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USICD NewsApril 2014
Senator Tom Harkin Calls for Community Support for Ratification 
Ithe CRPD Support logo with We support instead of I support

In a new video message, Senator Tom Harkin reasserts his commitment to U.S. ratification of the CRPD and calls on the community to support the effort by sending in our stories.

 

Watch Video Here 

A video of Senator Harkin with the U.S. Capitol in the background  

Do you have a disability and have had difficulty studying or traveling abroad? Did you go abroad for work or school and find challenges when you arrived? Were you unable to go because of your disability?  

 

Your story could help our work towards ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities -- by putting a FACE to why it is important!  The CRPD is an international human rights treaty, modeled after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and has been ratified by 145 countries.  With your help, we hope to make the U.S. #146!  If you have a story, please share it at http://bit.ly/shareCRPD.   

 

You can also share your support of CRPD on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtags #selfie #CRPD! 

DPI Hosts First Arab Regional Assembly
A Regional Assembly of Disabled Peoples' International (DPI) was held on April 22-24.   National member representatives from across the region came together to discuss next steps for the newly formed DPI-Arab Regional body. The Assembly also conducted its first ever historic elections.  These leaders listed below and can be seen pictured above, joined by DPI's global chair, Mr. Javed Abidi.

BOARD MEMBERS OF THE DPI-ARAB REGION

Chairperson
Sylvana El Lakkis (Lebanon)
Vice-Chairperson 1 -
Basher El Faitoury (Libya)
Vice-Chairperson 2 -
Reham Al Masry (Egypt)
Secretary -
Ahmed Berkia(Morocco)
Treasurer -
Manal Ali Saleh Al Ashwal (Yemen)

 

Congratulations to our fellow DPI Members!  READ MORE 

USICD Launches New LinkedIn Page

 

A Dark Blue square with the lower case letters i and n in it
USICD has a new way for our members and others to keep  up-to-date on USICD activities and on disability news from around the world.  People who have LinkedIn profiles can "follow" USICD's newly launched LinkedIn page at
https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-international-council-on-disability-usicd-

 

The USICD LinkedIn page is just the newest addition to USICD's array of social media tools enabling members and others to be involved in what we do.  USICD is also on Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress blog
USICD Program Participant Anais Keenon 
Shares Reflections from Kenya
A baby elephant uses his trunk to drink bottle of milk while crowds watch
There is an almost indescribable appeal to being in Nairobi, Kenya. The trees are lush and verdant, birds with vibrant feathers and obnoxious calls abound, and brightly colored flowers are blooming in the half-dry, half-rainy season. Foods are usually sweet fruits, spicy meats or - inspired by both British and Indian influences - a healthy dose of chapatis and Masala chips (or French fries with masala sauce to some). People are warm, low-key and friendly.

It has been a long and fantastic journey from when and where I first started, in the cold depths of mid-January in a German town called Bensheim . . . 

 

READ MORE
International Disability News
  • Emirati Sign Language
    The United Arab Emirates is preparing a dictionary of Emirati sign language for the first time and DPI is helping to launch a "Hear us Sign" campaign to raise awareness of the language capabilities of people with hearing impairments.
  • Accessible Voting in India New improvements at Delhi polling places are encouraging people with disabilities to vote. Although voters appreciated the improvements, many people with disabilities said they had in the past by asking family members to help because they felt it was their responsibility to vote.
  • China Allows People Who Are Blind to Take Exam  For the first time ever, the Chinese government issued a directive to its Department of Education staff to allow people with disabilities to take the college entrance exams. Previously, people who are blind were denied the opportunity and  often shunted into jobs such as massage or music.  
  • Challenges Faced by Children with Disabilities in Uganda Children with disabilities continue to face challenges in schools, with societal stigmas, and the lack of direct participation of children with disabilities and their families in formulating and implementing laws and policies.
  • Autism in the Middle East While facilities and even the availability of diagnosis are improving throughout the Middle East, diagnosis and treatment continue to be challenged in some parts by societal instability.
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And don't miss the U.S. Department of State's
Special Advisor for International Disability Rights Judy Heumann's Facebook Page
In This Issue
Senator Harkin Calls for Comminity Support for Ratification
DPI Hosts First Arab Regional Assembly
USICD Launches New LinkedIn Page
YIDA Interns Shares the Colors from Kenya
International Disability News

Member News and Opportunities

 

3rd Annual M-Enabling Summit
Monday, June 9, 2014 - Tuesday, June 10, 2014

 

InterAction Forum 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014 - Friday, June 13, 2014

 

Young Professionals Summit At InterAction Forum
Thursday, June 12, 2014 - Thursday, June 12, 2014

 

6th International Disability Law Summer School
Monday, June 16, 2014 - Saturday, June 21, 2014

 

Ever Widening Circle and Annual Disability Policy Summit
Thursday, October 9, 2014 - Thursday, October 9, 2014

