taking action for the human rights of people with disabilities

PART 3: ADVOCACY! TAKING ACTION FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 229

PART 3:

ADVOCACY!TAKING ACTION FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS

OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

PART 3 CONTENTS:• AdvocacyandAction………………………………………….230• ActionPlans……………………………………………………232• StepsTowardAdvocacy………………………………………232

230 HUMAN RIGHTS. YES! ACTION AND ADVOCACY ON THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

PART 3: ADVOCACY!TAKING ACTION FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS

OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

CONTINUING YOUR START: ADVOCACY AND ACTION

Advocacy isactiontocreatepositivechange.Itusuallyinvolvesmanypeopleand/ororganizationsworkingtogethertowardasharedvisionforchange.

Thebestadvocatesfordisabilityrightsareself-advocates,peoplewithdisabilitiesthemselves.Ittakestheactiveandcollaborativeeffortsofpersonswithdisabilitiesandtheiralliestoensurethattheirhumanrightsarerespectedandtoeffectivelycreatesocialchange.

ESSENTIALS OF ADVOCACY

Awareness of Rights

Awareness of Self

Action

AWARENESS OF RIGHTS

Allpeopleshouldbeawareoftheirrightsandliberties!Thefirsttwopartsofthismanualareintendedtomakeyouawareofthehumanrightsthatpersonswithdisabilitiesareentitledtounderinternationallaw,asaffirmedbytheConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(CRPD).Personswithdisabilitiesandtheiralliesneedtobeabletoanalyzeandnavigatethesocialandpoliticalenvironmentwithinwhichtheylivefromthishumanrightsperspective.Suchawarenessincreasesconsciousnessandmobilizespeopletotakeaction,toadvocateagainstdiscrimination,andtofightfortherightstowhichtheyareentitled.

Using a Human Rights Approach for Advocacy

Arights-basedapproach todisability regards the limitationsplacedonpeoplewithdisabilitiesbytheirsocialandphysicalenvironmentsasaviolationoftheirfundamentalhumanrights.Aright-basedapproachcantransformtheneedsofpeoplewithdisabilitiesintorightstheycanclaimandadvocate.


AWARENESS OF SELF

Self-knowledgeandeffectivecommunicationarekeytobecomingstrongself-advocates.Personswithdisabilitiesneedtoknowtheirownstrengthsandneeds,andhavetheabilitytoeffectivelycommunicatethoseneedswhenadvocatingfortheirrights.Likeanyskill,advocacymustbepracticedand,asaresult,itimproveswithtime.Practiceexplainingwhatyouneedinordertoaccessyourcommunityandenjoyyourrights.

ACTION

Awarenessdoesnotcreatechange.ACTIONdoes!

Younowhavetheknowledgeandarebuildingtheskillstoadvocatesuccessfullyforyourrights.Commitmentisessentialtotakingaction.Startwithsmallattainablesteps.Participationindisabilityorganizationscanhelp.Itcanprovideanimportantenvironmenttopracticeadvocacyskillsandpromoteasenseofbelonging,identity,andconnectiontootherswhosharesimilarlifeexperiences.

Advocacycanbeusedformanypurposes:forpersonalneeds,fortheneedsofotherswithdisabilities,orfortheneedsofthedisabilitycommunityasawhole.Advocacycantakeplaceatmanylevelstoo:locally,nationally,andinternationally.Examplesofadvocacyactionsinclude:

Educational Action• Educating ourselves: gatheringtheinformationweneedtounderstandtheissueand

analyzingwhatwehavelearned;• Educating others: drawingtheattentionofalliesandthegeneralpublictoanissuethat

needstobeaddressedandshowinghowwewanttocreatechange;• Changing attitudes: addressingstereotypesandmisconceptionsaboutaparticular

issueandaboutpeoplewithdisabilitiesgenerally.

Political Action• Addressing policy-makers: influencingthemtoconsultwithandincludetheconcerns

ofpeoplewithdisabilitieswhenmakingpublicpolicies;• Addressing law-makers: lobbyingforsupportsandfulfillmentofthehumanrightsof

peoplewithdisabilities;• Addressingpublicofficials: pressuringforenforcementoflawsandpoliciesthat

respectandprotectthehumanrightsofpeoplewithdisabilities;• Social and community service providers: effectivelycommunicatingforservice

delivery.Forexample:navigatingtheservicedeliverysystemthroughcommunicationwithbankers,grocers,socialworkers,and/ormedicalprofessionals.

