Pac Rim 2008 Info
“The recent passage of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) marks a paradigm shift in attitudes and approaches to persons with disabilities. The convention marks a shift in thinking about disability from a social welfare concern to a human rights issue, which acknowledges that societal barriers and prejudices are themselves disabling”.
(United Nations)
International Forum 2008: Securing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
In partnership with the William S. Richardson School of Law
(A pre-meeting to the 24th Annual Pacific Rim Conference)
April 12 & 13, 2008, Honolulu, Hawai‘i
As part of its 20th Anniversary, The Center on Disability Studies is pleased to host The Pacific Rim Conference, International Forum 2008.
“Many of the world’s 600 million persons with disabilities face discrimination and mistreatment every day. We need to change that.”
With the recent passage and unprecedented global support of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, this is an opportune time to discuss the convention and its relevance in our diverse/local communities. The forum’s intent is to foster learning about the Convention as well to facilitate new strategic thinking for the realization of rights for persons with disabilities.
The design of the forum will consist of Noted Speakers, breakout sessions and discussion panels. Speakers include experts with regional and UN experience, advocates and community leaders, who will present and participate in panels and lead discussions.
Breakout sessions will include: women and disabilities; strategies for treaty ratification; introduction to human rights treaties; writing community and non-governmental shadow reports; reasonable accommodation in practice; disability rights training.
There will also be topical presentations from countries and regions such as Mongolia, China, Taiwan, European Union, United States and Scandinavian countries.
The forum will also provide a space for dialogue and informal conversations. The forum will be participant driven and focused around issues and needs of the attendees. Informal discussions will include:
- Implications of the Convention to persons with disabilities in countries of the Asia-Pacific region.
- Regional concerns surrounding implementation of the CRPD.
- The influence of international norms on local activism and advocacy.
- Challenges for “developing countries” as they seek to ratify and implement the Convention.
- Applying the guiding principles of the Convention to affect positive real change for persons with disabilities.
- Promoting disability rights in our nations and communities.
Confirmed Speakers
- Patricia Morrissey, Commissioner
- Kozue Kay Nagata, Senior Economic Affairs Office, United Nations DESA
- Manu Meyer, Professor
- Avi Soifer, Dean of William S. Richardson School of Law
- Romel Apelprang, Director of Center for Disability Studies and Universal Access, East Washington University
- And More...
Conference proceedings will be posted on the web after the conference. Download International Forum Brochure (PDF Format)
