APDF Ex Co meeting
June 1-2, 2009 by Ex Co ML
Attendants: all APDF Ex Co members
Minutes
1. Message from Mr. Khandakar Alam, Chair of APDF (by paper)
Mr .Alam mentioned opening speech of the meeting that APDF is working for regional and global levelsuch as it’s facto membership of IDA and the member of IDA-CRPD forum and the board member ofGPDD (Global Partnership for Disability and Development. Although there are many things to beaccomplished in the Region including ratification of CRPD and APDF is economically weak, he shows
his commitment to make APDF a strong organization.
He also mentioned that NFOWD, the secretariat of the Chair is applying fund to EU for APDF.
2. Report (by paper)
2-1 Report on UN ESCAP meeting on CRPD from June 8-10, 2009
Mr. Matsui mentioned the schedule of ESCAP meeting Expert Group Meeting from June 8 to 10 andInter-agency meeting from June 11 to 12 and Ms. Akiyama of ESCAP would like to hold abrainstorming meeting with participating disability NGOs. Mr. Matsui invites the ideas and proposals
for the strategies beyond 2012.
Discussion:
Here is PT’s input for the strategies beyond 2012.
How APDF can contribute towards monitoring the status of CRPD implementation?

How to synergize the efforts of International DPOs, NGOs, Alliances, Networks & Forums
concerning disability for a more effective & strategic outcome based approach to disability
issues.



How to foster greater international and/or regional cooperation, technical exchanges andnetworking on disability issues.

Joseph commented that PT’s questions are very helpful and some are internal to APDF and some are
our request to ESCAP. Explanation is necessary for those questions.
PT also mentioned although there are many International organizations like IDA, GPDD, the outcome of
their meetings is not seen.
international network.
outcome.

APDF and its predecessor RNN need to be more understood by thoseSynergy among those networks and alliances is important to achieve theUN Agencies including ESCAP, ILO, WHO are expected to take a leadership in this Region.

APDF should promote these agencies towards this end.
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Van supported Joseph, Alam and PT. She thinks “A/P CRPD strategy and framework 2013-2022” isattractive.

There are a lot of progresses in the Region, but still promotion for Government for CRPD

is needed and there is gap between laws and practices. Raising awareness and monitoring andinternational and regional cooperation are very important. Rights campaigns or conferences would beorganized in every country in cooperation with APDF, GOs UNESCAP, INGOs and DPOs.
Prof. Choi of Korea reported in his report on the preparation of APDF 2012 that the Task Force Teamwith 11 disability experts let by Dr. Il-Yung Lee to start thinking a way forward beyond 2012.
shows a plan of participation of Korean representative to ESCAP meeting in June.

HeOnce the venue ofthe 2012 Conference is made, KSRPD will organize a working group with 20 AP colleagues to develop
discussion on strategies beyond BMF.
Alam appreciates Prof. Choi for his excellent suggestion on APDF’s involvement in the significant
events to be held in Korea in 2012.
Saowalak mentioned the importance of identifying the achievement and challenges during the 2 decadeand also the following up of the outcome of the Mid-point year Meeting .
For details of ideas please see 3-5.
2-2 Report on IDA meeting by Mr. Alam and Mr. Matsui including participation of APDF to IDA
Comments are as follows.
Membership of APDF in IDA
Alam mentioned APDF is a facto member of IDA. In order to be formal IDA member APDF needs tochange the Constitution that more than 51 % of Executive members should be PWDs. The Constitutionchange should be discussed at the General Assembly in 2010 in Vietnam.

Joseph mentioned thatsuch quota system has quite many challenges, so more thoughts are needed for better system.
Ghulam mentioned that APDF is a network of DPOs and Organizations working for People withdisabilities so APDF is not a DPO itself. After all in APDF there may be no quota system applicable.
But he would like to make APDF more practical.