Legal Action• Creating new law: participatinginadvocacyfornewlawsondisabilityrightsandtaking

partinthedraftingofsuchlaws.Forexample:advocatingforcomprehensivedisabilityrightslegislationconsistentwithinternationallaw,includingtheCRPD.

• Repealing negative law: takingactiontorepeallawsthatstandinthewayoftheenjoymentofdisabilityrights.Forexample:advocatingtorepealdiscriminatorymarriagelawsthatbarpeoplewithdisabilitiesfromexercisingtheirrighttomarry.


• Working to implement disability rights law: Forexample:Takingactiontohighlightnon-compliancewithaccessibilitystandardsinnewbuildingconstruction,ortrainingemployersonhowtoprovidereasonableaccommodationstoemployeeswithdisabilities.

Advocacybenefitsfromthecollectiveactionofindividualsandgroupsworkingtogethertoachieveasharedgoal.Wiseadvocatesrecognizethatcreatinglastingchangetakestime,especiallywhenoldattitudesandhabitsmustbeovercome.Theyplanandcommitthemselvestoasustainable,long-termeffort,buttheyalsosetshort-termgoalsandbenchmarks.

Celebrateyourachievementstogetherandtakecaretonurtureyoursharedvisionandworkingrelationships.

ACTION PLANS

Workingcollaboratively,peoplecancreateactionplansthattakeadvantageoftheskillsandresourceseachpartner,whetheritbeanotherindividualoranorganization,hastocontribute.Partnersalsoregularlyevaluatetheirplaninlightofsuccessesandfailures,aswellasunfoldingeventsandopportunities.

Actionplanningcanbesimple,justrememberthe“WHquestions”:• What?Forexample:What type of issue is the group addressing?What type of actions

are necessary?• Who?Forexample:Who will take action? • When?Forexample:When will the action be complete?• Where? • Why and/orhow?Forexample:How will you obtain the financial, material, and/or

human resources that may be needed to take action?

Askingthesequestionswillmakesurethateverybodyunderstandswhatisgoingtohappennext.Thenextstepinactionplanningismakingsurethattheplanis feasibleandreasonable.Onceyoucompletetheaction,itisimportanttofollow-upwithadditionalquestions:

• Whenwastheactiontaken?• Whathappenedasaresultoftheaction?• Whatareyournextsteps?

STEPS TOWARD ADVOCACY

STEP 1: DEFINE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO MAKE (30 minutes)

1. Discuss/List:• Whatarethemainissuesorbarrierstothehumanrightsofpeoplewithdisabilitiesin

yourcommunity?Brainstormalistandrecorditonchartpaper.• Ifyoucouldcreatechangeonanyoneoftheseissuesorbarriers,whichwouldmake

themostdifferenceinthelivesofpeoplewithdisabilities?Markthesewithastar.


2. Analyze:Askparticipantstobreakintosmallgroupsaccordingtothestarreditemsthattheywouldmostliketoworkon.Ifmanypeoplewanttoworkonthesameissueorbarrier,encourageseveralsmallgroupsratherthanasinglelargeone.

Giveeachgroupaquestionsheettoguidetheirdiscussions.

Handout 1

DefiningtheChangeYouWanttoMake

1.Whatisthespecificchangeyouwishtobringabout?Writethisinafewsentencesonchartpaper.

2.Doesthischangeinvolvehavingtheright–• Respected(thatis,havingtherightrecognized,stoppingpeopleand

institutionsfromdenyingorlimitingtheright)?• Protected(thatis,havinglawandmeasurestoensuretherightisnotviolated

andpreventitsviolation)?• Fulfilled(thatis,givensufficientrecognition,funding,andotherpositiveacts

thatenableandassistenjoymentofthatright)?

3.Analyzepossibleunderlyingcausesofthesituationyouwishtochange.Lookateachfromasmanyperspectivesasyoucanimagine.Forexample:• Attitudes• Laws• Society• Religionandculture• Government• Healthcaresystem• Individualsandfamilies• Otherperspectives?

4.Oftheunderlyingcausesidentifiedforeachchallenge,whichseemtobethemostsignificant?

3. Report:Askeachgrouptopostandbrieflyexplaintheiranalysisofthechangetheywishtomake.Askforcommentsandsuggestionsfromthewholegroup.


STEP 2: ARTICULATING THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO MAKE (2 hours)

1. Plan:Onceyouhaveaclearvisionofthechangeyouwanttomake,youneedtodeveloptheskillstocommunicateyourvisionarticulatelyandconvincinglytoothers,bothpotentialsupportersandopponents.

