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During the last decades, the living conditions for young people with disabilities have changed dramatically in Sweden, as well as in other parts of theWestern world.The boundaries between what is considered normal as opposed to different have become less clear as a result of these changes. This has been followed by new problems regarding integration and changing patterns of marginalization. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which young adults’ social identity is shaped by their dual belongings: to the category of individuals with disabilities as well as to mainstream society. In- depth interviews were carried out with 15 young adults with mental disabilities and mild intellectual disabilities occasionally combined with various forms of social problems. The analysis focused on the ways in which the young adults related to what they describe as normal and different as well as their strategies for navigating between them. The data was subsequently divided into three categories: Pragmatic Navigators, Critical Challengers, and Misunderstood Rebels, which reflect the ways in which the respondents describe themselves and the perspective they have developed to manage their existence.

This report looks at the challenges in facilitating testing and disclosure for children in 0-6, 7-14 and 15-18 age groups. The report is based on operations research conducted by India HIV/AIDS Alliance in Andhra Pradesh and Manipur. This operations research was aimed at understanding current challenges with facilitating testing and disclosure for children, and to provide possible short to medium term solutions. Three broad objectives of the study were: * Identifying challenges and factors that prevent the community from seeking HIV testing of their children * Understanding issues related to disclosure of HIV status to children, and the social impact related to disclosure faced by parents and children * Using the study findings in formulating practical solutions to address these issues, and to come up with practical recommendations on building links between policy and practice

This report highlights monitoring to assess the rights status of people with disabilities in Bolivia at the individual and systemic levels and makes recommendations for positive change. People with disabilities in Bolivia participated fully in all aspects of the project as the coordinators, monitors, data analysts and authors of the final report, as part of a project led by the Confederacion Boliviana de la Persona con Discapacidad (COBOPDI), with technical support from DRPI. The full report is available in both Spanish and English downloadable PDF versions. It is useful for people with an interest in both human rights monitoring and disability and development issues

The role of disabled people in CBR is increasingly being seen as of vital importance for the success of CBR. In actual fact participation of disabled people and self advocacy have become two of the principles of CBR as seen by the World Health Organisation and associated organszations behind the new CBR thinking.

This paper deals with the position and role of disabled people themselves in CBR programmes. It critically looks into the role Disabled Peoples’ Organisations in terms of promoting equal access to essential and acceptable quality of rehabilitation programmes for all and especially the poor of this world. It is argued that DPOs should join the ranks of those (professionals) who are committed to ensure that rehabilitation becomes accessible to all. The current global situation of an ever widening gap between the ‘ones who have and those who don’t have’ requires a critical reflection on ones’ own work in CBR and DPO development. We cannot permit ourselves anymore a division among those who are disabled and those who are non-disabled as there are other divides among groups of people that are by far more profound and serious to the majority of disabled people worldwide.

While the urban elite of disabled people who live in a conflict-free, open and democratic society may be well concerned with issues such as accessible tourism, CBR as essential service provision is often unavailable for the poor rural masses and those living under illegal conditions in slums of the cities of Africa, Asia and South America. CBR as philosophy seeks for solidarity with those who live under appalling conditions; threatened by conflict, eviction and hunger. This paper calls for collaboration between DPOs and the CBR movement in order to address diversity and ensure that the implementation of basic human rights are truly addressed.

Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, Vol 20, No 1