Almaty Recommendations to Make the Right Real for Persons with Disabilities in Central Asia and the CIS Countries

The representatives of disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) and other civil society organizations from Central Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, namely Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, international development agencies and the Government of Kazakhstan, in total around 100 persons, took part in the Make the Right Real Conference in Central Asia and the CIS Countries ?International Experiences in Realization of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Promotion of Gender Equality?, from  29 to 30 March 2012 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

We, the participants of the Conference, thank the organizers, the Government of Kazakhstan through the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population, the National Commission for Women Affairs, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of Kazakhstan and the National Ombudsman of Kazakhstan, the Association of Women with Disabilities “Shyrak”, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD), Kynnys Association, Soros Foundation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the successful arrangement of the Conference;

Appreciating the efforts made by the Government of Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,  Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan in enhancing the quality of life of persons with disabilities in respective countries;

Recognizing the significance of all international and regional instruments on disability, in particular, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (BMF) and the Biwako Plus Five;

Acknowledging that the Government of Turkmenistan and Ukraine have ratified the CRPD;

Acknowledging also that the Government of Kazakhstan has adopted the Action Plan on Ensuring the Rights and Enhancing the Quality of Life of Persons with Disabilities in Kazakhstan (2012-2014, 1st stage);

Recognizing the newly established Central Asian Disability Forum (CADF) and its mission to strengthen the movement of DPOs in Central Asia, in collaboration with the governments and other stakeholders, including civil society organizations and the business sector;

Mindful that, despite achievements during the current Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (2003-2012), there still remains challenges to realizing the rights of persons with disabilities in each country. These challenges include lack of understanding about issues on disability and development; lack of comprehensive and rights-based disability laws, policies, measures and actions; inaccessible physical environment and information; lack of recognition of the rights that both men and women with diverse disabilities enjoy; insufficient disability data collection and management system; insufficient coverage of services such as access to assistive devices and rehabilitation, particularly in rural and remote areas;

Noting the need to strengthen the partnership at the sub-regional and regional level according to the proposed new Asian and Pacific “Make the Right Real” Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2013-2022);

Hereby unanimously recommend as follows:

1. Disability perspectives is mainstreamed in all development agenda through the ratification and implementation of the CRPD, and the harmonization of domestic legislation with the principles of the CRPD by the Government of Kazakhstan and other Central Asia/CIS countries;

2. The Government of Kazakhstan and other Central Asia/CIS countries implement disability-sensitive legislation, policies, measures and actions at the national and local levels, including the adoption of a law to prohibit disability-based discrimination, to ensure access to justice;

3. Special attention is paid to gender perspectives in any legislation, policies, measures and actions to change the negative perception and stereotype of disability, in particular to address the specific concerns of girls and women with disabilities such as reproductive health and protection to fight various forms of exploitation;

4. The Government of Kazakhstan and other Central Asia/CIS countries encourage persons with disabilities to participate in the political processes by providing affirmative actions and establishing an institution of Advisor for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which would level opportunities and ensure the representation of persons with disabilities at all the decision-making levels;

5. A sufficient system for data collection is developed and well managed at the country level in Central Asia and the CIS countries, addressing the situation of persons with diverse disabilities, to ensure access to education, employment, public accommodations and services, other social support for persons with disabilities;

6. The newly established CADF is the key platform to promote the DPO movement in Central Asia, in cooperation with the Government of Kazakhstan and other Central Asia/CIS countries, regional partners such as ESCAP, APCD and the International Expert Network of Organizations of Women with Disabilities, other development partners such as JICA, Ablis Foundation, Soros Foundation and Kynnys Association, other international and domestic organizations, media and academic institutes; and

7. The Government of Kazakhstan and other Central Asia/CIS countries support a proposed new Asian and Pacific “Make the Right Real” Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2013-2022), in which CADF is expected to further promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Central Asia in partnership with ESCAP and APCD.

Presented and unanimously adopted at the Make the Right Real Conference International Experiences in Realization of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Promotion of Gender Equality in Central Asia and the CIS Countries, 30 March, 2012