[WSIS CS-Plenary] RE: [Pwd] (unicode) [WSIS-CT] RE: [Ct-drafting] URGENT: Pleasesend COMMENTS on CS declaration

richard t jordan richardjordan at lycos.com
Sun Dec 7 19:37:51 GMT 2003


--Hi, Richard Jordan here -- the term within the UN system is "persons with disabilities" -- why don't you consult with Kiki Nordstrom who made the intervention in July at the Paris intersessional on behalf of persons with disabilities?  Best regards, Richard J.

--------- Original Message ---------
DATE: Sun, 07 Dec 2003 15:01:16
From: Monthian Buntan <mbuntan at tab.or.th>
To: "Elizabeth Carll, PhD" <ecarll at optonline.net>,Hiroshi Kawamura <hkawa at attglobal.net>, pwd at wsis-cs.org
Cc: Sally Burch <sburch at alainet.org>, ct-drafting at wsis-cs.org,ct at wsis-cs.org, plenary at wsis-cs.org

Dear Elisabeth:

The only problem now is when you suggested "mental, physical and others."  Whenever you suggest "physical", you're provoking  lots of debate over "physical."  The term "physical disability" has never been inclusive.  At least the blindness and deafness communities will be unhappy.  I for one will consider withdrawing my involvement in this whole process should the term"physical" be suggested without referring to visual and hearing.

Regards,

Thian

At 02:26 PM 12/7/2003, Elizabeth Carll, PhD wrote:

Dear Thian and all.
 
Including the longer list of examples is one possibility.  What is interesting is how differently mental disabilities are defined, as you separate learning and cognitive disabilities which are mental disabilities as intelligence and learning are mental skills. Mental disabilities does not only refer to emotional disorders but also to cognitive and intellectual functioning.  That is what I suggested "physical, mental,and other disabilities", in the event some did not perceive a particular area falling into the two basic  (mind -body categories). Some view visual and hearing disabilities as physical disabilities.  I did not suggest only using physical and added "and other" in view of your concerns.
 
I will be off line after Sunday morning, as I am leaving for Geneva Sunday afternoon.
 
Best regards,
 
Elizabeth
 
Dr. Elizabeth Carll

Focal Point

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies

Tel: 1-631-754-2424

Mobile: 917-287-7137 

Fax: 1-631-754-5032

ecarll at optonline.net

 
 
 -----Original Message-----
From: ct-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:ct-admin at wsis-cs.org]On Behalf Of Monthian Buntan
Sent: Sunday, December 07, 2003 1:46 AM
To: Elizabeth Carll, PhD; Hiroshi Kawamura; pwd at wsis-cs.org
Cc: Sally Burch; ct-drafting at wsis-cs.org; ct at wsis-cs.org; plenary at wsis-cs.org
Subject: RE: [Pwd] (unicode) [WSIS-CT] RE: [Ct-drafting] URGENT: Please send COMMENTS on CS declaration


Dear Elisabeth and all:


I would like to suggest one way out of this problem by putting the word "all types of disabilities.  If you want an example to follow, the only way to end concerns is to say "including but not limited to physical, visual, hearing, cognitive, learning and mental disabilities.  I'm afraid that such approach will be too wordy, but will at least, sovle problems.  To simply say "physical" without mentioning visual, hear, cognitive and learning, is not acceptable.  It is better for us to seek for the most inclusive term in this international document, rather than trying to narrow it down, I think.  Again, I confirm, the term "physica" is not inclusive.


Best regards,


Thian


At 01:17 PM 12/7/2003, Elizabeth Carll, PhD wrote:

Dear Thian and all,



There is no problem with any of the phrases you are suggesting for the paragraph below which you have suggested.  However, I would like to request that we also include a phrase as an example, such as "Persons with disabilities, including mental, physical, and other.  Is there a problem with including mental disabilities as an example?  In many countries mental health services are disconnected from health services.



More than 400 million people are known to suffer from mental and brain disorders and these numbers are expected to rise sharply over the next few decades, particularly among people in the developing world.  Despite, the enormous social and economic burden so created, more than 40% of the world’s countries have no articulated mental health policy, and over 30% have no mental health programs. 



I understand your concern, which is why I have suggested using an example that includes mental disabilities in addition to your phrase.  Unfortunately in many countries it is important to specify so as not to exclude, assuming that someone else's definition of all disabilities includes mental disabilities is an assumption that may leave people with out services.  When identifying problems it is also important to keep in mind how the services may be carried out in different parts of the world and not to inadvertently leave loop holes.



The following is suggested for the paragraph you have suggested which includes your description as well as an example following.  Is this acceptable?  If not, please clarify the reason.  Hopefully this compromise achieves both our goals to be as inclusive as possible.




3.1.9 Rights of persons with disabilities, including mental, physical, and other;


In the inclusive information society, the rights of persons with disabilities, including mental, physical, and other, to have full and absolute equal access to information and communications including ICTs, regardless of types and degree of disabilities, must be ensured by laws and policies at all levels.  In order to achieve such goal, Universal Design principle and the use of assistive technologies must be seriously promoted and supported throughout the whole process of building and nurturing the information society in which PWDs and their organizations must be allowed to participate fully and on equal terms with non-disabled people.



