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Press Release: AICHR Training Programme on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 11-14 October 2016, Bangkok, Thailand

The AICHR successfully conducted another human rights training programme on 11-14 October 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand. The training programme is a continuation of the 1st and 2nd regional dialogues on the mainstreaming of the rights of persons with disabilities, which were held in December 2015 and June 2016, respectively.  The human rights training programme has become an annual activity of the AICHR since the first one was organized in 2010.

The 2016 Training aims at creating a better understanding on the rights of persons with disabilities and introducing a regional platform among relevant stakeholders in ASEAN with a view of sharing experiences and practices on the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities in the region. More than 50 participants from all ten ASEAN Member States were nominated from amongst persons with no disabilities to learn about disability rights in various modules and from different perspectives. The Representative of Lao PDR and Chair of the AICHR (H.E. Mr. Phoukhong Sisoulath) opened the Training and the Chairperson of the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability Foundation and former Foreign Minister of Thailand (H.E. Dr. Tej Bunnag) also gave an opening speech.

Supported by the Japan ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) and U.S. Progress, the 2016 Training is the 4th human rights training that the Representative of Thailand to the AICHR (H.E. Dr. Seree Nonthasoot) has organized for the AICHR. Thailand is also the focal point for human rights education.

The training combined interactive and participatory lectures, and discussions to promote experience sharing.  It covered pertinent topics which included conceptual and regional frameworks on disability, friendly design for persons with disabilities, role of journalists, and the role of government officers and policy makers on the rights of persons with disabilities. It also held three sessions on sharing good practices, challenges, and opportunities on education, health and employment policies.

The sessions were facilitated by experts from the ASEAN Member States and Japan which included Mr. Monthian Buntan, Member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and representatives from the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Viet Nam’s Center for Research and Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CED), Malaysian Foundation for the Blind (MFB), Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), Bizlink Centre Singapore Limited, and the General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA). The training was participated by representatives of the AICHR, the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) and media journalists.

The training also incorporated study visits to two sites: Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Institute, and the APCD. At the Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Institute, the participants were exposed to the various services it provides to people with disabilities such as assistive technologies, hydro therapy, and prosthetic and orthotic. At APCD, the participants toured a bakery, “60 Plus+ Bakery” run by Yamazaki Bakery and APCD, which is managed by and provides training to persons with disabilities.

On the last day of the training, participants learned about the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and stood to observe a moment of silence in tribute of King Bhumibol who is internationally recognized as a role model in sustainable development.

Moving forward, the AICHR will convene a task force on the mainstreaming of the rights of persons with disabilities that it has established to draft a regional action plan, and in 2017, it plans to conduct the 3rd regional dialogue on the mainstreaming of the rights of persons with disabilities.

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