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United Nations Disability Inclusion strategy

UNITED NATIONS
June 2019

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The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all pillars of the work of the United Nations: peace and security, human rights, and development.
 
The Strategy enables the UN system to support the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other international human rights instruments, as well as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Agenda for Humanity and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The Strategy includes a policy and an accountability framework, with benchmarks to assess progress and accelerate change on disability inclusion. The policy establishes a vision and commitment for the United Nations system on the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

 

The strategy is based on three over-arching approaches to achieve disability inclusion: twin track approach; intersectionality; and coordination

There are four core areas of responsibility: leadership, strategic planning and management; inclusiveness; programming; and organisational culture

Human development report 2013|The rise of the south : human progress in a diverse world

MALIK, Khalid
et al
2013

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This report "examines the profound shift in global dynamics driven by the fast-rising new powers of the developing world and its long-term implications for human development....The report identifies four specific areas of focus for sustaining development momentum: enhancing equity, including on the gender dimension; enabling greater voice and participation of citizens, including youth; confronting environmental pressures; and managing demographic change

Violating children's rights : harmful practices based on tradition, culture, religion or superstition

INTERNATIONAL NGO COUNCIL ON VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
October 2012

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"This short report is designed to complement other current activities in the UN system that are focusing on harmful practices and children and will hopefully lead to more effective action...The report first looks at the definition and scope of harmful traditional, cultural and religious practices violating children’s rights. Section 3 outlines the human rights context for their prohibition and elimination. Section 4 lists practices identified through a call for evidence issued by the International NGO Council earlier in 2012 and additional desk research. It also provides some examples of legal and other measures already taken to challenge and eliminate them. Section 5 provides recommendations for action by states, UN and UN-related agencies, INGOs, NGOs, national human rights institutions and others"
Briefing paper

Community-based rehabilitation : CBR Guidelines|Social component

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
et al
2010

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This component of the CBR Guidelines focuses on social component. It describes "the role of the CBR is to work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the full participation of people with disabilities in the social life of their families and communities. CBR programmes can provide support and assistance to people with disabilities to enable them to access social opportunities, and can challenge stigma and discrimination to bring about positive social change." The guideline outlines key concepts, and then presents the core concepts, examples and areas of suggested activities in each of the following five elements: Personal Assistance; Relationships, marriage and family; Culture and arts; Recreation, leisure and sport; Justice. This guideline is useful for anyone interested in social component of CBR

Implementing child rights in early childhood

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (UNHCHR). Committee on the rights of the child
2005

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The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child publishes its interpretations of the content of human rights provisions, in the form of 'General Comments' on thematic issues. This 'General Comment' paper is about implementing child rights in early childhood. The definition of early childhood here is children from birth, through infancy and the pre-school years. Previous information available on the subject of human rights and early childhood development has been centred around child mortality, birth registration and health care. This paper aims to encourage recognition that ealy childhood is a critical period for the realisation of rights. Research has highlighted the particular risks to young children from malnutrition, disease, poverty, neglect, social exclusion and a range of other adversities. Proper prevention and intervention strategies during early childhood have the potential to impact positively on young children's current well being and future development

Ensuring the rights of indigenous children

MILLER, Michael
February 2004

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This Digest details how the rights of indigenous children in both rural and urban areas are often compromised or denied. Specific areas of concern include the rights of indigenous children to survival and development, to good health, to education that respects their cultural identity, to protection from abuse, violence and exploitation, and participation in decision-making processes relevant to their lives. At the same time, however, indigenous children possess special resources as custodians of a multitude of cultures, languages, beliefs and knowledge systems. As this Digest discusses, the most effective initiatives to promote the rights of indigenous children build upon these very elements. Such initiatives recognize the inherent strength of indigenous communities, families and children, respect their dignity and give them full voice in all matters that affect them. The child age group in this report is from 0 - 18, with some areas that focus on early childhood development. For example, the right to birth registration, a name and nationality (p 9), or intercultural initiatives for safe childbirth in Peru (p 15)

