Association for disAbility and Development

Report on the Forum on Disability 29th July 2008

July 31, 2008 – 1:47 pm

This is a report by CFPA of Min. of Gender and Family on the “Forum on Disability” held on 29th July 2008 in which I was invited as a Parent of a child with a disAbility. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Min. of Gender and Family and their consultant, Ms Joanna Champion for the Invitation and giving an opportunity to voice out how a parent feels in having a child with a disAbility, especially with the heads of ministries present. I would also like to thank Minister of Gender and Family, Aishath Mohamed Didi for mentioning about Yafaau’s website on her speech.

Introduction

During a consultancy for the CFPA, the consultant undertook a research visit to Haa Alif and Haa Dhaal and produced a report on the visits and consultations with parents. Alongside this work, the consultant had been working with a number of Ministries to produce a final version of the action plan. A cross-ministerial Forum on Disability was held on the 29th July to present the findings from the research visit and adopt the final action plan for children with disabilities 2008-2013.

Key Objectives of the Forum

To get the action plan for children with disabilities 2008-2013 adopted and the implementation process underway (Activity 3 in consultants ToR)
To get statements of commitment from each ministry on the specific actions they will prioritize and budget for in 2009. (Activity 4 in consultants ToR)
To inform ministries of the situation of children with disabilities on the islands recently visited (Activity 5 in consultants ToR)
To agree membership of an action plan implementation group that will share information and start implementation of the action plan (Activity 7 in consultants ToR)

Attendance

Aishath Mohamed Didi Min. of Gender Minister
Mazeena Jameel Min. of Gender Permanent Secretary
Hussain Shihab CFPA Assistant Director General
Ashiyath Saaid IGMH Physiotherapy Assistant Grade 2
Fauziyaa Mahamood Imaduddin school Supervisor
Thasneem Ahmed Jamaluddin School Special Education Teacher
Fathimath Zameel EDC Curriculum Developer
Ahmed Athif EDC Senior Curriculum Developer
Mariyam Shaugee TVM Assistant Director General
Aishath Azfa Min. of Planning Planning Officer
Asfau Hassan Min. of Planning Planning Officer
Ahmed Shafeeu Min. of Education Director General
Ismail Naseem Min. of Youth Assistant Executive Director
Mizna Ahmed Human Rights Commission Director Policy
Ibrahim Yaasir Min. of Transport Deputy Director
Jeroen Stol Handicap International Country Director
Shidatha Shareef Care Society Deputy Director
Mohamed Yasiph Representative of Parents Group Volunteer
Hawwa Zahira UNICEF Project Officer Child Protection
Mohamed Naeem UNICEF Head of Child Protection
Ameena Mohamed Didi UNICEF Head of Quality Education Program
Shafiyaa Dep. Medical Service Nursing Supevisor
Maizaan Alimanik Min.of Construction Director General
Abdulla Ziyad Min. of Construction Senior Engineer
Ibrahim Labeed Min. of Construction Project Officer
Ali Naseer Min.of Higher Education Assistant Director
Adam Mohamed Min.of Higher Education Social Development Officer
Aiminath Ismail Hand-in -Hand (NGO) Founder
Rizna Ibrahim Manik Hand-in -Hand (NGO) Founder
Aishath Invaza Hand-in -Hand (NGO) Special Educator
Luisha – Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Mnaa Raafiu Min. of Gender Executive Director
Fathimath Yumna Min. of Gender Director
Joanna Campion CFPA Consultant
Fathimath Nihama CFPA Project Officer Trainee
Saleema Hameez CFPA Project Officer Trainee

Invited but unable to attend:

Ministry of Legal Reform, Information and Arts
Ministry of Atolls Development
Ministry of Justice

Agenda

Introduction by Mazeena Jameel – The introduction gave some background to the action plan and the work of the consultant.
Welcome and Opening Remarks by the Minister of Gender and Family – The welcome highlighted that disability rights are a moral and international obligation and that approaches to services must be rights-based. The Minister also clarified the MGF mandate for disability.
Visit to Haa Alifu and Haa Dhaal by Joanna Campion, CFPA (powerpoint available)
Messages from Families Experiencing Disability (powerpoint available and notes available)
Presentations on the Action Plan for Children with Disabilities 2008-2013
Ministry of Gender and Family, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Employment and Social Security (powerpoint available)
Questions and Discussion (see below)
Adoption of the Action Plan (Actions agreed, see below)
Budgeting, Implementing and Monitoring the Action Plan (Actions agreed, see below)

Minutes – the meeting was not minuted. A video record of the event had been expected but were not possible due to a series of technical difficulties. Some presentations were given in Dhivehi. All presentations given, documents distributed and actions have been copied and are held on a file in the Child and Family Protection Authority.