Askeachgrouptoprepareafive-minutepresentationtoa“panelofcommunityleaders”ontheirchosenproblem.Eachpresentationshouldtrytoincludemostofthefollowingpoints

NotetoFacilitator:Allowplentyoftimeforplanningandpractice.Emphasizethatalthoughsomemembersofthegroupmaynaturallybebetterpublicspeakers,everyoneshouldparticipateintheplanningandbeabletoexplaintheirvisionforchange.

Handout 2

Articulating the Change You Want to Make

1.Describetheproblem.Ifpossiblemention–•howthisproblemmayintersectwithotherkindsofhumanrightsviolationsmanypeoplewithdisabilitiesexperience;

•thegroup(s)ofpeoplewithdisabilitiesitprincipallyaffects;•thepossiblecause(s)oftheproblem.

2.Relatetheproblemtothehumanrightsofpeoplewithdisabilities,referringtospecificarticlesoftheCRPDandifpossibletootherhumanrightsdocuments.

3.Clarifyhowtheproblemaffectsthelivesofpeoplewithdisabilities(andtheirfamilieswhererelevant).

4.Showhowaddressingtheproblemcanimprovethelivesofpeoplewithdisabilitiesandthecommunityingeneral.

5.Proposespecificactionsthatshouldbetakentoaddresstheproblem.

6.Showhowmembersofthecommunitycangetinvolvedinaddressingtheproblem.

Askeachgrouptochooseoneortwospokespersonstomakethepresentationandtwoorthreetoserveasthe“panelofcommunityleaders.”Whilethegroupspracticetheirpresentations,the“panelofleaders”meetstodecideontheirroles,representingprobableattitudeswithinthecommunityleadership(forexample,ahostilemayor,asupportivecommunityleader,areligiousauthority).Alternatively,askoneortwopeoplefromeachgrouptocometogethertoformthepanelforallpresentations.


2. Role Play:Thespokesperson(s)fromeachgroupmakesapresentationandmembersofthepanellistenandrespond,askingquestionsandofferingcomments,objectionsorsuggestionsinkeepingwiththeirchosenroles.

NotetoFacilitator:Timethepresentationscarefully:mostpresentershavedifficultyfillingthefullfiveminutes.Alsolimitthepanel’sresponsesinorderforallgroupstohavesufficienttime.

3. Discuss:Afterthepresentationsandroleplay,discuss:

• Howdidthespokespersonsfeelwhenpresentingtheproblem?• Howdidthe“communityleaders”respondtothepresentation?Whatattitudesinthe

communityweretheyrepresenting?• Howdidtheaudience,composedoftherestofthegroup,respondtothepresentations?• Didanyspokespersondiscusstheproblemasahumanrightsviolation?Didputtingthe

probleminthiscontextstrengthentheargument?• Aretheseideasforimprovingthisspecificrightfeasibleinyourcommunity?Whyorwhy

not?

4. Conclude:Challengetheparticipantstoevaluatetheirknowledgeoftheproblemandinclusivenessofperspective:

• Howwouldyouchangeyourpresentationinareal-lifesituation?• Howdidyouobtainyourinformationonthebarrierstoparticipationandtheirimpact?

Wasitaccurateandcomplete?Ifnot,whatadditionalinformationdoyouneedandhowcanyouobtainit?

• Didyouconsultthepeoplewithdisabilitiesinvolvedabouttheproblemandhowitaffectsthem?Abouttheactionsthatcouldimprovetheproblem?

• Whyisitimportantinreal-lifehumanrightsadvocacytoincludetheactiveparticipationofthosedirectlyinvolvedandaffected?

• Howcanyouapplythelessonslearnedfromthisexercisetoplanningandimplementingadvocacyforpeoplewithdisabilitiesinyourowncommunity?

Emphasizethatwhilearticulatingyourvisionforchangeisacriticalskillforeffectiveadvocacy,itisalsoonethatdevelopsthroughpractice.Themoreyoudoit,thebetteryouget.Encourageparticipantstomakeandtakeopportunitiestospeakoutaboutthechangetheywanttomake.

NotetoFacilitator:Ifthetechnologyisavailable,arrangetovideothepresentationsandletthespeakersprivatelycritiquetheirperformances.

STEP 3: PREPARING FOR ACTION

A. Conducting a SWOT Analysis (45 minutes)

Nowthatyouhavearticulatedthechangeyouwanttomake,analyzeitintermsofyourandyourorganization’sstrengths,weaknesses,opportunities,andthreats.Writedownanswerstothefollowingquestions.Whereappropriatefeelfreetomodifyquestions:


Strengths:• Whatareyouradvantages?• Whatdoyoudowell?• Whatdootherpeopleseeasyourstrengths?• Whatuniqueresourcesdoyouhave?

