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March 8, 2018 at 6:25pm

U.S. National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency, issued a press release today about its Report, U.S. Foreign Policy and Disability: Progress and Promise 2017, available for download at: https://ncd.gov/publications/2018/us-foreign-policy-and-disability-progress-2017. 'NCD’s study follows up on its previous studies by providing a detailed and current assessment of the application of federal disability laws (both statutory and case law) to U.S. foreign aid programs. It reviewed the policies and practices of DOS, USAID, and the Peace Corps, and details the extent to which these agencies have (1) developed policies and/or or programs to ensure the inclusion of individuals with disabilities as recipients of U.S. foreign assistance, and (2) removed the specific barriers to access by individuals with disabilities identified in NCD’s prior foreign policy reports. The study also examined the policies and practices of the Millennium Challenge Corporation to determine whether it applies U.S. disability laws and policies to its programs overseas.

NCD’s report concludes with recommendations for each agency regarding future actions for improvement where weaknesses are identified. In a letter from NCD to the US President, study findings reveal 'that improvements still need to be made to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind in US foreign aid programs. This report finds across all agencies examined: nonexistent or outdated formal disability policies; significant underrepresentation of employees with disabilities; unclear recruitment and retention policies and supports for employees with disabilities; inadequate human and fiscal resources dedicated to the institutionalization of system-wide inclusion; absence of accountability due to inadequate monitoring of the number of people with disabilities included in foreign aid programs from design to implementation and evaluation; unclear public information related to disability access and inclusion on agency webpages; inconsistent physical accessibility to structures and programs overseas, and disparate implementation of international standards. There is still work to be done.'

The Report notes the trillions lost to the global economy from excluding the 1 billion persons with disabilities worldwide and ignoring national and international policies in force: 'The World Bank has reported the enormous cost of excluding people with disabilities—estimating the global Gross Domestic Product loss due to disability to be between $1.71 trillion to $2.23 trillion annually.'

February 2, 2018 at 1:58pm

Adapted from International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC): 

Endorsement of Inclusive Education Call to Action by Global Partnership for Education

Today, on the 22 January, the Inclusive Education Task Group of the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) are pleased to announce that the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) have endorsed our Call to Action (CTA) for increased investment in disability-inclusive education. This is an important and vital step forward in our fight for global recognition to do more to fund education for children with disabilities. It coincides with a day of action to remind world leaders that there are just 10 days left before the Global Partnership for Education Replenishment Conference (in Dakar, Senegal), for donors, national governments and the private sector to #ShapeTheFuture for the most marginalised children, including children with disabilities.

The systematic neglect of children with disabilities is one of the most glaring oversights both in domestic and international education financing. Greater investment is needed to redress the neglect of the past and accelerate system-wide changes that embrace inclusion and the provision of support to meet the individual needs of learners with disabilities.

The UN Secretary General's official update, Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals", E/2017/66, reporting on the status of implementing UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.5, Achieving inclusive and equitable quality education for all. 'The call to action follows the recent #CostingEquity report by the IDDC, which was led by Light for the World and supported by Open Society Foundations and other international NGOs, which highlights some of the poor government and donor practices that need to change and provides solid arguments of why disability inclusive education is a wise and worthy investment.' The UN Secretary General Report on progress toward meeting targets of SDG 4 emphasizes the challenge: Despite progress, the world failed to meet the Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education by 2015. In 2013, the latest year for which data are available, 59 million children of primary-school age were out of school. Estimates show that, among those 59 million children, 1 in 5 of those children had dropped out and recent trends suggest that 2 in 5 of out-of-school children will never set foot in a classroom. The Sustainable Development Goals clearly recognize that this gap must be closed, even as the international community more explicitly addresses the challenges of quality and equity.

 

December 1, 2017 at 11:45am

UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Building Future Societies for All -TODAY

Grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD treaty), the annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities event focuses on inclusion in societies across a range of sectors affecting 10% of the world's population, 80% who live in Low and Middle-Income countries (LMICs). The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a 15-year blueprint for eradicating extreme poverty, and envisioning and planning economic growth for all, are the foundation for integrating persons with disabilities into the goals and activities to reach the SDG outcomes realistically. Today's UN event fosters this concept with a specific emphasis on city planning for access to travel and tourism worldwide for social, cultural and economic growth for all.

 

November 17, 2017 at 2:01pm

NHS releases telehealth app to 3.5M Londoners

Nov 14, 2017 | Cara Livernois

The National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom has released a free, 24-hour telehealth service administered through a user’s smartphone. The application initially covers 3.5 million patients in London.

The GP at Hand app, developed by the online healthcare provider Babylon, allows patients to check symptoms and book an online appointment that connects patients to providers within two hours.

"It's high time that NHS patients were given the opportunity to benefit from technology to improve access to healthcare,” said Mobasher Butt, a researcher on the team behind GP at Hand. "We've benefited from this kind of technology in so many different aspects of our lives, whether that be shopping or banking, and it's really time that we were able to do that in healthcare for NHS patients."

Read the full story below:

August 8, 2017 at 11:20am

:Aug. 8, 2017, 11:30-12:30 EDT Hosted by the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, Dr. Hamid Jafari, CDC Center for Global Health Principal Deputy Director, walks us through the structure and activities of CDC's global health center in the United States and abroad. Dr. Jafari's presentation will be followed by a moderated audience Q&A session.

July 19, 2017 at 9:55am

 FHI Hosted Global Digital Health Network monthly event

Wednesday’s meeting will feature an introduction to new Monitoring & Evaluation-related resources, plus a concrete example of “doing” M&E within a digital health intervention.

Speakers:

·      Dr. Garrett Mehl from WHO's RMNCH team on the recent M&E Guide

·      Smisha Agarwal of Johns Hopkins University on the mERA checklist

·      Christine Lasway of Palladium discussing M&E around m4RH

http://www.globaldigitalhealthnetwork.org

 

 

July 19, 2017 at 11:58am


Wednesday, July 19, 2017 • 12-1 pm ET / 9-10 am PT

 
Dr. Beth Tarini, U of Michigan studies: All states require newborn testing for serious but treatable conditions. However, inefficiencies in newborn screening programs (NBS) can lead to delays in treatment and preventable irreversible damage or death. Operations research simulation modeling techniques are effective tools to identify opportunities for improving efficiency of NBS services. Strategies will be presented for hospital and public health programs to reduce newborn risks, based on an in-depth study of NBS sample collection, transport, processing and reporting in Michigan hospitals and labs.

