”Mainstreaming is the integration of disability aspects at all level of society from the very beginning and through the process of planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating measures that affect people with disabilities in all areas of life”.
Day 1- 6th of November: Mainstreaming and Human Rights
09.00 – 09.30Registration
09.30 – 09.45Opening of conference: the importance of mainstreaming
Yannis Vardakastanis, President of EDF
09.45 – 09.55Setting the agenda of the conference
Objectives, practical arrangements, presentation, workshop
Moderator: Richard Rieser, Director of Disability Equality in Education
09.55 – 10.30TheHuman rights approach and mainstreaming
Getting human rights implemented at local level: duties of local authorities and responsibilities of organisations of People with disabilities. The need for cooperation
Bengt Lindqvist - former UN rapporteur on Standard Rules
10.30 – 10.55Mainstreaming: from words to deeds withAgenda 22
The concept of the Project, the Agenda 22 and the Implementation strategy
Maryanne Rönnersten – Swedish Disability Federation
10.55 – 11.15Questions from moderator and audience
11.15 – 11.45Coffee break
11.45 – 12.45Towards Mainstreaming Disability in local practice
Examples from implementation in the pilot areas from the 8 participating countries (Belgium: local level as an effective place to mainstream, Slovenia: the importance of training, Denmark: the establishment of cross disability movement at local level, Italy, methods and tools to get an inventory of needs, Estonia: the importance of structured planning, Czech Republic: working at regional level, Slovakia: the benefits from the project, Latvia: monitoring method and tools).
12.45 – 13.00Local authorities’ responsibilities in ensuring disability rights
Jantine Kriens– Alderman of the city of Rotterdam.
13.00 – 13.15Questions from Moderator and Audience
13.15 – 14.45Lunch
14.45-16.00Plenary session: Preconditions for local Mainstreaming
Moderator Richard Rieser
Purpose: why and how mainstreaming at local level?
Importance of cooperation between local authorities and local organisations of People with Disabilities - Importance of structured planning.
14.45-15:00Precondition for Mainstreaming at local level
Rika Detmers – National Disability Council of the Netherlands
15:00– 15:30Case study: the municipality of Talsi(Latvia): perspectives from local authorities and organisations of people with disabilities on the “why” and “how” mainstreaming at local level as well as on the project’s results
Aivars Lacarus - Mayor of Talsi, Latvia
Gunta Ancha – President of Sustento Latvia
15:30 - 16:00Questions from the Moderator and from the audience
16.00 - 16.30Coffee break
16.30 - 17.00Summary and conclusions from the first day
Presentation of day 2 and preparation of the country discussion
Moderator
1
Day 2 - 7th of November: Getting started and available tools
09.30 – 09:45How to use the European Structural Funds to enhance mainstreaming at local level
Yannis Vardakastanis, President of EDF
09:45 -10:00Questions from the audience
10:00 – 10:15Case Study: The Charter “Languedoc-Roussillon-Disability” to improve the living together, a region accessible to all and for all
Jean-Paul Boré: Vice President of Regional CouncilLanguedocRoussillon (France), CoR Member
10:15-10:45Questions from the audience
10:45 – 11:15Coffee break
11:15- 11:45Country groups discussion on how to get started - Discussionson “what are we going to do on mainstreaming when we come home?” Presentation of first short action plans.
11:45 – 11:55Conclusionsfrom the second day - Moderator
11:55– 12:05General conclusions of the conference – Moderator
12:05-12:45Panel discussion on conclusions of conference (Representatives from the European Commission, Committee of Regions, European Parliament, EDF)
12:45 – 13:15Closing remarks
European Commission – Representative to be confirmed
Yannis Vardakastanis, President of EDF
13.15End of Conference -Lunch
1