Questions and General Discussions

Discussion was held about the confusion caused to families and others because of the differing mandates on disability.
Questions were asked to MHEESS about how their equipment procedure and other services they provide could be improved and how awareness can be increased.
The need for a reliable implementation group and how that could work was discussed and membership partly agreed.
Considerable time was given to discussing how best to monitor and implement the action plan.
Concern was expressed about the limited amount of therapies available through the health system and the lack of sustainability in service provision. Issues about staff retention in these fields were raised and suggestions made about running short-term internships to provide the services.
The importance of coordination and information sharing was raised as a repeated issue
The point was made that existing services must be promoted better, and services must also be expanded.
Discussion was held on the data that is available on disability and how information should be shared. The Ministry of Planning and National Development offered to lend resources and support to the MHEESS to centrally collect and gather the data on disability. The Ministry of Planning will also have copies of the data collected by the EDC mapping exercise.

Participants were asked to consider the following questions both at the beginning and at the end of the Forum:

What actions will the four key Ministries for disability be taking to improve the situation of children with disabilities in 2009?
What actions will your ministry be taking and is anyone doing something similar that you should find out more about?
Where will the budget for these actions be coming from and where will assistance be sought?
Which individual people from the key ministries will attend the monthly meetings of the action plan implementation group?

Specific Comments made on the Action Plan during discussions:

The Ministry of Public Construction has been missed off the consultation list. Please amend.
The Human Rights Commission is not solely responsible for the development of a National Human Rights Action Plan as stated in the introduction. Please amend.
The Ministry of Education would like to know where the identification of children with disabilities for the purposes of planning school should be included.
Human Rights surveys referred to in the Logical Framework for Part One are not being carried out as previously planned. Please remove.
There is an action in the transport section that needs to be removed.
The Washington-set questions will not be being used in the consensus. Ministry of Planning will email the CFPA with more details of the changes to this.

Agreed Actions

All Ministries will develop their own logical frameworks given the format used in Part One. I have attached a blank logical framework sheet with a completed example section. Please make your comments on this and return to me as a soft copy by the 7th AUGUST. If logical frameworks are not given, by the 7th August, it will be submitted with the assumed consent of the Ministry concerned.
The Action Plan will be submitted to the Cabinet by the Ministry of Gender and Family on 10th August at the latest.
All Ministries to confirm with Child and Family Protection Authority what Human Resources they will be requesting from the Civil Service Commission to fufill their role in implementing the action plan. This should be done by Thursday at the latest. This is to ensure that HR is raised with the Civil Service Commission by the end of next month.
All Ministries will send their last minute comments on the action plan in the next two days.
The MHEESS was asked to review the comments made after its presentation and give a list of the 3 priorities for action from MHEESS in 2009. These could be shared with all the participants via this email list.
MHEESS agreed to confirm the name of the person for the working group today.

Outcomes

1. Membership of the Implementation Monthly Group was partly agreed:

Name: Aishath Shehenaz
Ministry: Gender and Family
Position: Director
Contact: shehenaz[at]mgf.gov.mv 7788014

Name: ?
Ministry: Social Security
Position: ?
Contact: ?

Name: Ahmed Athif
Ministry: EDC
Position: Senior Curriculum Developer
Contact: a_athif[at]edc.edu.mv 7650381

Name: Dr Sharahu Ahmed
Ministry: Health
Position: Medical Officer
Contact: sharahu[at]health.gov.mv 7796017

Name: Fathimath Nihama
Ministry: (co-ordinator) Child and Family Protection
Position: Trainee Project Officer
Contact: cfpa[at]mgf.gov.mv 7931262

The first agenda for this meeting should agree that specific role (eg. to implement the action plan, to share information, to identify gaps or areas for action)

It was also suggested that there should be a circulation list for the groups minutes to ensure all actions reach the right people and that members should have replacements if they are unable to attend. The group will invite other ministries as and when appropriate.

2. The last stages of the process for the action plan with deadlines were agreed.

3. Greater collaboration on data collection was encouraged. Ministry of Planning will now be centrally collected data on disability and will offer assistance to other Ministries.

4. The forum was covered by TVM and a follow-up TV programme may be carried out. This iwll increase awareness of the issues.

Soft copies of Documents