The Context of Inclusion – UN Convention on the Rights of PWDs
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 13 December 2006 and has since given the movement for persons with disability (PWDs) a strong legal framework to advocate for the rights of persons living with any type of disability. The Convention adopts a broad categorization of persons with disabilities and reaffirms that all persons with all types of disabilities must enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The UN CRPD identifies persons with disabilities to include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others3. The United Nations recognizes that human rights, peace and security and sustainable development for all, can be enjoyed only if persons with disabilities in all their diversity, are equally included in society.
SkYE’s Agenda for PWDs
SkYE Caribbean supports the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs ) – 10% of SkYE’s Programme participants are expected to be young persons with disabilities.
The programme is committed to lend support to mainstreaming PWDs into existing TVET programmes with the intention of having them find a place in the work environment after certification.
The SkYE strategy for disability inclusion seeks to provide a foundation for change and commence a transformative and sustainable shift in training centres and in the workplace. To foster change in the perception of young persons with disabilities (YPWDs), SkYE intends to steadily promote inclusion and facilitate the learning of potential employers to encourage reduction of barriers to economic and productive empowerment for YPWDs.
The Focus Group Discussion held in 2020 is part of SkYE’s action plan to foster change and promote inclusion. Throughout the life of the programme, SkYE intends to implement several initiatives some of which includes sensitization workshops, awareness campaigns using media in the 4 partner islands, and a “train-the-trainer” workshop to equip training providers and agencies with the skills to effectively educate PWDs.
SkYE aims to positively influence how NTAs, training agencies, employers and government can promote this paradigm shift. SkYE can work towards ‘moving the needle’ – pushing for incremental change and establishing a base from which others can build.