July 17, 2017 at 10:01pm

UN Foundation is broadcasting live video on 2017 Girl Up Leadership Summit. Log in to join the conversation!

2017 Girl Up Leadership Summit LIVE 2017 Girl Up Leadership Summit

Monday, July 17th, 2017 at 9:00 AM EDT on unfoundation

From July 17-19, 2017 more than 350 passionate girl advocates from around the world will convene for the 6th annual Girl Up Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. For three days these young change-makers will participate in leadership training, hear from influential speakers, engage in skills-based workshops, and learn how they can take action for girls around the world.

Watch Event

July 18, 2017 at 4:35pm

Africa as a Hotbed for Innovation: Technology Providing New Ways to Look at Age-Old Problems

From Base of the Pyramid (BoP) LinkedIn Group

Intellecap’s latest research explores how emerging technologies can trigger a set of big shifts in Africa over the next decade, and how innovators and enterprises there can leverage these shifts to help address the continent’s mega-challenges in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, financial services, health care, education, energy and water.

 

Deaf students signing
June 6, 2017 at 11:13pm

Implmentation of the principles and tenets of the UN Convention (human rights treaty) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) ratified by 173 nations is the 10th anniversary focus of delegates from governments, Civil Society Organizations, Non-governmental organizations, Disabled Peoples Organizations, and related human rights activists at the annual meeting-- the Civil Society Forum (June 12) and the Conference of States Parties (COSP) at UN HQ in NYC June 12-15. This year's themes include 1) Addressing the impact of multiple discrimination on persons with disabilities, and promoting their participation and multistakeholder partnerships for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in line with the Convention; 2) Inclusion and full participation of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action; and 3) Promoting inclusive urban development and implementation of the New Urban Agenda. In addition to the plenaries and round tables, a full program of side events are slated with the agenda forthcoming. Entry to these meetings requires approval and letters of confirmation for agencies with special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council. GlobalPartnersUnited's CEO/founder, Evelyn Cherow, will participate in the COSP events in observer status and attend the Early Childhood Development Task Force meeting of the Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities (GPCWD/UNICEF Secretariat).

May 12, 2017 at 12:37pm

May 12, 2017 1:00- 2:30 pm:The Trump Administration’s budget proposes to defund OPIC, raising many questions. Does America need a development finance institution? How does OPIC benefit the American taxpayer? Would the private sector step up in its absence? If the administration changes its mind, what should OPIC look like in the future? Please take a look at a recent Forbes Article that our Director, Dan Runde, published. This conversation with leaders in the field promises to challenge, educate, and present multiple viewpoints on these important questions. We will be joined by the last three heads of OPIC, Elizabeth Littlefield, Rob Mosbacher, and Peter Watson.

March 15, 2017 at 5:27pm

According to the UNA USA, President Trump is expected to include a 50% cut to the United Nations in his budget proposal tomorrow (Thursday, March 16). UNA leaders across the country lit up the White House switch board earlier this year when it seemed likely the President would introduce an Executive Order cutting UN funding by 40%. That time the Administration backed down, but UNA USA urges that this time advocacy voices will need to be even louder. Join UNA USA to hear Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign, outline President Trump’s proposal, next steps for Congress, and immediate actions you can take to protect American leadership at the UN. As President of the Better World Campaign and Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy at the United Nations Foundation, Peter Yeo leads the Foundation’s strategic engagement with Congress and the Administration to advance policy changes that support the UN’s work for global progress. Call in to learn how to protect US budget for UN: U.S./Canada Dial-in: 888-857-6929
Passcode: 
4731102 *Please call in 10-15 minutes early so an operator can connect you*

March 12, 2017 at 6:06pm

CSW61 Side-events related to women and girls with disabilities:

Advancing the Leadership of Women and Girls with Disabilities in Development and Society: Networking Workshop
DESA/DSPD/SCRPD will co-organize a side event with Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, with co-sponsorship from the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations, the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, UN Women, United Nations Population Fund, Women Enabled International, and Women’s Refugee Commission.
14 March, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Conference Room 2727 – Secretariat Building
Queries: enable@un.org.

– Networking Workshop Participant Survey
Concept Note
Background
Flyer

 

March 11, 2017 at 7:02pm

The sixty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61) will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 13 to 24 March 2017. The priority theme this year is  “Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work”. Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to attend the session. A series of side-events will be held at the UN Headquarters throughout the two weeks. Aligned with the UN Convention on the  Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), women with disabilities in leadership in implementing the CRPD treaty worldwide are slated to speak on a wide range of economic empowerment topics at a number of events during the two-week convening. The first session, Advancing the Leadership of Women and Girls with Disabilities in Development and Society, is slated for March 14th at 10 a.m. - 1:00 pm. For a full listing of sessions, NGOs' and delegations' side events, and those related to UN CRPD, see http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw61-2017/side-events.

CONTACT INFORMATION
 
Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (SCRPD)
Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD)
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
S-2906, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY 10017, USA
Subscribe to the UN Enable Newsletter: http://bit.ly/unenablenewsletter 

Email: enable@un.org

Communications from the UN indicate that interests in attending outstrip the facilities capacity, and that UN meeting room space will be limited for seating.  For this reason, the CSW61 general sessions will be telecast over UN tv."Access to conference rooms will again be limited during CSW61, due to the very high number of NGO representatives who have pre-registered, placing a high demand on the finite space in United Nations Headquarters. There will be approximately 200 seats in the plenary room for the 4000-6000 NGOs that are expected. That is why all official meetings will be webcast. You are encouraged to follow these broadcasts live or on demand via United Nations Web TV at http://webtv.un.org/  
 
You can also follow @UN_CSW on Twitter to find out about side events, overflow room, venue changes, and when registration lines are shortest. Join the conversation using #CSW61 to share information about your own events.

