Predif - FIMITIC International conference on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

An international conference with the title "The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - Implementation and Development" was held in Madrid on 20-21 October 2011. The Conference took place on the premises of the Foundation for People with Spinal Cord Injury (Aspaym Madrid). This two-day program was organized by Predif (National Representative Platform of Physically Disabled Persons) and FIMITIC. There were several people present from15 countries.

The participants got an overall picture of the convention on the rights of people with disabilities. From the history how they were developed, achievements, problems, special issues to the personal assistance as a tool of the individual life. There are several parts of this issue: the international monitoring of the convention, the principles and approaches, medical model and so on. We were allowed to examine the situation in Spain and as there were speakers from different countries, it was interesting to see how the convention effects on their laws. This conference was an exchange of information, good practises and experiences. It reflected on the lacks, the fields which need improvement. It gave all of us hope that there are several achievements and it is worth fighting for the implementation of the rights and bringing them closer to people with disabilities.

Program:
“The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Implementation and Development”

Day 1: 20th of October 2011:

  • 16:00 - 16:30 Registration and presentation of documentation
  • 16:30 - 17:00 Official opening

José Luis Ripoll, President of Vodafone Foundation, Spain

Álvaro Renedo Zalba, Deputy Director General for General Affairs and

Policy Coordination of the European Community Treaty

Miguel Ángel García Oca, President of PREDIF and FIMITIC

  • 17:00-17:45 “The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: general principles and strategies for its effective implementation”

Speaker: Rafael de Asís, Head of the Law Department and Director of the Bartholemew Human Rights Institute of Carlos III University

  • 17:45-18:00 Coffee Break.
  • 18:00-18:45 “The Opportunities that the Convention has to Offer in the Development of Social Policies”.

Speaker: Javier Romañach., Member of the Independent Living Forum.

Day 2: 21st of October, 2011.

  • 09:30-10:15 “The CERMI as a Monitoring Body of the Convention in Spain. Is this a desirable model?

Speaker: Ana Sastre, CERMI Delegate of the Convention for the UN

  • 10:15-10:30 Coffee Break
  • 10:30-12:00 “Good practices and Experiences in the Implementation of the Convention in Europe”

Participants - FIMITIC

Poland: “Preparations for ratification of United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities”

Speaker: Malgorzata Koter-Mórgowska, Polish Federation of organizations of people with disabilities

Cyprus: “The United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Cyprus reality”

Speaker: Chrysis Michaelides, European Social Forum of Cyprus

Austria: “The application of the United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Austria. Awareness is the key”

Speaker: Klaus Voget, President of ÖZIV and ÖAR

  • 12:00-12:45 “The UN Convention as a Catalyst for Worldwide Social Movement of Disability”.

Speaker: Stefan Trömel, Director of IDA (International Disability Alliance).

  • 12:45-13:15 Conclusions and closing address

Miguel Ángel García Oca, President of PREDIF and FIMITIC

Rest of speakers for the conclusions to be confirmed

Abstract papers:

Rafael de Asís: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: general principles and strategies for its effective implementation

Ana Sastre Campo: The CERMI as a Monitoring Body of the Convention in Spain. Is this a desirable model?

Malgorzata Koter-Mórgowska: Preparations for ratification of United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities

Klaus Voget: The application of the United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Austria. Awareness is the key

AHNR - the Association of Persons with Neuromotor Disabilities from Romania : Activity of the AHNR in order to introduce the UN Convention provisions in the Romanian law 

Video material:

Conference part 1



Conference part 2



Conference part 3