[WSIS CS-Plenary] RE: [Pwd] (unicode) [WSIS-CT] RE: [Ct-drafting] URGENT: Please send COMMENTS on CS declaration

[Monthian Buntan]

Dear Elisabeth and all:

I would like to suggest one way out of this problem by putting the word 
"all types of disabilities.  If you want an example to follow, the only way 
to end concerns is to say "including but not limited to physical, visual, 
hearing, cognitive, learning and mental disabilities.  I'm afraid that such 
approach will be too wordy, but will at least, sovle problems.  To simply 
say "physical" without mentioning visual, hear, cognitive and learning, is 
not acceptable.  It is better for us to seek for the most inclusive term in 
this international document, rather than trying to narrow it down, I 
think.  Again, I confirm, the term "physica" is not inclusive.

Best regards,

Thian

At 01:17 PM 12/7/2003, Elizabeth Carll, PhD wrote:
>Dear Thian and all,
>
>There is no problem with any of the phrases you are suggesting for the 
>paragraph below which you have suggested.  However, I would like to 
>request that we also include a phrase as an example, such as "Persons with 
>disabilities, including mental, physical, and other.  Is there a problem 
>with including mental disabilities as an example?  In many countries 
>mental health services are disconnected from health services.
>
>More than 400 million people are known to suffer from mental and brain 
>disorders and these numbers are expected to rise sharply over the next few 
>decades, particularly among people in the developing world.  Despite, the 
>enormous social and economic burden so created, more than 40% of the 
>world's countries have no articulated mental health policy, and over 30% 
>have no mental health programs.
>
>I understand your concern, which is why I have suggested using an example 
>that includes mental disabilities in addition to your 
>phrase.  Unfortunately in many countries it is important to specify so as 
>not to exclude, assuming that someone else's definition of all 
>disabilities includes mental disabilities is an assumption that may leave 
>people with out services.  When identifying problems it is also important 
>to keep in mind how the services may be carried out in different parts of 
>the world and not to inadvertently leave loop holes.
>
>The following is suggested for the paragraph you have suggested which 
>includes your description as well as an example following.  Is this 
>acceptable?  If not, please clarify the reason.  Hopefully this compromise 
>achieves both our goals to be as inclusive as possible.
>
>
>3.1.9 Rights of persons with disabilities, including mental, physical, and 
>other;
>
>In the inclusive information society, the rights of persons with 
>disabilities, including mental, physical, and other, to have full and 
>absolute equal access to information and communications including ICTs, 
>regardless of types and degree of disabilities, must be ensured by laws 
>and policies at all levels.  In order to achieve such goal, Universal 
>Design principle and the use of assistive technologies must be seriously 
>promoted and supported throughout the whole process of building and 
>nurturing the information society in which PWDs and their organizations 
>must be allowed to participate fully and on equal terms with non-disabled 
>people.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Elizabeth
>
>
>Dr. Elizabeth Carll
>
>Focal Point
>
>International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
>
>Tel: 631-754-2424
>
>Fax: 631-754-5032
>
>ecarll at optonline.net
>-----Original Message-----
>From: ct-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:ct-admin at wsis-cs.org]On Behalf Of 
>Monthian Buntan
>Sent: Saturday, December 06, 2003 9:30 PM
>To: Hiroshi Kawamura; pwd at wsis-cs.org
>Cc: Sally Burch; ct-drafting at wsis-cs.org; ct at wsis-cs.org; plenary at wsis-cs.org
>Subject: Re: [Pwd] (unicode) [WSIS-CT] RE: [Ct-drafting] URGENT: Please 
>send COMMENTS on CS declaration
>
>Dear Hiroshi and all:
>
>If Hiroshi has some concern over the term "persons with disabilities", 
>although it has the broadest meaning, I would like to proposed the 
>possibly most inclusive and compromising (a bit wordy) term, "persons with 
>all types of disabilities."  I believe such term, as I proposed, will take 
>care of all concerns we may have.
>
>As far as I know, in Japan, "physical disability" includes mobility, 
>sensory, intellectual, learning and autistic, but in many countries, such 
>term is very narrow and includes only mobility impairment.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Thian
>
>At 08:41 AM 12/7/2003, Monthian Buntan wrote:
>>Dear Hiroshi:
>>
>>Thank you for your kind imput.  However, I have some great concern over 
>>the word mental and physical disabilities.  Under many circumstances, the 
>>word "physical disabilities" may not include sensory impairment at 
>>all.  At least in thailand, the term "physical disabilities" refer only 
>>to persons with mobility impairment.  Therefore, I would prefer "persons 
>>with disabilities" as it speaks for the broadest range of "disabilities" 
>>regardless of types and severity.
>>
>>Please seriously take it into consideration or otherwise we may end up 
>>exlcuding many people out of different understanding and interpretation.
>>
>>Again, I confirm that "persons with disabilities" is absolutely broader 
>>than "persons with physical and mental disabilities."
>>
>>Best regards,
>>
>>Thian
>>
>>  At 11:14 PM 12/6/2003, Hiroshi Kawamura wrote:
>>>The following text is copied from WSIS-CT mailing list with permission of
>>>original author. --- Hiroshi
>>>
>>>----------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>The paragraph posted by Sally Burch, below is the latest and most accurate