 

 

Descriptions of additional CRPD-related sessions 

 UN_Women_English_Blue_TransparentBackground_Small_225x102

March 6, 2017 at 11:01pm

Every year, representatives of Member States, United Nations entities and non-governmental organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC
gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York for the Commission’s annual session. Usually held for ten days in March (3/13-24/2017), the session provides an opportunity to review progress towards gender equality and the empowerment of women, identify challenges, set global standards and
norms and formulate policies to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide. The session is also a key opportunity for policy
makers, advocates, researchers and activists to network and strategize, mobilize and plan new initiatives and actions to further the cause of
gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The sixty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 13 to 24 March 2017.

Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to attend the session. 

- See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw61-2017#sthash.eNMZqCIj.dpuf

The sixty-first session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 13 to 24 March 2017.

Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to attend the session. 

- See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw61-2017#sthash.eNMZqCIj.dpuf

August 17, 2016 at 10:10pm

GlobalPartnersUnited LLC, was notified July 26, 2016 that the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) approved GPU's application for special consultative status upon recommendation of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations.

August 29, 2016 at 9:35pm

From Philanthropy News Digest, August 29, 2016: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the World Bank have announced a $24 billion commitment to help African nations accelerate their progress toward universal health coverage.

June 7, 2016 at 5:03pm

Brookings Institution Event: Supporting Early Childhood Development in Humanitarian Crises

Unprecedented armed conflicts and natural disasters are now driving a global displacement crisis. According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, more than 60 million people are displaced worldwide, and half of them are children. These displaced children are hindered from developing cognitive and social-emotional skills—such as perseverance, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution—which are essential for school readiness and serve as the foundation for a more peaceful and stable future. However, through the development and testing of innovative educational strategies, we can build effective practices for improving young children’s learning and developmental outcomes in crisis contexts.

On June 8, the Center for Universal Education at Brookings and Sesame Workshop will co-host a panel discussion to explore innovative strategies to meet the needs of young children in humanitarian crises. Following the session, there will be a reception celebrating the publication of “The Sesame Effect: The Global Impact of the Longest Street in the World.”

After the session, panelists will take audience questions.

Event Agenda

  • Opening remarks
    • Jeffrey D. Dunn. President and Chief Executive Officer, Sesame Workshop
  • Moderator

Rebecca Winthrop, Director, Center for Universal Education

Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development

@rebeccawinthrop

  • Panelists
    • Sarah Smith, Child and Youth Protection and Development, International Rescue Committee
    • Sherrie Rollins Westin, Executive Vice President, Global Impact and Philanthropy, Sesame Workshop
  • 5:30 - 7:00 Reception

 

 

June 1, 2016 at 2:45pm

A two-day event launches a joint report of CSIS-JICARI on Transformative Innovation for International Development, exploring pilot projects on Smart Cities and Innovation Ecosystems development. The panel events are streamed and archived for viewing, and the report is available at https://www.csis.org/analysis/transformative-innovation-international-development. See Happenings for program details.

April 26, 2016 at 4:25pm

Digital technologies have spread rapidly in much of the world. Digital dividends—that is, the broader development benefits from using these technologies—have lagged behind. In many instances, digital technologies have boosted growth, expanded opportunities, and improved service delivery. Yet their aggregate impact has fallen short and is unevenly distributed. For digital technologies to benefit everyone everywhere requires closing the remaining digital divide, especially in internet access. But greater digital adoption will not be enough. To get the most out of the digital revolution, countries also need to work on the “analog complements”—by strengthening regulations that ensure competition among businesses, by adapting workers’ skills to the demands of the new economy, and by ensuring that institutions are accountable.

January 6, 2016 at 4:03pm

World Bank President, Jim Kim, agrees with the New Yorker's poverty reduction accomplishment as a 2015 highlight: 'The number of people living in extreme poverty dropped below 10 percent this year for the first time. That's down from 12.8 percent of the world's population in 2012. There are still more than 700 million people in extreme poverty—those who live on less than $1.90 a day—but this progress represents real momentum toward our goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030. The New Yorker listed this chart as one of four graphs that defined the world in 2015. We agree. http://wrld.bg/W2NW5.'

GlobalPartnersUnited's CEO, Evelyn Cherow, offered a follower's reply, applauding the trend and urging that funding streams be designated for implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to create systems and a workforce to support equitable access to early childhood development, healthcare, education, ICT, and employment, rare in developing countries.

November 3, 2015 at 9:41pm

Adapted from MIT Technology Review (David Rotman, Oct. 5, 2015): Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, renowned economist, and special advisor to the United Nations’ secretary general, at the opening keynote on the first day of Solve MIT conference, describes information exchange fostered by technology access--mobile phones specifically--as instrumental in global poverty reduction. In the context of framing the UN's post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the opposite of hubris: 'it's the decent thing to do'.

September 8, 2015 at 9:13am

In honor of International Literacy Day on September 8, Brookings Center for Universal Education hosts a panel today to discuss how to achieve the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and improve funding for education in developing countries. Norwegian Ambassador to the United States Kåre R. Aas will provide keynote remarks, followed by a presentation from Liesbet Steer, fellow at the Center for Universal Education and lead author of the Financing Education: Opportunities for Global Action- a new report. A panel discussion will follow. Evelyn Cherow, GPU CEO, will attend to monitor discussions related to the 90% of children with disabilities who lack access to education, 80% in developing countries.

August 4, 2015 at 1:22pm

Rwandan Health Minister Dr. Agnes Binagwaho presents Barmes Global Health Lecture at NIH

From National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center: On Wednesday, July 29, 2015, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, Rwandan Minister of Health, presented the David E. Barmes Global Health Lecture, "Medical Research and Capacity Building for Development: The Experience of Rwanda," on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The lecture is organized annually by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) where Dr. Barmes--a public health dentist and epidemiologist-- served as a special expert in international health following his tenure focused on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the World Health Organization. Dr. Frances Collins, NIH Director, introduced Dr. Binagwaho applauding the tremendous strides in Rwanda in research driven health systems strengthening. 'It's not about money; it's about systems and efficiency of approaches that research reflects as cost effective'. Dr. Binagwaho stressed that the question to ask is how will my research advance science and healthcare delivery'?