2-3 Report on GPDD (Global Partnership for Disability and Development) by Mr. Khandaker Alam
APDF became a member of GPDD and Alam is invited as Chair of APDF to the next meeting to be heldon October in 2009.
2-4 Accessible Tourism Conference in Singapore in April by Mr. PT Lim
2-5 CBR Asia and Pacific Network by Mr. Ghulam Nabi Nizamani
2Ghulam as the Interim coordinator of CBR Asia Pacific Network mentioned the collaboration
mechanism is necessary.

He mentioned the Secretariat of CBR AP Network has been established atAPCD and the next meeting of CAPN may be held in October this year so APDF may request to theSecretariat to join the meeting as observer and find out ways to collaborate and support each other.

2-6 Report from each Working Committee, if anyInformation Committee reported the Web based knowledge management and project development in supportof BMF+5 and the UN International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities"

Accessible Tourism Committee reported that the minutes of the meeting was uploaded in the APDF
website.

Eden Foundation, Secretariat of Accessible Tourism Committee announced the next

International Accessible Tourism Conference will be held in 2011 in Taipei with the collaboration
with APDF.

http://www.normanet.ne.jp/~apdf/accessible.html

3. Discussion
3-1 Ex Co members
Co chair of the Working Committee of Children and Youth is to be open to members.
Saowalak agrees and there were no objection from others.
3-2 Inquiry letter to be submitted to UNESCAPThis will be submitted to UNESCAP for confirming their direction for the promotion of the 2nd
Decade, and function of BMF-SCM and others.
This draft letter is supported by three participants so far, Joseph, Robert through Emma, PT and no
objection from others.
Soawalak’s input is reflected in the draft letter attached. (line 6-7 of Paragraph 1)
3-3 APDF 2010 Conference in Vietnam
Please see the attached report of the preparatory meeting on March 31.
Saowalak agrees the four topics to be proposed by Vietam.

She also proposes to focus on thenetworking and collaboration among key stakeholders including international development agencies
who could be key instruments of implementation of CRPD.
3-4 APDF 2012 Conference in Korea
This was reported by Prof. Choi by paper. (please see his report and 2-1)
3-5 Brain storming on ideas/proposals beyond 2012
Here are ideas /proposals beyond 2012.

Please also see record of discussion at 2-1 which isalso ideas on activities beyond 2012.
Input from Robert through Emma
1. Promotion of accessibility issues including accessible tourism, accessible transport, accessible
environment.
2. Advocate and networking in the Region toward MDGs in 2015.
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Disability issue should bereinforced to achieve MDGs.
3. Contribution of APDF towards monitoring the status of CRPD implementation
Input from Ghulam
1. APDF may suggest next AP decade 2013 - 2022 as Ratification and Implementation decade ofUNCRPD.
2. APDF may involve out-reached organizations to raise thier voices on APDF platform.
3. UN agencies are already working on inclusion of disability in MDGs but it is too late and targets
may not be achieved so APDF may establish a working committee on MDGs.
4. APDF may develop internal mechanism of fund raising as this forum may work effectively.
5.Vulnerable groups may be mainstreamed in APDF i.e. Organizations based in rural and remoteareas, Indigenous and minority groups' organizations, organizations of people with multiple
disabilities or sever disabilities, organizations of people with intellectual disabilities(if not in AP region then may be developed as mentioned in BMF),
6. Developing collaboration with European Disability Forum (EDF) as peers, APCD, APCD foundation
and DPI AP itself.
7. APDF should focus on south to south and south to north cooperation
8. APDF may invite for membership from those countries which are not yet members of APDF
especially from Western and Central Asia.
9. APDF may develop sub regional mechanism in the region
Saowalak agrees with Ghulam for his proposal on south to south cooperation.
4. Future relevant activities
4-1 Accessible Tourism Conference to be jointly organized by UNESCAP and Takayama City, Japan
November 24-26, 2009
Contact: Ms. Oniyama

takayamatyo@m6.dion.ne.jp

Accessible Tourism Committee would like to meet during this Conference.
Saowalak proposes to organize the expert group meeting to develop the guideline by collaboration
with Eden Foundation.

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