Ethiopia: SADPD-AUPSD Hosts Debut Workshop on Disability
By Staff Writer
ADDIS ABABA---A Debut workshop on disability which includes Peace and Security is ongoing at the African Union Headquarters (Conference Hall), Addis Ababa from today 19th – 20th September 2011.It is organized by the Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with disabilities in collaboration with the Department of Peace and Security of the African Union Commission (SADPD-AUPSD)
The workshop is aimed at mainstreaming disability issues and persons with disabilities in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.
The overall objective of the workshop is to introduce the conceptual approach and implementation modalities of persons with disability to ensure their inclusiveness in peace and security project and get hold of consensual guidance.
The workshop will also device strategies for civic society mobilization – DIPS consortium (DIPS context).
On June 6, 2011, AU Peace & Security Department & Secretariat of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities (SADPD) Regional Office officially signed a memorandum of understanding to implement disability inclusive peace and security project.
The project is founded on the principles human right and considers conflict as one major cause of disability, injuries due to war & landmines account as direct causes, while absence of health services and malnutrition in conflict & emergency areas induces increased incidences of polio, mental retardation, epilepsy and other disabilities resulting from birth difficulties.
Strategically, the project aims to mainstream disability issues and persons with disabilities in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts. The intervention targets on five major interlinked components, making the policy documents of PSD disability inclusive, promoting civic society mobilization, preparation of training manual along with training of trainers’ package, establish DIPS network and the ensure the implementation of a pilot programme in selected post conflict reconstruction areas in Africa.
Participants at this workshop will include: representatives from the AU Commission, continental DPOs, diplomatic missions, humanitarian agencies and organizations dealing with disability issues.