She described accomplishing a 91% maternal delivery in health facilities, a doubling of life expectancy, 90% coverage with health insurance, 93% HPV vaccine coverage, and reduction of mortality of mothers (3/4 decrease) and child mortality (2/3 decrease). 'Capacity building is the most important factor in making a health system resilient', she emphasized citing as an example that the country had one psychiatrist post genocide when mental health programming was essential.

Evelyn Cherow, GlobalPartnersUnited's CEO/Founder had the opportunity to pose the first question during the open exchange following Dr. Binagwaho's lecture during which she asked how Rwanda's ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is integrated into the healthcare capacity building and systems strengthening initiatives especially in Maternal Newborn and Child Health morbidity diagnostics and habilitation. Dr. Binagwaho described a comprehensive disability census efforty that was completed over a year's time and the implementation in specialty care now under consideration to address their findings.

View the recorded webcast of Medical Research and Capacity Building for Development: The Experience of Rwanda by Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, Rwandan Minister of Health on the NIH Videocasting site.

July 13, 2015 at 1:45pm

UN Wire (July 13, 2015)

Ban: World must band together on funding SDGs
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened a four-day financing conference in Ethiopia by urging world leaders to work together on how to finance the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs include goals for ending poverty and addressing climate change, with an overall cost estimated at as much as $4.5 trillion a year.

July 17, 2015 at 11:59am

 

The Last Mile in Ending Extreme Poverty


When:
Thursday, July 23, 2015, 2:00 — 3:30 PM

Where: The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC

What: 

The past quarter-century has witnessed a stunning reduction in the number of people around the world living on less than $1.25 a day, the marker for extreme poverty. This has led to a new sense of hope that extreme poverty can end within a generation. Yet optimism is tempered by the unique circumstances facing those who remain left behind and new challenges that weaken traditional paths to prosperity.

In the new Brookings book, "The Last Mile in Ending Extreme Poverty," editors Laurence Chandy, Hiroshi Kato, and Homi Kharas explore what it will take to finish the course. They identify three critical challenges that define the last mile: securing peace, creating jobs, and strengthening resilience. By uncovering evidence and approaches to address these issues, while pointing out the knowledge gaps that remain, "The Last Mile" outlines an agenda to inform future development research and poverty reduction strategies.

On July 23, the Global Economy and Development program at Brookings and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will co-host a discussion on “The Last Mile.” After their remarks, the speakers will take audience questions.

 

July 15, 2015 at 8:39pm

UNDESA-DSPD @undesadspd Jul 14

#UNGA #OEWG6 meets to strengthen & protect #humanrights of #olderpersons! Watch live http://webtv.un.org  14-16July pic.twitter.com/RAQwVyV6SK

UN For Ageing @UN4Ageing

The Official Twitter account for UN Focal Point on Ageing. UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).

UN DESA assists countries around the world in agenda-setting and decision-making with the goal of meeting their economic, social and environmental challenges

June 6, 2015 at 9:56pm

G3ICT's leadership addressing Article 9 on ICT accessibility and assistive technology of the landmark UN Convention (Treaty) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) has led to the convening of an annual summit over the last 4 years. This year's event held in Arlington, VA on June 1-2 attracted a range of advocates, public and private sector representatives, and a growing exhibit area for vendors with new apps and products.  'Fifty-four million Americans and more than one billion people worldwide live with disabilities, including a large proportion of senior citizens. They represent a largely untapped market for new and enhanced mobile applications and services. The M-Enabling Summit is the sole global venue exclusively dedicated to supporting innovation and promoting solutions to address this major opportunity.

Market Drivers Converge to Create Major Opportunities for Accessible and Assistive Mobile Solutions

  • Aging populations are increasing in key markets due to improved life expectancy and slowing birth rates.

  • Mobile service providers operating on markets near saturation need to expand among underserved segments including seniors and persons with disabilities.

  • Innovative mobile technology enablers allow developers to deliver new sophisticated accessible and assistive solutions not previously available on other technology platforms.

  • Accessibility features enhance the experience of all users who use mobile devices in situation requiring alternative modes of interaction with their handsets.

  • Accessibility and usability features are now central to the competition among handset and operating system vendors

  • More than 6.5 billion mobile devices create the opportunity to leverage economies of scale for accessible technologies, more than any other technology platform.

  • The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities signed by 159 countries creates a favorable global policy and regulatory environment  to promote mobile phone and service accessibility

  • The implementation of the U.S. 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act further promotes accessible mobile solutions in areas such as emergency communications of web browsing.

June 6, 2015 at 9:33pm

From Oxford University Press: 

Cracking the Emerging Markets Enigma

G. Andrew Karolyi

Financial Management Association Survey and Synthesis Series

  • Proposes an entirely new framework of risk indices on which investors should judge emerging markets when making investment decisions
  • Anchored in latest research evidence on global financial markets
  • Features recent case studies of corporations and investors that have worked in emerging markets

02 June 2015

312 Pages

6-1/8 x 9-1/4 inches

ISBN: 9780199336623

Also Available As:

Ebook

 
May 31, 2015 at 5:45pm

With the winding down of the 15-year UN initiative coined the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs)--a blueprint for prioritized development goals for low- and middle-resourced countries and calculations of the impact made to reach the goals, a major effort has been underway to gain widespread global stakeholders' input for the follow up fifteen year program, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). After a number of drafts were circulated for review and many consultations held for this purpose, a 232-page final report (May 15, 2015) emerged for submission to the Secretary-General of the United Nations by the Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network.  In preparation for an SDGs financing meeting planned in September in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the May 26th announcement from Guido Schmidt-Traub, Executive Director of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, emphasizes a data development strategy--Launching a Data Revolution--to ensure that measures for monitoring and evalution are emphasized from the onset. With exploding technological advancements globally and growing access to telecommunications and mobile devices for measurement purposes, tracking SDGs programs' outputs and outcomes will be core to learning progress made on the wide range of indicators considered significant: 'The SDSN Thematic Groups, a large number of UN agencies and other international institutions, national statistical offices, civil society organizations, academia, and businesses have provided expert input that has helped us improve the indicator framework. We are particularly grateful for the detailed comments received during two public consultations, the first from February to March 2014, and the second in January, 2015. Comments submitted during these consultations and changes made to our report are provided on our website.'