 

Africa Forum Details Announced!
Friday, October 10, 2014 - Saturday, October 18, 2014


Call for Volunteers for NCIL Conference
Posted: Wednesday, April 23, 2014

opportunity      

WORLD HEADLINES AND OPPORTUNITIES

 Announcing the book, "Choosing a Career in International Development: A Guide to the Professions of International Development" by Donovan Russell

April 25, 2014
Source: Book Site

 

UN: People With Disabilities Free To Make Own Decisions
April 23, 2014
Source: Disability Scoop

 

Compilation of 11th Session of CRPD Committee c/o IDA
April 23, 2014
Source: International Disability Alliance

 

Bob Dole is back in Kansas, running for nothing, but running hard
April 22, 2014
Source: Washington Post

 

China to Allow the Blind to Take College Entrance Exam
April 21, 2014
Source: The New York Times

 

Emirati sign language promoted
April 17, 2014
Source: gulfnews.com

 

The International Disability Treaty
April 15, 2014
Source: Wheelchair Traveling (Blog)

 

Tackling autism in the Middle East
April 15, 2014
Source: AlJazeera

 

Disability Matters with Wade Henderson
April 15, 2014
Source: Disability Matters

 

CRPD Committee Makes Reports Available
April 14, 2014
Source: UNOHR

 

Amy Purdy's bionic grace on 'Dancing With the Stars'
April 12, 2014
Source: The Washington Post

 

The Senate Can Pass A Treaty To Protect Fish But Not One To Protect Disability Rights
April 11, 2014
Source: Think Progress

 

Spirited disabled voters throng well-equipped poll booths
April 10, 2014
Source: DNAindia.com

 

Challenges faced by children with disabilities in Uganda
April 8, 2014
Source: New Vision

 

Human rights training in Makira onCRPD
April 8, 2014
Source: Solomon Star

 

A Life Deserved
April 7, 2014
Source: Baltimore Sun

 

Romania has to ensure a better protection to persons with disabilities, children and Roma
April 7, 2014
Source: Act Media

 

Sarah Garrecht Gassen: US must continue leading on rights for the disabled
April 3, 2014 

 

Palestine Becomes 144th State Party to Ratify the CRPD
April 2, 2014
Source: UN Enable

 

 

CBR MEETING ON ARUBA
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 - Wednesday, April 30, 2014

 

The New Era of Inclusive Movement Services Conference
Thursday, May 8, 2014 - Thursday, May 8, 2014

 

30th Annual Pacific Rim Conference on Disability and Diversity 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014 - Tuesday, May 20, 2014  

 

3rd Annual M-Enabling Summit

Monday, June 9, 2014 - Friday, June 20, 2014  

 

Seventh session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Tuesday, June 10, 2014 - Thursday, June 12, 2014   

 

Inclusion International 16th World Congress: A Better World for All - No one Left behind
Tuesday, June 10, 2014 - Friday, June 13, 2014

  

Inaugural International Summit on Accessibility
Saturday, July 12, 2014 - Tuesday, July 15, 2014   

 

AIDS 2014 20th International AIDS Conference
Sunday, July 20, 2014 - Friday, July 25, 2014

 

COLLOQUIUM ANNOUNCEMENT Sign languages, deaf communities in Africa and Cote d'Ivoire: What future?
Thursday, July 24, 2014 - Friday, July 25, 2014

 

Destinations for All. A World Summit
Sunday, October 19, 2014 - Wednesday, October 22, 2014
 
opportunity
CRPD Ratification Watch
As of April 2014:
  
CRPD:
  • 158 Signatories
  • 145 Ratifications
Optional Protocol:
  • 92 Signatories
  • 80 Ratifications
Recent Ratifications:
Switzerland Ratified the Convention on April 15, 2014
 
Palestine Ratified the Convention on April 2, 2014   

Georgia Ratified the Convention on March 13, 2014  

Andorra Ratified the Convention on March 11, 2014  

Japan Ratified the Convention on January 20, 2014 

  

Cote d'Ivoire Ratified the Convention on January 10, 2014 

  

Tuvalu Ratified the Convention on December 18, 2013

Kiribati Ratified the Convention on September 27, 2013


Papua New Guinea Ratified the Convention on September 26, 2013
 


Bahamas Signed the Convention on September 24, 2013
 


Guinea-Bissau Signed the Convention on September 24, 2013
 


Zimbabwe Ratified the Convention on September 23, 2013
   

Kuwait Ratified the Convention on August 22, 2013
 

Singapore Ratified the Convention on July 18, 2013
 

DPR Korea Ratified the Convention on July 3, 2013
 

Palau Ratified the Convention on June 11, 2013


Norway Ratified the Convention on June 3, 2013

Iraq Ratified the Convention on March 20, 2013


Barbados Ratified the Convention on February 27, 2013


Albania Ratified the Convention on February 11, 2013
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