The UN Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) ratified in April 2008 by 20 countries provides a new instrument in ensuring equal opportunities for disabled people. It also may form a powerful tool to ensure further CBR development. In spite of some opposition towards CBR from Disabled Peoples’ Movements - who see CBR personnel as much as an enemy as rehabilitation professionals at times - the CRPD makes room for Community-Based Rehabilitation (article 26) where it is stated “Support participation and inclusion in the community and all aspects of society, are voluntary, and are available to persons with disabilities as close as possible to their own communities, including in rural areas.” Interestingly, this article implicitly refers to CBR, even taking into consideration the fact that coverage and access to rehabilitation services is often marginal; something which certainly applies to the African and Asian continents.

CBR is not an end in itself, but it is an approach or means to ensure integration and equal rights. The question arises if CBR is successful if equal rights for all have been achieved. While most people would immediately agree with this proposition, others would be a bit more hesitant and prefer to critically follow the process towards implementation of those rights. A disability activist from South Africa expressed some concerns on an e-mail list and asked herself, “What does the Treaty mean to Lawrence Nkumba from N’wamitwa village in the deep rural area of Tzaneen in Limpopo Province? I am mindful of the Advocacy Road Show by the Department of Public Service and Administration which I’m not sure if DPOs have been consulted and/or are involved. We need a stronger civil society to avoid a situation where government is talking to itself. I think we need to start an implementation process so that ordinary people with disabilities can start benefiting from the conducive environment brought by progressive legislation in our country…” (Magic Nkhwashu, 02-04-2007).

Rights without implementation and enforcement are meaningless and therefore it becomes time that the CBR movement starts to implement meaningful programmes for those who are in greatest need. The great majority of disabled people in Africa, Asia and, South- and Central America are not organized into DPOs; even large numbers of the membership of DPOs are not benefiting from legislation and programmes set up by DPOs. It is those people, in the periphery of the country; those living in slums who probably never heard of national legislation, let alone the CRPD, but who long for a better quality of life. It is those people who are denied their rights to even the most basic amenities; and it is those people who could be reached with well planned, good quality CBR programmes. It is also those people who do best understand that mutual interdependence is key to progress in a community.

Rights are great if you can take someone to court. That may be possible for the urban elite, living in a conflict-free, open and democratic society, but is hardly imaginable for the poor rural masses and those living under illegal conditions in slums of the cities of Africa. In such contexts the rights of disabled people are best served with a CBR programme that seriously takes into consideration the basic principles of CBR as described in the new CBR Guidelines. In order to make that work, DPOs should join the CBR movement and together influence policies and strategies for change. That means that on one hand mainstream developments should be fostered but where necessary special affirmative action programmes need to be designed for those who are not able to join the mainstream.