 

May 31, 2015 at 10:05pm

The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are proposing to release a policy statement on inclusion of young children with disabilities in high-quality inclusive early childhood programs. A request for comments on the proposed statement was disseminated with input due 9:00pm EDT, Friday, May 22, 2015 (extended from 6:00pm EDT due to system being down temporarily earlier today).

'It is the Departments’ position that all young children with disabilities should have access to inclusive high-quality early childhood programs, where they are provided with appropriate support in meeting high expectations. To further this position, the Departments will release a policy statement on the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early childhood programs.

The policy statement:

  • Provides a definition of inclusion in early childhood programs,
  • Highlights the legal and scientific foundations supporting inclusion, and
  • Provides recommendations to states, local educational agencies (LEAs), schools, and early childhood programs for expanding inclusive high-quality early learning opportunities for all children.

Though this policy statement focuses on including young children with disabilities, it is our shared vision that all Americans be meaningfully included in all facets of society throughout the life course. This begins in early childhood programs and continues into schools, places of employment, and the broader community.

 

boy with disabled legs does handstand on beach
December 3, 2014 at 7:36pm

Today at the UN, disability rights activist leaders from the global disability people organizations (DPO) community, policymakers, NGOs, and private sector stakeholders gathered to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) and the progress gained in implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) tenets --the treaty signed by 159 countries and ratified by 151 (http://www.un.org/disabilities/)--as well as to focus on the societal inclusion challenges to be addressed from early childhood through adulthood. This year's program theme, Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology (Programme), underscores the vital role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a rights based strategy necessary for inclusive early childhood, education, health care, and employment opportunities and knowledge exhange for the 1 billion persons with disabilities. The G3ICT and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) released a detailed Model ICT Accessibility Policy Report as part of the panel on minimizing the digital divide within the legal framework provided in the CRPD treaty, a clear sign of the importance of electronic communications in human actualization, knowledge access, productivity, and the interwoven global economies. Ironically, the United States Senate, by refusing to take positive action to support CRPD ratification at the end of this 114th Congress, frustrated the disability activist agencies and strong bipartisan leadership who coalesced over 800 organizations, 20 veterans agencies, major businesses and the US Chamber of Commerce and strongly urged for two years at several Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings that the US demonstrate its disability rights leadership through legislative action in support of this 2006 UN treaty.  A press release issued today by the US International Council on Disability (USICD) expresses strong dismay by representative leaders of DPOs.

September 29, 2014 at 2:00pm

GlobalPartnersUnited CEO/Founder, Evelyn Cherow, invited as a disability and telepractices subject expert, participated September 9-11, 2014 in a side event of the World Health Organization SE Asia Regional (SEAR) Conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh at the invitation of Saima Hossain--an advocate for program development for persons with neurodevelopmental disabilities and daughter of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Cherow met Mrs. Hossain at the 2012 UNICEF-hosted Global Partnership for Children with Disabilities meetings where Bangladesh was one of five highlighted countries. At the 'brainstorming' global autism side event, Cherow presented a framework for establishment of a regional center of excellence and applications of telerehabilitation technology to link Communities of Practice experts across regions, integrate with related MDGs and post-2015 SDGs priorities, and address community-based workers' and professionals' training and specialty consultation. Over two days of meetings, the invited expert group from the global South and North convened presented 'best practices' of programs serving persons with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. On Day One at a 'brainstorming' session, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Margaret Chan, joined the attendees and reinforced her strong support for policy and program development in this disability domain and engaged in dialogue with participant experts and representatives of regional multilateral and INGO organizations. At the day two formal session, the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Ministers of Health, multilateral representatives, and many other developing and developed countries' medical and healthcare leaders offered formal commitments to this Global Autism Program initiative. As the press recorded, there was strong interest and support to the global autism programs' goals--a testament to Ms. Hossain's leadership (http://bdnews24.com/health/2014/09/11/bangladesh-gets-global-backing-on-autism-partnership.)  In this vein, Saima Hossain received a high honor at the evening awards dinner from WHO SEAR for her advocacy work on behalf of programs for those with neurodevelopmental disabilities and autism.

September 30, 2014 at 9:29am

New WHO Department to include disability issues

Americas Sep 22, 2014 (Global Accessibility News)

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, has announced the creation of a new Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention (NVI).

This new Department, which results from the merger of the Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability (VIP) and the Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases (MND), is officially established as of today. NVI will support regions and countries to strengthen their capacity to address these major health and development challenges in an integrated way in the context of the new realities of the post-2015 era.

September 30, 2014 at 5:30pm

FROM The Hill; September 17, 2014, 01:31 pm

Senate GOP block UN treaty on disability rights

Republicans blocked Sen. Tom Harkin’s (D-Iowa) request to vote on the United Nations' treaty for persons with disabilities. Harkin asked for unanimous consent to debate the treaty for two hours and then hold an up-or-down vote that would require two-thirds of the Senate’s support for adoption. But Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) objected.

“Another sad, irresponsible day in the United States Senate,” Harkin said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “There is no controversy over this.

“Is this just another blatant form of discrimination against people with disabilities?”

Harkin pointed out that the treaty has bipartisan support. He said only Tea Party extremist who hate the United Nations oppose it.

Lee said the adoption of any treaty deserves more than two hours of debate and senators should be able to offer amendments.

Two years ago, Senate Republicans blocked the treaty on a 61-38 vote despite former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) lobbying for adoption.

Supporters of the treaty argued that the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities would simply require the rest of the world to meet the standards that Americans already enjoy under the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act. 

More than 150 other countries have adopted the treaty.

Harkin is retiring from the Senate at the end of this year, but he vowed to never give up on this fight.