Human development report 2004 : cultural liberty in today's diverse world

FUKUDA-PARR, Sakiko
et al
2004

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This Human Development Report focuses how development work can help build inclusive, culturally diverse societies -- both as a means to achieving other, more traditional development priorities, and as an end in itself. It examines and rejects the claim that cultural differences lead to social, economic and political conflict, and that cultural rights supercede political or economic rights (eg the right to education). The report acknowledges the importance of legislative recognition of diverse cultural backgrounds, but stipulates that, to achieve real change, political culture has to change as well: people need to think , feel and act in a way that respects and values the needs of others. Finally, it considers the threats and opportunities presented by globalisation, in terms of the intellectual property of indigenous people; cultural goods markets; and emerging and established multicultural societies

24 tips for culturally sensitive programming

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNFPA)
2004

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"This booklet, a companion to the publication ‘Working from Within’, colorfully presents 24 tips, one per page, for culturally sensitive programming, based on research carried out by UNFPA"

Cultures, spirituality and development

WORLD FAITHS DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE (WFDD)
2001

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This booklet puts forward the point of view that development processes are only successful if they take into consideration the cultural and spiritual dimensions of people's lives. Drawing on examples from different parts of the world, it discusses what this means in practice and suggests how it may be done. It includes sections on development paradigms and the relevance of inclusive, participatory approaches; the relevance of culture; ideas toward a 'code of conduct' or way of working with culture in development; and raises methodological issues. The aim is to open up a debate about issues which have often been ignored because of their intangible and sometimes sensitive nature

Universal declaration on cultural diversity

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION
2001

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This Declaration supports cultural diversity, cultural rights and the role of culture in development - as a key component of human rights. It states that "All persons have [...] the right to express themselves and to create and disseminate their work in the language of their choice, and particularly in their mother tongue; all persons are entitled to quality education and training that fully respect their cultural identity; and all persons have the right to participate in the cultural life of their choice and conduct their own cultural practices, subject to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms"

In searc h of the rainbow : pathways to quality in large-scale programmes for young disadvantaged children

WOODHEAD, Martin
1996

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In this report, Martin Woodhead takes the four local studies conducted as part of the Bernard Van Leer project on 'The Environment of the Child' as a starting point for examining issues of quality development in early childhood programmes. These studies took place in Venezuela, Kenya, India and France. The aims of the publication are to (i) make explicit the frameworks of thinking that underpin judgements of quality, (ii) explore the possibility of working towards a shared frame of reference, which is context sensitive and allowing for diversity and (iii) apply this framework towards a better understanding of the quality issues that confront large scale early childhood programmes. The concept of 'the environment of the child' focused on those cultural variables relating to communities and individuals, directly affecting the development of children growing up in poverty. The author argues that sensitivity to diversity and to one's own preconceptions should be key elements informing all early childhood work

AIDS and culture (UNESCO portal)

UNESCO

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This is a joint UNESCO and UNAIDS initiative that draws on anthropological perspectives. This initiative has led to a number of specific country studies, and a range of methodological manuals coming out of this work, and a roundtable meeting on an anthropological approach to stigma. These and many more resources are available through this portal

Bernard Van Leer Foundation

BERNARD VAN LEER FOUNDATION (BVLF)

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The Bernard van Leer Foundation is an international grant making foundation with the mission to improve opportunities for children up to age 8 who are growing up in socially and economically difficult circumstances. The foundation primarily works to support programmes that are implemented by local partners by focusing upon strengthening the care environment, successful transitions from home to school, and social inclusion and respect for diversity. Their website highlights information about the foundation, their programmes and grants, and the countries where they work. It also features links to related publications, a newsroom and a blog

Disability and the global south : an international journal

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"Disability and the Global South (DGS) is the first peer reviewed journal committed to publishing high quality work focused exclusively on all aspects of the disability experience in the global South. It provides an interdisciplinary platform prioritising material that is critical, challenging, and engaging from a range of epistemological perspectives and disciplines. The journal encourages contributions from disabled activists and theorists from the global South"
Published two-three times per year

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