CONFERENCE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF UNCRPD IN BANGLADESH

 

Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association organized a Conference on 'Implementation of UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in Bangladesh' which took place on 21 & 22 January 2009 at LGED Auditorium of LGED Bhaban. 

Purpose of the Conference:

To build a new model that builds coalition with human rights and disability rights network throughout the country.

The specific objectives of the Conference:

  •  Bring about litigation to challenge discrimination against persons with disabilities.
  • Analyzing the human rights report based on CEDAW, CRPD and the Optional Protocol and CRC.
  • Revisiting the Disability Welfare Law of 2001.
  • Creating an Inclusive Platform of Action and developing action plans.

Keeping this conference in view, BNWLA formed a new and broad alliance working with the National Alliance of Disabled People's Organizations (NADPO) and Women with Disability Development Foundation (WDDF). Together they have been working inclusively to establish the rights of persons with disabilities and trying to build a new model that builds coalition with the human rights, women and children rights and disability rights network throughout the country to address issues of discrimination based on gender and disability. It was an unique attempt because it followed a bottom up approach starting at the grassroots level and introduced an approach that integrate women's rights issues with those of Disability Rights. In the perspective of the present political scenario the seminar was an urgent and timely initiative. 

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Attorney General Advocate Mahbubey Alam, Advocate Salma Ali, Ms. Rangia de Silva de Alwis & Mr. Abdus Sattar Dulal at the conference at LGED Bhaban
Advocate Mahbubey Alam, Attorney General of Bangladesh graced the occasion as the honorable Chief Guest. He said that, we need to recognise the rights of persons with disabilities by enacting new laws & amending the existing laws. At the inaugural session following a short video screening on the plight of person with disabilities, Advocate Salma Ali, ED of BNWLA put forth the rational and objectives of arranging the Conference. Mr. Jahangir Alam, Secretary General of National Alliance of Disabled Peoples’ Organization (NADPO) provided his speech on the joint initiative of BNWLA , NADPO and WDDF in organizing the Conference. Ms. Rangia de Silva de Alwis, Senior Advisor at the Wellesley Centres for Women at Wellesley College, MA, USA stressed the importance of building such a new model that builds coalition with the human rights, women and children rights and disability rights network throughout the country to address issues of discrimination based on gender and disability through this seminar. Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, NDC, Director General, Department of Social Services and Mr. Abdus Sattar Dulal, Executive Director of Bangladesh Pratibondhi Kallyan Samity (BPKS) were present there as special guests and provided their valuable comments on this issue. Advocate Fawzia Karim Firoze, President of BNWLA chaired the session.

      First day: 21 January

      First panel:

The two-day long conference was divided into three panels. The first panel was on ‘Human Rights Reporting’. Dr. Sumaiya Khayer, Chairperson, Faculty of Law, DU, Dr. Shahnaz Huda, Professor, Faculty of Law, Md. Obaidur Rahman, Deputy Country Representative, Save the Children Sweden Denmark (SCSD), Ms. Shirin Akhtar, Co-ordinator of NADPO was the panelists on this topic. The specific aims and objectives of this panel was to-

  • Develop a shadow report focusing on the status of women and children with disabilities in Bangladesh for the CEDAW Committee in July 2009 and
  • To identify critical areas relating to the rights of women and children with disabilities that must be highlighted in the first shadow report to the CRPD in 2010.

Salma Khan, President, Women for Women and Past Chairperson & Member, UNCEDAW Committee chaired the session.

      Second panel:

The second panel on the first day was on bringing about litigation to challenge discrimination against Persons with Disabilities. Advocate Fawzia Karim Firoze presented the fact sheet. Advocate Fahima Nasrin, Vice President of BNWLA, Advocate Seema Zahur, member of BNWLA were discussants on the panel. Advocate Salma Ali chaired the session. The specific aims and objectives of this panel was to-

  • To identify an urgent area for litigation 
  • To identify a cause of action, remedy and directives; 
  • To identify a compelling plaintiff; to examine ways in which BNWLA can extend its legal aid services to women with disabilities who are victims of domestic violence.

Second day: 22 January

        First session:
The topic for the first panel on the second day was on Revision of the Disability Welfare Law of 2001 and bringing gender perspective to the law by women’s disability rights group & women’s groups. Mr. Ayub Nobi Molla, ED, Save the Planet and Disability, Ms. Rangia de Silva de Alwis, Advocate Towhida Khandaker, Advocate Rehana Sultana and Advocate Seema Zahur from BNWLA were amongst the discussants. Mr. Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, DG of department of Social Services chaired the session.

The specific aims and objectives of this panel was to-

  • To identify provisions of the Disability Welfare Law of 2001 that are inconsistent with the CRPD;
  • To provide a gender perspective to the disability law and potential revisions;
  • To include a disability rights perspective to other areas of the law and law making efforts. Examples include the draft Victim Witness Protocol and draft Domestic Violence Law;    
  • To draft a pioneering Code of Conduct for the Treatment of Persons with Disabilities: An Ethics Guideline.  

      Second session: Draft Action Plan by working group of the Conference

At this session the participants were divided into three panels and they drafted action plans on human rights reporting, litigation and law revision. The action plans were presented before the plenary. Ms. Nasreen Begum, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs chaired the session.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 04 February 2009 )