February 21, 2014 at 2:19pm

HHS Secretary Sebelius launched a new $40 mil Global Health Security program framework with the Department of Defense to prevent and treat infectious disease in 10 targeted countries. 'Last week, we came together at the Global Health Security Agenda in the belief that everyone deserves the basic human dignity of being protected from infectious disease.  Our world is connected in ways previously unimagined or foreseen.  This greater connectedness brings with it both new vulnerabilities and new opportunities. The Global Health Security Agenda is framed around three primary strategies:

  1. Enhanced prevention
  2. More robust detection
  3. More effective response

Working together across 30 countries, we can protect at least 4 billion global citizens within the next five years.  And our vision is for all people in all countries to be effectively protected against the threats posed by infectious disease. Ridding the world of infectious diseases is not a small goal.  There are few simple solutions and no magic cures, but we can’t afford the cost of defeat—economically, socially, or in the devastating loss of lives. With prevention, detection, and effective response, we can build a safer world.

February 22, 2014 at 1:07am

Dr. Shelly Chadha, Technical Officer, World Health Organization's Office of Prevention of Blindness and Deafness announced the 2014 International Ear Care Day and disseminated the 2013 report of WHO's events, hearing loss global statistics analyses (http://www.who.int/pbd/deafness/estimates/en/), and best preventive, identification and treatment practices. Hearing loss typically occurs as a painless process, is an invisible condition, and often people are unaware that they are damaging their hearing permanently due to the lack of regular hearing evaluations. WHO estimates 360 million globally with hearing loss. Implementing the World Health Assembly  has produced resources in a number of languages to highlight the value of prevention of hearing loss and deafness, and the effects on communication capacity.

Ear care can avoid hearing loss

Les soins de l’oreille peuvent éviter la perte auditive

 El Cuidado del oído puede evitar la pérdida auditiva

爱耳护耳 健康听力——预防从初级耳科保健做起

رعاية الأذن يمكن أن تقي من فقدان السمع

Уход за ушами может предотвратить снижение слуха

February 18, 2014 at 6:46pm

Claudia L. Gordon, in her Feb. 18, 2014 White House Disability Update e-newletter, shares Obama Administration's efforts to advance equality, inclusion and access on behalf of the disability community. On February 12, the President signed an Executive Order making this vision a reality.  The Executive Order will benefit hundreds of thousands of people working under service, construction or concessions contracts with the federal government who are making less than $10.10 an hour. It will also improve the value that taxpayers are getting from the federal government’s investment. Studies show that boosting low wages will reduce turnover and absenteeism, while also boosting morale and improving the incentives for workers, leading to higher productivity overall. These gains improve the quality and efficiency of services provided to the government.  The Executive Order covers individuals with disabilities.  Speaking on the importance of raising the minimum wage before signing the Executive Order, the President said:  

There’s a simple moral principle at stake -- if you take responsibility and you work as hard as these folks work, if you work full-time, you shouldn’t be living in poverty. Not in America. We believe that. And this executive order will cover Americans with disabilities because this principle doesn’t just apply to some of us; it applies to all of us.

President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games

The Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russian Federation will be held on March 7, 2014.  Members of the Presidential Delegation include The Honorable Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor and The Honorable Tammy Duckworth, Member of the United States House of Representatives (IL-08).  The delegation will attend athletic events, meet with U.S. athletes, and attend the Opening Ceremony. The Honorable Tammy Duckworth will lead the delegation.  

 

 

 

Read the President's announcement.

January 7, 2014 at 12:00pm

January 7, 2014  The year 2014 will be pivotal for the region as African leaders and global policymakers grapple with financing and sustaining the continent’s economic growth, overcoming recent breakouts of insecurity and conflict, adapting to evolving demographic changes, and recalibrating Africa’s position within the international community on matters ranging from justice to the post-2015 development agenda. 

On January 7, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings hosted a discussion with leading Africa experts on the most important challenges the continent will face in 2014. The panel includes: Makhtar Diop, vice president for Africa at the World Bank; Robin Renee Sanders, former U.S. ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria and CEO of FEEEDS; Bright Simons, Ghanaian social entrepreneur and founder and president of the mPedigree Network; John Prendergast, co-founder of Enough Project; and Amadou Sy, senior fellow with the Africa Growth Initiative. Brookings Visiting Fellow John McArthur moderated the discussion.

 

 

The event follows the release of the new Foresight Africa report, a collection of short briefs on the major issues for Africa in 2014.

November 20, 2013 at 3:36pm

THE TIME IS NOW TO TAKE ACTION: Contact your Senator before tomorrow's Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on US ratification of the UN Convention (treaty) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This is the second and possibly the last hearing before a vote. Last year the treaty failed by only 5 votes due to misinformation promulgated by the far right. US CRPD ratification has strong bipartisan support--with over 700 organizations urging this approval--including veternas' organizations, disabled persons organizations and politicians who have supported US disability anti-discrimination laws. Make your voices heard today!!

November 1, 2013 at 11:00pm

Background from UN Enable (excerpt on history of CRPD): The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007. There were 82 signatories to the Convention, 44 signatories to the Optional Protocol, and 1 ratification of the Convention. This is the highest number of signatories in history to a UN Convention on its opening day. It is the first comprehensive human rights treaty of the 21st century and is the first human rights convention to be open for signature by regional integration organizations. The Convention entered into force on 3 May 2008.

The 2011 World Health Organization’s World Report on Disability estimates that there are one billion people with disabilities worldwide. With improved life-saving medical treatments for at risk births, increased accidents and injuries, post-conflict veterans' and civilians' health and psychosocial consequences, and the aging of the world's population, the numbers of persons with disabilities in our country and globally increase exponentially. Link provides a sample advocacy letter to send to US Senators NOW!

US International Council on  Disability formed a coaltion of 700 organizations --strongly bipartisan including veterna's organizattions that support CRPD. Join those who understand that the US has resources and strong interests in joining the global community commited to gaining societal inclusion of, by and for persons with disabilities.