>>>version of the MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE section for inclusion in the
>>>"PRINCIPLES, GOALS AND CHALLENGES section ( or possibly in Social Justice
>>>section), which I had submitted.
>>>
>>>The section should be titled;    MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE
>>>
>>>The delivery of life-critical mental and physical health information can be
>>>facilitated and improved through ICT-based solutions. Lack of access to
>>>information and communication has been identified as a critical factor in
>>>the public mental and physical health crises around the world. Experts have
>>>suggested that providing citizens of underdeveloped countries with community
>>>level points of access to mental and physical health information would be a
>>>critical starting point for addressing the mental and physical health care
>>>crises. However, such access points should support more than one-way flows
>>>of information (for example, from expert to community or patient).
>>>Communities must be allowed to participate in the selection and creation of
>>>communication flows that they find useful and necessary to address the
>>>prevention, treatment, and promotion of mental and physical health care for
>>>all people.
>>>
>>>In addition, please note the following revisions in brackets, which were
>>>previously recommended but in latest draft have been omitted.  Please
>>>re-insert.  Most of these refer to specifying mental and physical health, as
>>>opposed to only physical, and should be included for consistency and
>>>clarity.
>>>
>>>3.2.4 Access to Information and the Means of Communication, paragraph 3
>>>
>>>Specific needs and requirements of all stakeholders, including those with
>>>[mental and physical] disabilities, must be....
>>>
>>>3.2.5 Basic literacy, par 1 last sentence
>>>
>>>People-centered information technologies can foster eradication of [mental
>>>and physical] illnesses and epidemics, can help give everyone food, shelter,
>>>freedom and peace.
>>>
>>>3.2.5 Basic literacy, par 3 last sentence
>>>
>>>must include a focus on the needs of people who have [mental and] physical
>>>impairments and all means of transcending those impairments ...
>>>
>>>3.3.8 Human development ­ education and training, par 2
>>>   Literacy, education, and research efforts in the Information Society must
>>>include a focus on the needs of people who have [mental and] physical
>>>impairments and all means of transcending those impairments....
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>In par 4 -
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>...special needs: those of young and elderly people, of women, of people
>>>with [mental and physical] impairments, of indigenous peoples, of migrant
>>>communities, of refugees and returnees in post-conflict situations, in a
>>>life-long perspective...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>3.3.9 Information generation and knowledge development - research, par 1,
>>>sentence 3
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Clear principles should be developed for the use and exploitation of the
>>>body of knowledge produced [e.g. Scientific research data should be gender
>>>and age disaggregated for mental and physical health.]
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>4. Conclusion, par 2, last sentence
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>....the right to a standard of living adequate for the [mental and physical]
>>>health and well-being of the individual and his or her family, including
>>>food housing and (delete medical)  [mental and physical health]care.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>3.1.9 Rights of Persons with Disabilities: recommended by Monthian Buntan
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>I also support the inclusion of the section below recommended by Monthian
>>>Buntan, however, I would recommend the following revisions to be consistent
>>>with the rest of the document.  While it is helpful to specify types and
>>>degree of disabilities, these can be seen as referring to physical only as
>>>often mental and physical health care have been disconnected in many
>>>countries.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>3.1.9 Rights of Persons with [Mental and Physical] Disabilities:
>>>
>>>
>>>In the inclusive information society, the rights of persons with [mental and
>>>physical] disabilities to have full and absolute equal access to information
>>>and communications including ICTs, regardless of types and degree of
>>>disabilities, must be ensured by laws and policies at all levels.  In order
>>>to achieve such goal, Universal Design principle and the use of assistive
>>>technologies must be seriously promoted and supported throughout the whole
>>>process of building and nurturing the information society in which PWDs and
>>>their organizations must be allowed to participate fully and on equal terms
>>>with non-disabled people.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Thank you for all your work on this.  Look forward to meeting everyone in
>>>Geneva as hoping to arrive Monday morning, however, there is a huge blizzard
>>>and snowing now in New York and flights are delayed.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Elizabeth
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Dr. Elizabeth Carll
>>>
>>>Focal Point
>>>
>>>International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
>>>
>>>Tel: 631-754-2424
>>>
>>>Fax: 631-754-5032
>>>
>>>ecarll at optonline.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Pwd mailing list
>>>Pwd at wsis-cs.org
>>>http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/pwd
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman-new.greennet.org.uk/pipermail/plenary/attachments/20031207/6950fd5e/attachment.htm