Compiled by William G. Brohier, Past President, ICEVI
1. The latest Economic and Social Council Newsletter is available on the UNECOSOC website at: www.un.org/esa/coordination/ecosoc/ECOSOC.Newsletter.4.pdf
2. For the latest news from the UN, visit the News Centre at: www.un.org/news. Learn more about the UN and how it affects the lives of people everywhere:www.un.org/works
3. The new UNESCO Inclusive Education Website has recently been released: www.unesco.org/education/inclusive. Suggestions on how to improve the site are welcome.
The second edition of UNESCO's Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2003/4 launched recently in New Delhi, India, finds that girls continue to face sharp discrimination in access to schooling in a majority of developing countries. Over 70 countries are at risk of not achieving gender parity at the primary and/or secondary levels by 2005, a goal endorsed in 2000. The Report analyses the multiple barriers that hinder girls' access to school, highlights innovative practice, suggests priorities for national action and examines how the international community is meeting its commitments towards the Education for All goals.
Report and Summary online at: www.efareport.unesco.org
The Secretariat of the UNESCO's EFA Flagship, "Education for All: The Right to Education for Persons with Disabilities: Towards Inclusion", hosted the East Africa Regional Workshop (Nov. 12 - 13, 2003) and the first Steering Committee Meeting (Nov.14 - 15, 2003) at Kampala, Uganda. The University of Oslo and UNESCO jointly formed the Secretariat of the Flagship, which organized the meetings with assistance from the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports.
4. Visit website: http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/intl/02rnn/index.e.htmlfor reports on the Evaluation on the Asia-Pacific Decade (1993 - 2002) from the viewpoint of NGOs. It included Country NGO Reports, Thematic Task Forces Reports, etc.
5. The UNESCAP/CDPF Regional Seminar on an International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, Beijing, China, November 4 -7, 2003 was held to finalise a draft text of the convention on disability, based on participating expert discussions resulting in the Bangkok Recommendations, which were part of the final report of the Expert Group Meeting and Seminar on the subject from June 2 - 4, 2003, and which were presented at the Second Session of the Ad Hoc Committee which was held at New York from June 16 -27, 2003.
Further material on the Convention is available at: http://www.worldenable.net/beijing2003/
6. World Bank International Dialogue on Disability and Development, Helsinki, May 29 - 30, 2003: This report was prepared by the World Bank's Office of the Advisor on Disability and Development and further information is available via email to: [email protected]
7. The Seventh Session of UNESCAP Thematic Working Group on Disability-related Concerns (TWGDC) was held in Bangkok from Dec.1 to 2, 2003.
8. The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) took place in Geneva from Dec.10 12, 2003. The outcome of this Summit is the Declaration of Principles and Action Plan with respect to a future worldwide Information Society.
The most current documents of WSIS are available at: http://www.itu.int/wsis/documents/index.asp
Email Mr Hiroshi Kawamura
9. The Disability and Millennium Development Goals resolution was passed at the ACFOA Council on September 20, 2003, without any objections or modifications. A copy of the final resolution is on ACFOA's website at: http://www.acfid.asn.au/about/policies/disabilities.htm
10. This year's International Day of Disabled Persons was celebrated on December 3. Theme: "A Voice of our Own" - DPI's own motto!
11. The World Blind Union has a new web page: www.worldblindunion.org
12. E-ACCESS Bulletin, an email newsletter on technology issues for people with visual impairment and blindness. Website (including archives): http://www.e-accessibility.com
13. The CCNGO would like to support/partner the initiatives that NGOs are taking with regard to education and learning at the World Social Forum, January 16-21, 2004, Mumbai, India. Visit: http://www.wsfindia.org
A Discussion Forum has been set up for exchange of views and ideas on the issues being raised, etc: http://www.unesco.org/education/nfe/forum
14. The 7th General Assembly of IAPB will now be held from September 18 - 24, 2004 in Dubai. Email: [email protected] for more information.
15. The Sixth Duskin Leadership Training Programme which will be conducted in September 2004 in Japan is open to any young 18 - 25 year old PWDs with leadership potential and who are determined to work for the community and common benefit of PWDs in the Asia and Pacific. The programme will take 10 - 11 months to complete, with full support from the organizer. Contact direct at email: [email protected]
16. The ONCE International Prize for Research & Development in Biomedicine and New Technologies for the Blind: Deadline for submission of nominations: May 31, 2004. For more information, visit: http://www.once.es/home.cfm?id=490&nivel=4&orden=6
17. Imfundo Partnership and SEN: Imfundo is an initiative launched by Tony Blair through DFID (Department for International Development) as a contribution towards narrowing the technology gap between the developed and the developing countries.
"Imfundo" have selected six African countries and the topic of ICT and Education as its focus. Visit: www.infundo.org
18. RNIB will host Vision 2005, the 8th International Conference and Exhibition organized under the auspices of the International Society for Low-Vision Research and Rehabilitation. Find out more at: www.dpi.org/en/resources/documents/ResourceKit2003.pdf