October 19, 2013 at 8:56pm

Attorney Claudia Gordon providing new leadership as Public Engagement Advisor to the Disability Community, The White House Office of Public Engagement, in her weekly email blast (October 18th) announced with the government's reopening, that President Obama signed a unique proclamation on September 30th declaring October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Throughout both terms, the President has shaped a new US government hiring model with increased requirements for employment of persons with disabilities in all federal agencies. Spearheaded by the US Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, related grants of 18.5 million were announced September 26th with awards to eight states to improve employment practices for persons with disabilities. Historically, access to employment has been an area of societal inclusion with a challenging and disappointing history despite inclusive education legislation since 1975 fostering persons with disabilities' participation in the US workforce.

October 10, 2013 at 10:46am

Brookings hosted African Development Bank (ADB) President, Donald Kaberuka, today at their HQ  in Washington, DC for a conversation on 'A New Agenda for African Development Finance in the 21st Century'. President Kaberuka offered a new paradigm for investment in Africa during the changing global aid climate--one that leverages donor investment to support private sector investment outcomes. He stressed the critical nature of infrastructure investment comparable to the 'superhighway' constructed that has facilitated the growth of a manfacturing industry moving products to market.  He cited the continued challenge of lack of access to and the high cost of electricity precluding businesses from succeeding, job creation for youth, and technology advances, such as support for the construction of fiber optic cables supporting telecommunications for the continent. While supporting clean energy development value, he noted pragmatically that energy sourcing must be the goal so that economic growth can advance for individuals and African countries. African Development Bank has developed a new human capital strategy that will be reviewed by a subcommittee of its Board next month.

October 19, 2013 at 10:42pm

White House Announces Claudia Gordon as Liaison to Disability Community (July 16, 2013)

From National Council on Disability

WASHINGTON -- The National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency that advices the President, Congress and other federal agencies on disability policy, welcomes Claudia Gordon, Esq, as the White House’s new Public Engagement Advisor for the Disability Community in the Office of Public Engagement.

Prior to her appointment in the Executive Branch, Gordon was instrumental in strengthening regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities at the United States Department of Labor (DOL), where she served as a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Federal Contracts and Compliance Programs. During Gordon’s tenure, DOL shifted its enforcement activities to hold government contractors accountable for their employment practices and has added 200 new compliance officers since the beginning of the Obama Administration.

 

June 28, 2013 at 10:57am

From NARIC News (June 28, 2013): The NIDRR-funded Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research has posted a video, Information Retrieval for International Disability and Rehabilitation Research. John Stone, PhD, and Dan Conley of the NIDRR-funded Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information and Exchange (CIRRIE) offer a primer on CIRRIE's database, highlighting the newest features and tips on how to use the database to its fullest potential.

June 26, 2013 at 8:23pm

From Global Accessibility News; Jun 19, 2013

The Draft BBC Mobile Accessibility Standards and Guidelines (Mobile S&G) are a set of technology agnostic best practices for mobile web content, hybrid and native applications. Each standard is listed with example code for implementing in HTML, Android, and iOS and steps for testing.

The Mobile S&G are intended for use by anyone involved with the design or development of mobile web and mobile web applications including, but not limited to, developers, designers, editors, user experience specialists, information architects, and testers.

The draft document is open to feedback: 

AccessibilityTeam@bbc.co.uk

For more information:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/futuremedia/accessibility/mobile_access.shtml

June 25, 2013 at 2:20pm

UNESCO sought inputs for the forthcoming High Level Meeting on Disabilities and Development (HLMDD) to be held during the United Nations General Assembly in September 2013. For this purpose a global consultation on ICT, disabilities and development has been launched from 20 May to 10 June 2013. UNESCO invited all institutions interested in this subject to share their experiences, views and recommendations. The objective of this consultation was to raise awareness on the benefits of ICT for disability-inclusive development efforts, identify remaining barriers, and propose concrete measures and policies to achieve inclusive development. The outcomes of this global consultation will be used for the preparation of a joint synthesis document as a contribution to the High Level Meeting on Disabilities and Development (HLMDD) in September 2013.

June 7, 2013 at 5:23pm

Zain Habboo, UNF Senior Director of Digital and Multimedia Strategy, invites international development actors to join “G-Everyone: +SocialGood at the G8,” on Monday, June 10th, one week before the G8 Summit convenes, creating a day of dialogue that encourages everyone to share their ideas on how technology, innovation and entrepreneurship can address global challenges.

G-Everyone will expand the conversation of the G8 so voices from around the world can participate and be heard by global leaders. Initial themes and ideas that emerge from the day will be shared with officials in the lead-up to the G8.

June 7, 2013 at 6:58pm

On May 30th UNICEF launched its flagship publication State of the World’s Children (SOWC) this year dedicated to Children with Disabilities. With this report, UNICEF hopes to add a strong voice and increased visibility to the global, necessary and increasingly urgent debate about disability rights, especially those of children. State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities focuses on the position of children with disabilities in a varying worldwide landscape. The publication is available at www.unicef.org/sowc.

June 2, 2013 at 10:55pm

A May 2013 Report, Do UN Global Development Goals Matter to the US?, by Nellie Bristol of the Center for Strategic and International Studies analyzes past US support of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) framework and the prospects for US commitment to the post-2015 development agenda --a consensus derived action plan that prioritizes aid funding goals.

February 23, 2013 at 9:46pm

February 14, 2013 Millennium Villages Project (MVP): A new paper announced by the MVP and published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization has determined that providing rural sub-Saharan Africans a close-to-client health system by paid, full-time community health workers by 2015 would cost $2.6 billion per year, or just $6.86 per person covered by the program. Read the paper here: http://www.who.int/bulletin/online_first/12-109660.pdf

 

February 23, 2013 at 9:34pm

Feb 22, 2013 From the White House Office of Disability (disability@who.eop.gov): Recent disability announcements include the Office of Personnel Management issuing a final rule to Schedule A hiring authority to make it easier to hire persons with certain disabilities, the awarding of the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, new initiatives by HUD and HHS to further aid low income people with disabilities, and reminders regarding FEMA’s aid to Hurricane Sandy survivors with home accessibility needs. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact)

November 24, 2012 at 3:10pm

Is the end of AIDS in sight?-- a question gaining momentum in 2012 by world leaders

Fewer people are contracting HIV in poor and middle-income countries according to recent research. Can we attribute this to policy evolution, PEPFAR's extraordinary funding support, aid programs' effectiveness, behavior change messaging, supply chain with critical pharma discounts for needed medications, cell phone distribution of health information and medication reminders, or an unknown combination of a range of policies and programs? 

