Press release from the Disability KaR roundtable
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29 November 2004
Call to governments to mainstream disability in development
comes from 'round table' discussion in Malawi
A 'round table' discussion forum on the theme 'Disability, Pov-
erty, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)' has concluded
with a call on governments to mainstream disability issues in
their development agendas.
The forum, held in Lilongwe, Malawi, from 2-4 November, brought
together 50 representatives of disabled people's organisations
(DPOs) from Africa and South Asia, representatives from the do-
nor community, and from other institutions and organisations
working with disabled people.
The aim of the discussions was to make explicit the links be-
tween disability and poverty and highlight the role that dis-
ability plays in working towards the achievement of the MDGs.
One outcome was that the Malawi Ministry for Social Development
and Disability Issues urged fellow governments to support ini-
tiatives for disabled people.
The discussions built on the African Decade of the Disabled
(2000-2009) and the experience of DPOs in working towards the
realisation of the MDGs. The need was also noted for a high
level of support from governments and development partners if
disabled people are to come out of poverty.
At the end of the discussions, the round table participants
called on:
* DPOs to take a more proactive role if they are to benefit from
existing development programmes.
* DPOs at their country level to devise a mechanism of mobilis-
ing their members to actively engage in activities that contrib-
utes to the African Decade Agenda and the MDGs.
* Governments and development partners to give disabled persons
time and space to represent themselves on the issues that affect
them.
* Governments to specifically target disabled persons in poverty
reduction strategies if the MDGs are to be realised.
* The donor community to mainstream disability in their develop-
ment cooperation.
The round table was organised by the Federation of Disability
Organisations in Malawi and Healthlink Worldwide, UK, as part of
the UK Department of International Development's Disability
Knowledge and Research (KaR) Programme.
Further information:
Disability Knowledge and Research Programme:
http://www.disabilitykar.net
Healthlink Worldwide:
http://www.healthlink.org.uk/
To join the Disability KaR e-forum, go to:
http://www.dgroups.org/groups/disabilityKaR/index.cfm?op=act_login
Please direct enquiries to Niki Maniam, Web Communications Coor-
dinator, Healthlink Worldwide
mailto:maniam.n@healthlink.org.uk