Warm Holiday Wishes from USICD  

This past year has been one of USICD's most incredible years to date. We achieved wide deployment of the Global Disability Rights Library project and have heard countless stories of how the GDRL is impacting lives by creating knowledge and resources for people with disabilities and their communities around the world.

We had an exciting year with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in which the treaty was transmitted to the U.S. Senate, voted successfully out of Committee, and then put to a vote on the Senate floor.  Although the CRPD did not recieve the super-majority vote necessary for ratification, USICD is so proud of the incredible work that has been done by so many people to bring the disability treaty to the forefront of American policymaking. We are confident that 2013 will be the year that we can join with over one hundred nations that have already ratified the treaty.

USICD could not have made these advancements in global disability rights without your help. Thank you all for your support, whether it is in passing our newsletter along, visiting our website, hosting a GDRL partnership, or making your voice heard in support of the CRPD. During this season of thanks, USICD wants to be sure to thank you for making us a better organization in 2012. We look forward to continuing to be a resource for you in 2013.

Happy Holidays to our brothers and sisters around the world.  May 2013 bring us more peace, solidarity, and realization of our shared vision for the global disability community.

On December 4^th, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities came to a vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Despite bipartisan leadership on the issue and the support of the disability and veteran community, the Senate failed to achieve the super-majority vote it needed to ratify the treaty by a mere 5 votes. There has been immense media coverage following the vote, expressing the public's outrage at Senate's failure to pass the disability treaty.

What's Next

Senators Reid and Kerry have stated that they plan to bring the CRPD up again this winter, as early as January. Our work as a community in anticipation of this return of the CRPD to the Senate must start now. Please see the resources and requests below so that we can together reignite the strong and unified movement.  

Take Action with NEW Resources!

See the resources below and make sure you weigh in with your senators either via phone, Facebook, Twitter or in person.

• Senator Contacts 

• New: CRPD Status Update/Talking Points with Sample Messages to Senators 

• New: Senator vote record/Twitter and Facebook contacts 

More information and media coverage on the CRPD!

• USICD CRPD Updates Page 
• CRPD taking over the media! 

Recognizing Senator Bob Dole on the 2012 International Day of Persons with Disabilities 

In recognition of the 2012 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the U.S. International Council on Disabilities and the December 4^th Host Committee, comprised of over 40 disability and veteran organizations, honored Senator Bob Dole for a lifetime commitment to disability rights including his work on the Americans with Disabilities Act, advocacy for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and efforts to include disability within the State Department's evaluation of human rights abroad. The event was held in the Senate Office Building in Washington, DC on December 4^th, 2012. Speakers included Senators Kerry, McCain, Barrasso, Harkin, and Collins, former Governor Murkowski, Ray Kelley of Veterans of Foreign Wars, and disability leaders Tony Coelho, John Kemp and USICD President Marca Bristo.

When I delivered my maiden speech on the Senate Floor on April 14, 1969, the anniversary of the day I was wounded in World War II, it was customary to speak about something in which you had a deep interest, and something about which you could offer some leadership. I chose to speak about a minority group, as I said then, the existence of which affects every person in our society, and the very fiber of our nation.

- Senator Bob Dole

Former Senators Elizabeth and Bob Dole (wearing Justin Dart's hat) and former Congressman Tony Coelho

USICD President Marca Bristo and John Kemp

Leaders of the American Disability Community

Senators Leahy (D-VT), Snowe (R-ME), Johnson (R-WI), Klobuchar (D-MN)

John Pare (National Federation of the Blind), Thomas Berger (Vietnam Veterans of America), Ray Kelley (Veterans of Foreign Wars), and Heather Ansley (VetsFirst)

It has been an exciting month at USICD! In addition to the vote for the CRPD, see what else we have been up to!

• USICD bids farewell to wonderful intern and practicum student from Gallaudet University, Julia Wolhandler, this month. Julia has become a significant part of the USICD team and leaves us with an important final project:   Disability References in the State Department's 2012 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report:  CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THIS NEW RESOURCE 
• David Morrissey met with Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Member Dr. Christie L. Gilson.  She is an Assistant Professor of Education at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  We look forward to working with her in the future.  
• USICD also bids farewell to IREX fellow, Padam Pariyar this month as he returns home to Nepal. Padam plans to apply the knowledge he gained from USICD to working with DPOs in Nepal. In parting, Padam left USICD with a thorough background paper on Nepal's disability community, including laws and policies in place to protect them, in order to help strengthen USICD's awareness of this nation. Thank you, Padam!

• Paraguay Census Dramatically Improves Accuracy on Disability: The government of Paraguay, for many years, estimated that only 1 percent of its population had some type of disability. Disability organization Fundacion Saraki, with support from the Inter-American Foundation, advocated for the addition of a question in the census about disability status and also for greater participation of Paraguayans with disabilities identifying themselves as people with disabilities. The campaign succeeded as it showed groundbreaking data on people with disabilities in Paraguay. With responses from more than 80 percent of the households that participated in the survey, it revealed that approximately 12 percent of the population in Paraguay has some type of disability. READ MORE HERE
• Breakthrough in Upcoming Romanian Election: Romanian Iulian Craciun, a young IT expert, is attempting to become the first person with disabilities to ever hold a seat in the Romanian Parliament. Julian Cracium will be running against one of the wealthiest people in Romania and media mogul Dan Voiculescu. No matter the outcome, Mr. Craciun running for a seat in Parliament, as the first persons with a disability, could be a sign of change for persons with disabilities as well young people in Romania. READ MORE HERE
• People, Politics, and Disabilities in Haiti: Mr. Gerald Oriol Jr., Haiti's Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities, has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. He is believed to be one of few persons with severe disabilities holding a high-ranking government position in the world today. Mr. Oriol, during an interview, spoke about the achievements and challenges, during his first year in office, on improving the lives of persons with disabilities in Haiti. READ MORE HERE
• Accessible Voting System Removed in Sierra Leone Before Elections: The National Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (NEC) took out the tactile voting system for persons who are blind and visually impaired just days before the national election. Disability rights activists have accused the NEC of denying people with visual impairments the right to vote independently by dropping the tactile system that enabled them to vote unassisted. The CRPD, which was ratified by Sierra Leone in 2010, mandates that the government ensures appropriate and accessible voting procedures, facilities and materials for persons with disabilities. READ MORE HERE
• Nations Meet to Discuss Accessibility in Travel: More than 100 participants from South-East Asia, Italy, Britain, Nepal and New Zealand attended a two-day accessible tourism conference in Kuala Lumpur last month. The seminar was targeted at the tourism industry, hotels, transportation services and tourist site operators. The goal of the conference was for participants to share their experiences and emphasize the importance of including disabled-friendly features in the tourism industry. READ MORE HERE
• Stigma Creating Serious Danger for the Tanzania's Albino Community: Security has long been an issue for the albino community throughout Africa, but especially in Tanzania, where they face extreme prejudice and are more subject to danger as a result of superstitious beliefs. Since 2006, more than 100 albinos have been violently attacked in the Eastern African nation of Tanzania. The attacks have become so brazen, that the government has opened boarding schools for albino children for their own protection. To help dispel the stigma and violence against albinism, the Tanzania Ministry of Education has provided an introduction to albinism to public-school teachers and college professors. READ MORE HERE

Connect with USICD!

Member CRPD Statements 

Other Member News and Opportunities