November 20, 2012 at 1:28pm

Your advocacy action is needed! Please email, tweet or call your Senator TODAY and urge their approving ratification of the UN Convention (treaty) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) affecting 1 billion children and adults --'the poorest of the poor' lacking access to education, healthcare, and employment in developed and developing countries (view http://www.un.org/disabilities/ for treaty details).

November 28, 2012 at 10:04pm

October 2012-- A USAID Policy Task Team (PTT), chaired by Nicole Goldin from the Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning (PPL) with Mark Hannafin from the Bureau for Democracy,Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA)/Executive Secretariat, produced USAID’s Policy onYouth In Development.The PTT comprised seven individuals from across the Agency for their recognized knowledge and expertise on these issues. These USAID staff worked intensively and collaboratively in service to this critical policy, and will continue to serve as important resources in the policy’s implementation:

■ Christine CapacciCarneal (Middle East andAsia Bureaus)

■ Clare Ignatowski (Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and the Environment)

■ Cate Lane (Bureau for Global Health)

■ Erin Mazursky (Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs)

■ Mark Meassick (Mission/Kenya)

■ Enrique Roig (Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean)

■ JenniferWatts (Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning)

'The PTT held a series of internal and external listening sessions, as well as a review of the knowledge and evidence base for international youth development and relevant lessons from domestic experience....This policy is also the result of robust consultations across the Agency and interagency, as well as with interested Congressional staff, external practitioners and partners, and youth themselves. With collaboration from partners, we engaged over 150 young people in 15 countries and over 100 practitioners'.

 

A PolicyTaskTeam (PTT), chaired by Nicole Goldin from the Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning (PPL) with Mark Hannafin from the Bureau for Democracy,Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA)/Executive Secretariat, produced USAID’s Policy onYouth In Development.The PTT comprised seven individuals from across the Agency for their recognized knowledge and expertise on these issues. These USAID staff worked intensively and collaboratively in service to this critical policy, and will continue to serve as important resources in the policy’s implementation:
■Christine CapacciCarneal (Middle East andAsia Bureaus)
■Clare Ignatowski (Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and the Environment)
■Cate Lane (Bureau for Global Health)
■Erin Mazursky (Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs)
■Mark Meassick (Mission/Kenya)
■Enrique Roig (Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean)
■JenniferWatts (Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning)
'The PTT held a series of internal and external listening sessions, as well as a review of the knowledge and evidence base for international youth development and relevant lessons from domestic experience....This policy is also the result of robust consultations across the Agency and interagency, as well as with interested Congressional staff, external practitioners and partners, and youth themselves. With collaboration from partners, we engaged over 150 young people in 15 countries and over 100 practitioners'.
July 29, 2012 at 12:57pm

With the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee voting out the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ratification bill coinciding with the 22nd Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), activists are rallying the advocate organizations and individuals, to ensure support when the bill comes to vote. On Monday, July 30th, USICD and DREDF announced a teleconference call to share details and action needed. CRPD is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century signed and ratifed by more countries than any other human rights treaty.

May 21, 2012 at 9:24am

'Healthy people make healthy economies' is the theme of this call for public-private partnerships and enhanced microfinance to improve healthcare, water, standard of living for people in poverty, according to keynoter, Sen. Johnny Isakson (D-GA).  The Atlanta Declaration frames a call for commitment to the US's ongoing leadership to find cures for disease and urges the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) emerging markets to similarly invest in the Global Health Fund and GAVI. Kenya's Vice President highlighted the advancements in reduction of HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and maternal and child mortality thanks to the investments made by organizations such as Care International (a $35 million partnership) and the commitment African governments have made to 10% of GDP toward healthcare system improvement. First Lady of Niger is in attendance as her country faces severe drought and potentially severe malnutrition.

February 2, 2012 at 12:41am

GlobalPartnersUnited was selected as a one of 359 pre-identified partners for potential future, discrete funding opportunities under the US State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs’ (NEA) Organizational Interest and Capacity Questionnaire program announcement.

GPU is eligible to receive an invitation(s) from NEA to submit full applications for funding under a discrete funding opportunity(s). This eligibility is valid for a four-year period until October 31, 2015.

July 29, 2011 at 4:52pm

In June 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank released its much-anticipated World Report on Disability, estimating 1 billion children and adults with a wide range of disabilities worldwide. WHO characterizes this initiative as furthering the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD; May 2008), the human rights treaty to date signed by 147 countries and ratified by 90: 'People with disabilities have generally poorer health, lower education achievements, fewer economic opportunities and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities. This is largely due to the lack of services available to them and the many obstacles they face in their everyday lives. The report provides the best available evidence about what works to overcome barriers to health care, rehabilitation, education, employment, and support services, and to create the environments which will enable people with disabilities to flourish.' The Report offers a concrete set of recommended actions for governments and their partners that should enhance the efforts toward development of national disability plans, laws and regulations by the countries, Disability Peoples' Organizations, civil society agencies, and advocates striving to shift their cultures toward societal inclusion.

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GPU Announces MOU with Global VSAT Forum
May 10, 2010 at 8:00am

WASHINGTON, D.C. – State-of-the-art satellite communications solutions are to be applied globally to meet increasing need and demand for tele-health and telepractices solutions to address healthcare and education access disparities through a new partnership of GlobalPartnersUnited (GPU), a Bethesda, MD-based tele-health public-private alliance, and the Global VSAT Forum, the U.K.-based association of the satellite communications industry.

GPU CEO receives APHA Disability Section’s Certificate of Appreciation
March 7, 2010 at 7:24pm

GPU CEO, Evelyn Cherow received the American Public Health Association (APHA) Disability Section’s Certificate of Appreciation for collaborative efforts of the International Section with the Disability Section to improve the lives of people with disabilities worldwide.