Considerstrengthsfromyourorganization’sand/oryourpersonalpointofviewandfromthepointofviewofthepeopleyoudealwith.Donotbemodest:berealistic!

Weaknesses:• Whatcouldyouimprove?• Whatdoyoudobadly?• Whatshouldyouavoid?• Wheredoyouhavefewerresourcesthanothers?• Whatareotherslikelytoseeasyourweaknesses?

Again,considerthisfromaninternalandexternalbasis:dootherpeopleseemtoperceiveweaknessesthatyoudonotsee?Itisbesttoberealisticnowandfaceanyunpleasanttruthsassoonaspossible.

Opportunities:• Whatarethegoodopportunitiesfacingyou?• Whataretheinterestingtrendsyouareawareof?• Whoareyourpotentialallies?

Threats:• Whatobstaclesdoyouface?• Doesyourgrouphavealltherequiredskillsforthejob?• Docompetitorsoropponentsalreadyexist?1

B. Surveying the Field

1.Considerthesequestionsaboutyourpresentandfuturework:• Onwhichofthesechallengesareyouorothersalreadyworkingtochange?How?• Doesyourworkaddresstheunderlyingcausesofthesituation?How?• Whichoftheidentifiedchallengesmightbeeasilyaddedtoexistingworkbeingdoneby

oronbehalfofpeoplewithdisabilities?Why?• Wouldsomeofthesechallengesforpeoplewithdisabilitiesbeespeciallydifficult,

disadvantageous,orevendangeroustoaddress?Why?

2.Considerthesequestionsaboutalliesandpotentialallies:• Whoarethemostlikelyalliestosupportyouraction?Why?• Doyousharethesamegoals?• Howcanyourworkandtheirscomplementandsupporteachother?• Whatdoyouand/oryourorganizationhavetoofferthecollaboration?• Whatdoyouand/oryourorganizationhavetogainfromthecollaboration?• Aretherepotentialproblemswithcollaborationwithanygroup?• Howcanyouestablishthiscollaboration?

1 Source:MindTools:http://www.mindtools.com/swot.html


C. Gathering Information

1. What statistics are available about people with disabilities in your community, your country, and in the world (for example, their numbers, ages, income levels, etc.)? • What additional statistics do you need to take action?

2. Whatlawsandofficialpoliciesdoesyourcountryhavethatdirectlyaffectpeoplewithdisabilities? • Do you consider these laws and policies to be adequate and effective? • Do they adequately protect the rights of people with disabilities? • Are these laws and policies consistently enforced and implemented? If not, why not? • Are further laws needed? If so, what new laws would you recommend?

3. Has your country ratified and is thus legally bound to uphold any of the international human rights treatiesaffectingpeoplewithdisabilities?Formoreinformationonratification,seetheDisabledPeoples’InternationalRatificationToolkit:http://www.icrpd.net/ratification/en/index.htm.

4. HasyourcountryratifiedtheConventionontheRightsofPersonswithDisabilities(CRPD)?• If no, why not? What can you do to change this decision?• If yes, what steps has your government already taken in that direction?• AreanygroupsinyourcountryalreadyadvocatingratificationoftheCRPD?Whatare

they doing? How can you help?

5. Doesyourcountryhaveanationalhumanrightscommissionand/oranationaldisabilitycommission?2 For more information on implementation, see the Disabled Peoples’ InternationalImplementationToolkit:http://www.icrpd.net/implementation/en/index.htm

6. Are these institutions part of the government or independent of it, that is, part of “civil society”? • What,ifanything,aretheseinstitutionsdoingtoimprovehumanrightsand/orthelives

of people with disabilities? • How can you work with these institutions to see that human rights standards are

enforced for people with disabilities? • Find out what government ministries and agencies are working on the rights and needs

ofpeoplewithdisabilities.Dotheyhavedisabilitypoliciesand/ordisabilityfocalpoints?• Are any of these governmental bodies especially encouraging or discouraging of

advocacy on the rights of people with disabilities?

2 CRPD,Article33,obligatesStatesPartiesto“designateoneormorefocalpointswithingovernment,”and“maintain, strengthen, designate or establish” one or more independent mechanisms to “promote, protect andmonitorimplementation”oftheConvention.Personswithdisabilitiesandtheirrepresentativeorgani-zations must be “involved and participate fully in the monitoring process.”


