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:
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
Speaker: Rafael de Asís, Head of the Law Department and Director of the Bartholemew Human Rights Institute of Carlos III University
Speaker: Javier Romañach., Member of the Independent Living Forum.
Day 2: 21st of October, 2011.
Speaker: Ana Sastre, CERMI Delegate of the Convention for the UN
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
Speaker: Stefan Trömel, Director of IDA (International Disability Alliance).
Miguel Ángel García Oca, President of PREDIF and FIMITIC
Rest of speakers for the conclusions to be confirmed
Abstract papers:
Video material:
Conference part 1
Conference part 2
Conference part 3