QADER Participates in Training Course on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Ramallah - QADER for Community Development participated in a specialized training on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, held by the Al-Haq Organization 

The training took place over two days, with the participation of 30 female and male trainees from Palestinian human rights institutions who are concerned with the rights of persons with disabilities, in addition to the participation of trainees who are persons with disabilities.

The training sessions covered an interactive and comprehensive demonstration of the rights addressed in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and their distinctions in relation to other international human rights conventions with regards to inclusiveness, detail, depth and their implications. 

The sessions also discussed the concept of disability within the development sector, and how to manage it within the framework of dynamic interactions in the process of building an enabling environment for persons with disabilities, and its link to human diversity and human dignity.

In addition, the training sessions also discussed the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in reference to the Convention and the World Health Organization, its revisions, and the obligations of the State of Palestine to ensure and promote the full implementation of human rights for all persons without discrimination of any kind on the basis of disability, and to take all legislative and non-legislative measures and the central role of persons with disabilities on this level, as set by the Convention.

The training also focussed on equality and non-discrimination, accessibility, facilitative measures, special and procedural measures, and approaches in light of practical on-the-ground experiences, and how to interpret the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights stipulated within the Convention in accordance with the preparatory work of the Convention, the general comments of the pertinent international committee as well as standards and best practices; with the aim of reaching a rights-based approach in dealing with the rights of persons with disabilities legislatively, within policy and with the practical application thereof.

Through a variety of methods, the training dealt with the Palestinian Basic Law in comparison to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and introduced critical readings that discussed the Palestinian Disability Law of 1999, the Executive Regulations issued in 2004 and relevant Executive Committee decrees, and judicial rulings on the rights of persons with disabilities, in addition to presenting and discussing cases and practical experiences in this regard.

This training also forms a component of the Tamkeen project - with support of the European Union – in line with the orientation of Al-Haq Foundation to contribute to enhancing the capacities of Palestinian human rights and civil institutions with regards to international human rights conventions, to which the State of Palestine has joined without reservations. 

The project extends over a period of three years, during which a series of trainings will be conducted to discuss the rights protected in international conventions, protection mechanisms, and the enforcement of agreements at the legislative and policy levels and in practical application on the ground, mechanisms for monitoring and documenting human rights violations in accordance with United Nations standards, and writing Convention reports, especially parallel reports prepared by civil society institutions and concerned authorities regarding states' obligations to implement these agreements.