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

Elizabeth Carll, PhD ecarll at optonline.net
Sun Dec 7 07:26:53 GMT 2003


Dear Thian and all.

Including the longer list of examples is one possibility.  What is
interesting is how differently mental disabilities are defined, as you
separate learning and cognitive disabilities which are mental disabilities
as intelligence and learning are mental skills. Mental disabilities does not
only refer to emotional disorders but also to cognitive and intellectual
functioning.  That is what I suggested "physical, mental,and other
disabilities", in the event some did not perceive a particular area falling
into the two basic  (mind -body categories). Some view visual and hearing
disabilities as physical disabilities.  I did not suggest only using
physical and added "and other" in view of your concerns.

I will be off line after Sunday morning, as I am leaving for Geneva Sunday
afternoon.

Best regards,

Elizabeth

Dr. Elizabeth Carll
Focal Point

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies

Tel: 1-631-754-2424

Mobile: 917-287-7137

Fax: 1-631-754-5032

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: Sunday, December 07, 2003 1:46 AM
To: Elizabeth Carll, PhD; 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 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





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          Pwd mailing list

          Pwd at wsis-cs.org

          http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/pwd
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