Priscille Geiser 4th CAN CBR Conference, Abuja, 28th October 2010 Break-Out Session

1. The Role of the Community in the implementation of the CBR Matrix:Experiences of Local Inclusive Development Priscille Geiser 4th CAN CBR Conference, Abuja, 28th October 2010 Break-Out Session

2. Evolutions of disability models… • CBR as an approach has evolved over the years with the shift of disability paradigm • From a medical perspective seeking to ‘repair the broken’ or ‘fix the impairment’ to a social model recognising the central responsibility of the environment, including the community, in creating barriers and exclusion • Recognising the responsibility of the community implies that we also recognise their role in changing this situation • CBR: not “community-located” or “based in” but “based on”, “driven by”, “initiated from”: the role of communities in implementing the CBR Matrix is central

3. …and related challenges Joint Position Paper 2004, new CBR Guidelines and Matrix Prompt CBR actors to address 4 major challenges: • HUMAN RIGHTS AND PARTICIPATION : challenge to actively involve people with disabilities and realise their rights • MULTI-SECTOR APPROACH : challenge to ensure access to mainstream services and opportunities in all sectors (not only functional rehabilitation) • COMMUNITY MOBILISATION: challenge to mobilise the community to become welcoming, inclusive and to actively engage in the realisation of people with disabilities’ rights • COORDINATION: challenge of coordinating between the multiple actors involved

4. New opportunities on the international scene The UNCRPD • Article 1 - recognises the role of the community in creating barriers • 1st Convention linking so strongly human rights and development • New obligations created by the UNCRPD towards States Parties, impacting on their internal policies as well as international cooperation • Participation of people with disabilities becomes a central requirement (articles 3, 4.3, 29, 32)

5. New opportunities on the international scene DECENTRALISATION • Growing trends of decentralisation reforms in developing countries • Local authorities in developing countries are devoted new responsibilities to decide on priorities of the local development agenda at community level • Increase of ‘decentralised cooperation’ initiatives • Need to address the lack of capacities of local authorities to take these new responsibilities -> their interventions unlikely to address the situation of groups that are traditionally excluded

6. Inclusive Local Development • Building on these opportunities to explore solutions to address these challenges from a different perspective: • Instead of designing a strategy focusing on people with disabilities, on which the community would need to be mobilised… • …look at the community strategyand try to improve it and get it adapted to people with disabilities’ priorities • Inclusive Local Development as a strategy to make community development inclusive of people with disabilities • Giving a new emphasis to participation of people with disabilities as citizens and active stakeholders of their community through influencing community decision-making (article 3, 4.3, 29)

7. Inclusive Local Development • Trying to embed our interventions in the decentralised system, we looked at the community as « the smallest administrative area in which people live » (WHO Helsinki 2003) • Community = geographical/ political/ administrative meaning – in French: ‘approche territoriale’ • Community = people – 3 major types of actors: • People with disabilities, their families and their representative organisations • Local authorities/ decision makers • Local development stakeholders in all sectors (public and private service providers, NGOs, professionals…)

8. Stakeholders and relationships in a community Local Authorities(administrative and/ortraditional) COMMUNITY corresponding to the smallest administrative division Local development stakeholders (public and private providers, professionals, and others from civil society) • People with disabilities, their families and representative organisations (DPOs)

9. 6 major project components • Strengthen the capacity and skills of Disabled People’s Organizationsto increase their participation in development processes and local governance • Support communities to conduct a local participatory diagnosis/ assessmentof the situation of people with disabilities • Facilitate consultations between people with disabilities and local authorities for the development of inclusive community policies and actions (community development action plans); • Provide financial support for the development ofinclusive community development actions resulting from this consultation. • Create a cross-cutting network of local services and facilitate effective systems for referral and information. • Train local stakeholders on disability issues, supporting them to change and adapt their practicesto meet the needs, interests and priorities and enforce the rights of people with disabilities.

10. Stakeholders and relationships in a community Local Authorities(administrative and/ortraditional) Strengthening capacities to efficiently manage their community and address key issues of exclusion Strengthening capacities to take part in community decision-making, to strategise advocacy COMMUNITY corresponding to the smallest administrative division Local development stakeholders (public and private providers, professionals, and others from civil society) • People with disabilities, their families and representative organisations (DPOs) Strengthening capacities to welcome and include people with disabilities on an equal basis

11. Stakeholders and relationships in a community Local Authorities(administrative and/ortraditional) • Mechanisms for dialogue and consultation: • Joint analysis of the situation of PwDs (LPD) • Joint decision-making (inclusive CDAP) • Improved continuum of services through cross-cutting referral mechanisms COMMUNITY corresponding to the smallest administrative division Local development stakeholders (public and private providers, professionals, and others from civil society) • People with disabilities, their families and representative organisations (DPOs)

12. Local Participatory Diagnosis - Mali Communities: 10 District Councils in Gourma Rharous Steering committee including local elected decision makers and PwDs, deciding on the assessment methodology and priority objectives Teams of surveyors: 2 person teams including 1 person with a disability Analysis Multi-stakeholder workshop presenting the results

13. Local Participatory Diagnosis - Mali • Focus: situation of PwDs, education, health + the process • 110 PwDs surveyed, 20 DPOs, 9 schools, 5 health centres • Example of key findings: • 75% of PwDs surveyed think that in general PwDs are excluded • The 9 schools surveyed are not accessible physically • 99% of PwDs estimate that their priority needs are not met • 48% are members of a DPO, among which 60% have a role

14. Inclusive Community Development Action Plans- Mali Local DPOs took part in consultations to elaborate the district council development action plan, together with local authorities, services providers and other development actors Based on the results of the local participatory diagnosis,priorities identified to address the situation of PwDs were included in each of the 10 district councils action plans in Gourma Rharous Results: new community infrastructures accessible, increased access to school for children with disabilities, increased employment opportunities, reduced stigma…

15. Improving continuum of services - Mozambique • The local participatory diagnosis focused on access of people with disabilities to services (Maputo, Matola) • -> directory of existing mainstream community services using pictogrammes to indicate accessibility of services • -> The diagnosis served to identify further training needs of mainstream service providers to design relevant training/ awareness-raising curriculum • -> directory particularly used by agents of community social services who play a major role in informing and referring PwDs towards appropriate services

16. Towards community-based inclusive development… • Work on key mechanisms to foster coordination between community actors • This approach has been implemented in more than 15 countries: Mozambique, Morocco, Algeria, Palestine, Egypt, Mali, Togo, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, Brasil… • Key successes include: • Helping more ‘traditional’ models of CBR to evolve (Nepal, Philippines…) • Increased sustainability • Community ownership • Participation of people with disabilities • Better continuum of services

17. Resource documents • Coming soon: • Good practices on Inclusive Local Governance covering 7 countries of West Africa (Making it Work): www.makingitwork-crpd.org • Practical Guide to Conduct a Local Participatory Diagnosis • Practical Guide on Inclusive Community Development Action Plans

18. Thank you!