STEP 4: MAKING YOUR ACTION PLAN

NowthatyouhavegonethroughSteps1-3,chooseandcompleteanactionplanningform(pages240-242).Chooseorcreateonemostsuitabletoyourgroupandspecificaction.Youmaywishtohaveoneactionplanforactionsaimedatlongtermgoalsandseveralothersforindividual,short-termactions.Remembertoincludeasectiononfollow-upandevaluation.

Congratulations!Youhavenowcompletedthefollowingsteps:

STEP 1: DEFINING THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO MAKE STEP 2: ARTICULATING THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO MAKESTEP 3: PREPARING FOR ACTIONSTEP 4: MAKING YOUR ACTION PLAN

Nowitistimefor:

STEP 5: TAKING ACTION

Followyouractionplanandusetheskillsyou’vegainedtoclearlyaddresssocialchangenomatterhowsmallthestep.Giveyourselfareasonableamountoftimetoaccomplishyourgoalandsetadatetofollow-up.

STEP 6: FOLLOWING-UP

Onceyouhavebeguntotakeaction,reconnectwithyourgroupregularly.Communicatethesuccessesorchallengesyoufacedwhentakingaction.Reviewthefollowingquestions:

1.Didyoufollowtheactionplan?Whatsuccessesdidyouhave?Whatchallengesdidyouencounter?

2.Ifyoumetyourgoal:• Whatfactorscontributedtoyoursuccess?• Howcanyoubuildonthissuccess?• Shouldyourepeatthisstrategy?

3.Ifyourgoalwasnotmet:• Whatrevisionsneedtobemadetotheactionplan?• Doesadditionalresearchneedtobecompleted?• Areadditionalresourcesneeded?

4.Whatareyournextstepsforaction?• Doyouhaveanotheractiontotake?


Itisimportanttomonitorandkeeptrackofyouractions.Recordyourprogressontheactionplanningformsandcelebrateyoursuccesses!

Workingandadvocatinginconcertwithoneanotherasindividualsororganizedgroupsisthemosteffectivewaytocreatesocialchange.Collaborativeworkcanbechallenging.Itrequiresworkingthroughconflicttoachieveaconsensusoragreement,butitisvitaltoenablingthehumanrightsandfundamentalfreedomsofall.

Remember:

“A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” –MargaretMead


AD

VO

CA

CY

AC

TIO

N P

LA

N

Werecom

mendcom

pletingoneActionP

lanpermeetingpergroup.

ActionG

roup:

Date:

Issue

Actio

ns

By W

ho

mB

y Wh

enR

esou

rces need

edD

ate actio

n

taken

Fo

llow

-up

Whattypeof

issueisthegroupaddressing?

Whattypeof

actionsarenecessary?

Who

willtake

action?

Byw

hatdatew

illtheactionbedone?

Whatfinancial,

material,and

humanresources

areneededtotakeaction?

Whenw

astheactiontaken?

What

happenedasaresultoftheaction?

Balcazar,F.E

.(2005)Advocacyactionplanningguide.D

epartmentofD

isabilityandHum

anDevelopm

ent,UniversityofIllinoisatC

hicago.


Advocacy Action Plan Template

WerecommendcompletingoneActionPlanpermeetingpergroup

ActionGroup: Date:

ChangetoMake:

SpecificActions:

ByWhom: ByWhen:

ResourcesNeeded:

DateActionTaken: Follow-up:

Instructions

Change–Whattypeofchangedoyouwanttomake?Actions–Whattypesofactionsarenecessary?By Whom–Whowilltakeaction?By When–Bywhatdatewilltheactionbedone?Resources Needed–Whatfinancial,material,andhumanresourcesareneededtotake action?Date Action Taken–Whenwastheactiontaken?Follow-up–Whathappenedasaresultoftheaction?Nextsteps?

Goalsshouldalwaysbe:S–SpecificM–Measurable A–AchievableR–RealisticT–TimeBound

1. Goal/Objective.Brieflydescribeeachgoal/objectiveandwhenthegoal/objectiveshouldbemetoraccomplished.

2. Measurement.Howwillthegoal/objectivebeevaluated?Didyoucompletetheaction?3. Importance.RankthegoalasEssential,Important,orDesirableasfollows:

Essential–requiredtoaccesshumanrightsImportant–helpfulforaccessinghumanrightsDesirable–assetforaccessinghumanrights


1st Goal/Objective

Description:

Measurement:

Importance: EssentialImportantDesirable

2nd Goal/Objective

Description:

Measurement:


3rd Goal/Objective

Description:

Measurement:


taking action for the human rights of people with disabilities

Documents

Transcript of taking action for the human rights of people with disabilities