Best regards,



Elizabeth




Dr. Elizabeth Carll


Focal Point


International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies


Tel: 631-754-2424


Fax: 631-754-5032


ecarll at optonline.net 
-----Original Message----- 
From: ct-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:ct-admin at wsis-cs.org]On Behalf Of Monthian Buntan 
Sent: Saturday, December 06, 2003 9:30 PM 
To: Hiroshi Kawamura; pwd at wsis-cs.org 
Cc: Sally Burch; ct-drafting at wsis-cs.org; ct at wsis-cs.org; plenary at wsis-cs.org 
Subject: Re: [Pwd] (unicode) [WSIS-CT] RE: [Ct-drafting] URGENT: Please send COMMENTS on CS declaration


Dear Hiroshi and all:

If Hiroshi has some concern over the term "persons with disabilities", although it has the broadest meaning, I would like to proposed the possibly most inclusive and compromising (a bit wordy) term, "persons with all types of disabilities."  I believe such term, as I proposed, will take care of all concerns we may have.

As far as I know, in Japan, "physical disability" includes mobility, sensory, intellectual, learning and autistic, but in many countries, such term is very narrow and includes only mobility impairment.

Best regards,

Thian

At 08:41 AM 12/7/2003, Monthian Buntan wrote:
Dear Hiroshi:

Thank you for your kind imput.  However, I have some great concern over the word mental and physical disabilities.  Under many circumstances, the word "physical disabilities" may not include sensory impairment at all.  At least in thailand, the term "physical disabilities" refer only to persons with mobility impairment.  Therefore, I would prefer "persons with disabilities" as it speaks for the broadest range of "disabilities" regardless of types and severity.

Please seriously take it into consideration or otherwise we may end up exlcuding many people out of different understanding and interpretation.

Again, I confirm that "persons with disabilities" is absolutely broader than "persons with physical and mental disabilities."

Best regards,

Thian

 At 11:14 PM 12/6/2003, Hiroshi Kawamura wrote:
The following text is copied from WSIS-CT mailing list with permission of 
original author. --- Hiroshi


----------------------------------------------------

The paragraph posted by Sally Burch, below is the latest and most accurate 
version of the MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE section for inclusion in the 
"PRINCIPLES, GOALS AND CHALLENGES section ( or possibly in Social Justice 
section), which I had submitted.

The section should be titled;    MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE

The delivery of life-critical mental and physical health information can be 
facilitated and improved through ICT-based solutions. Lack of access to 
information and communication has been identified as a critical factor in 
the public mental and physical health crises around the world. Experts have 
suggested that providing citizens of underdeveloped countries with community 
level points of access to mental and physical health information would be a 
critical starting point for addressing the mental and physical health care 
crises. However, such access points should support more than one-way flows 
of information (for example, from expert to community or patient). 
Communities must be allowed to participate in the selection and creation of 
communication flows that they find useful and necessary to address the 
prevention, treatment, and promotion of mental and physical health care for 
all people.

In addition, please note the following revisions in brackets, which were 
previously recommended but in latest draft have been omitted.  Please 
re-insert.  Most of these refer to specifying mental and physical health, as 
opposed to only physical, and should be included for consistency and 
clarity.

3.2.4 Access to Information and the Means of Communication, paragraph 3

Specific needs and requirements of all stakeholders, including those with 
[mental and physical] disabilities, must be....

3.2.5 Basic literacy, par 1 last sentence

People-centered information technologies can foster eradication of [mental 
and physical] illnesses and epidemics, can help give everyone food, shelter, 
freedom and peace.

3.2.5 Basic literacy, par 3 last sentence

must include a focus on the needs of people who have [mental and] physical 
impairments and all means of transcending those impairments ...

3.3.8 Human development ­ education and training, par 2 
  Literacy, education, and research efforts in the Information Society must 
include a focus on the needs of people who have [mental and] physical 
impairments and all means of transcending those impairments....



In par 4 -



...special needs: those of young and elderly people, of women, of people 
with [mental and physical] impairments, of indigenous peoples, of migrant 
communities, of refugees and returnees in post-conflict situations, in a 
life-long perspective...





3.3.9 Information generation and knowledge development - research, par 1, 
sentence 3



Clear principles should be developed for the use and exploitation of the 
body of knowledge produced [e.g. Scientific research data should be gender 
and age disaggregated for mental and physical health.]





4. Conclusion, par 2, last sentence



....the right to a standard of living adequate for the [mental and physical] 
health and well-being of the individual and his or her family, including 
food housing and (delete medical)  [mental and physical health]care.





3.1.9 Rights of Persons with Disabilities: recommended by Monthian Buntan



I also support the inclusion of the section below recommended by Monthian 
Buntan, however, I would recommend the following revisions to be consistent 
with the rest of the document.  While it is helpful to specify types and 
degree of disabilities, these can be seen as referring to physical only as 
often mental and physical health care have been disconnected in many 
countries.



3.1.9 Rights of Persons with [Mental and Physical] Disabilities:


In the inclusive information society, the rights of persons with [mental and 
physical] disabilities to have full and absolute equal access to information 
and communications including ICTs, regardless of types and degree of 
disabilities, must be ensured by laws and policies at all levels.  In order 
to achieve such goal, Universal Design principle and the use of assistive 
technologies must be seriously promoted and supported throughout the whole 
process of building and nurturing the information society in which PWDs and 
their organizations must be allowed to participate fully and on equal terms 
with non-disabled people.





Thank you for all your work on this.  Look forward to meeting everyone in 
Geneva as hoping to arrive Monday morning, however, there is a huge blizzard 
and snowing now in New York and flights are delayed.



Elizabeth



Dr. Elizabeth Carll

Focal Point

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies

Tel: 631-754-2424

Fax: 631-754-5032

ecarll at optonline.net




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