Significance of Regional Cooperation on Disability
Through implementation of the UN (United Nations) World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons (1982) and the UN Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992), more people in the world became aware that "disability" was one of the most important global issues. Despite efforts through the decade, still a large number of people with disabilities (PWD) in the Asia-Pacific Region are socially vulnerable without equal rights and opportunities, being left behind in socio-economic development. Recognizing such a situation in the Asia-Pacific Region, the UN ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) proclaimed the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons (1993-2002) and the Agenda for Action for the decade at the 48th Commission Session in 1992. In the Agenda for Action, "Regional Cooperation" was considered essential toward the goal of "full-participation and equality of PWD" in mainstream society in countries of the region. In addition, the importance of "International Cooperation" was stressed in the UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1994).
In this context, the idea of establishing an Asia-Pacific regional center on disability is attributed to the international recognition of the significance of regional cooperation on disability in the 1980's to 1990's.
Initiatives of Thai and Japanese PWD
In order to encourage further efforts through the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, a resolution on "Strengthening Regional Support for Persons with Disabilities" was proposed by the Government of Japan and adopted at the 54th ESCAP Commission Session in 1998. Prior to that, the Japanese initiative in regional cooperation on disability in the Asia-Pacific Region was strongly recommended in the Government Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities, Seven-years Normalization Strategy, (1995). Actually, this trend was created by Japanese leaders with disabilities, who were empowered and influential in the Government's policy-making.
Signing Ceremony
In 1998, the Government of Japan through JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) conducted a project formulation study on the needs and feasibility of establishing a center which would facilitate disability-related regional cooperation in classment with the Agenda for Action. The study found that among countries in the region, Thailand was most appropriate for locating an Asia-Pacific regional center on disability, due to its geographic location, infrastructure, collaboration with UN agencies and International NGOs, disability-related laws and policies, organizations of PWD etc. In fact, by the late 1990's in Thailand, some empowered leaders with disabilities could participate in the disability-related legislation process and collaborate with government agencies in planning and providing services for PWD. After examining the recommendations of the study in 1999, the Government of Thailand through the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW) formed a taskforce to elaborate on the concept of a center in cooperation with relevant stakeholders.
In 2001, Thailand was presented the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) International Disability Award, in appreciation of its efforts especially in initiating relevant laws and policies for PWD in the 1990's, and in expectation of its continual efforts and international cooperation related to disability as a model country for other developing countries.
Collaboration Among GOs, NGOs and UN Agencies
Since 1999, the Thai committee on the center (reformed from the above mentioned taskforce) under the Committee for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons discussed a concept of the center, and the Office of the Committee for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, Department of Public Welfare under the MLSW requested necessary Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Government of Japan in 2000. In July 2001, the Thai Cabinet officially agreed to establish a center, namely the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD), in Thailand and to allocate a budget for it. In addition, H.R.H. Princess Sirindhorn consented to present the US$50,000 from the FRD International Disability Award to APCD. In 2001 and 2002, a series of discussions were held between the Thai and Japanese Governments, by dispatching JICA missions to Thailand. Finally, both Governments agreed to start the APCD technical cooperation project from August 2002 in order to set up the framework of APCD and prepare activities of APCD.
It is noteworthy that representatives of NGOs actively joined discussions as members of the Thai committee and JICA missions, and contributed to the formulation of the APCD technical cooperation project. Despite the fact that this project is supported by the Japanese ODA, resource persons of NGOs, especially those with disabilities, have fully participated in the project formulation and implementation. Although Thai NGOs played an important role in the beginning of the project formulation, NGOs working at the grass-roots level in other countries of the region, international NGOs and UN agencies have participated in the project formulation through surveys etc., and are really expected to collaborate with APCD in its activities in the very near future.
Sub-commitee
In May 2002, the last year of the UN ESCAP Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, a resolution on "Promoting an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for people with disabilities in the Asian and Pacific region in the twenty-first century" was adopted with full support from 29 countries at the ESCAP 58th Commission Session. The resolution stated that "...Welcoming the endeavour towards the establishment, by 2004, of an Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability, at Bangkok, as a legacy of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, to promote the empowerment of persons with disabilities and a barrier-free society in the Asian and Pacific Region, under the joint auspices of the Government of Thailand and the Government of Japan", and "Encourages all Governments, the United Nations system and intergovernmental organizations to support the operation and activities of the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability with financial, technical and other in-kind contributions, in recognition of the importance of the Center, to be located in Thailand, as a viable means of consolidating achievements and ensuring long-term follow-up to the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, and encourages organizations of disabled persons, non-governmental organizations and the private sector also to provide appropriate support for the operation and activities of the Center".
