NEW THIS THURSDAY: CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Wednesday, 5th of June 2013

· CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

THE STATE OF THE WORLDS CHILDREN 2013

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Key recommendations below; full text of the report is at http://www.unicef.org/sowc2013/files/SOWC2013_Exec_Summary_ENG_Lo_Res_24_Apr_2013.pdf

International commitment to building more inclusive societies has resulted in improvements in the situation of children with disabilities and their families, but too many of them continue to face barriers to their participation in the civic, social and cultural affairs of their communities. Realizing the promise of equity through inclusion will require action to:

1Ratify – and implement – the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

2Fight discrimination and enhance the awareness of disability among the general public, decision- makers, and those who provide essential services for children and adolescents in such fields as health, education and protection.

3Dismantle barriers to inclusion so that all childrens environments – schools, health facilities, public transport and so on – facilitate access and encourage the participation of children with disabilities alongside their peers.

4End the institutionalization of children with disabilities, starting with a moratorium on new admissions. This should be accompanied by the promotion of and increased support for family-based care and community-based rehabilitation.

5Support families so they can meet the higher costs of living and lost opportunities to earn income associated with caring for children with disabilities.

6Move beyond minimum standards by involving children and adolescents with disabilities and their families in evaluating supports and services designed to meet their needs.

7Coordinate services across all sectors so as to address the full range of challenges facing children and adolescents with disabilities and their families.

8 Involve children and adolescents with disabilities in making decisions that affect them – not just as beneficiaries, but as agents of change.

9Promote a concerted global research agenda on disability to generate the reliable and comparable data needed to guide planning and resource allocation, and to place children with disabilities more clearly on the development agenda.

The ultimate proof of all global and national efforts will be local, the test being whether every child with a disability enjoys her or his rights – including access to services, support and opportunities – on a par with other children, even in the most remote settings and the most deprived circumstances