Leadership Conference 2013 Report
The “Leadership Conference of Persons with Disabilities on Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID)” was a three-day international event held in Islamabad, Pakistan, from November 20–22, 2013. Organized by the CBID Network Pakistan and the South Asian Disability Forum (SADF), the conference gathered over 100 delegates from 15 countries to promote inclusive societies through the principles of CBID and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
Key Highlights of the Report
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Core Objective: The conference focused on shifting the perspective of persons with disabilities from being “objects” of charity to active, contributing members of society with equal rights to economic independence and social acceptance.
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Legislative Framework: A major focus was the development of the Pakistan Disability Act. Government officials and international experts discussed harmonizing national laws with the CRPD to ensure persons with disabilities are included in the legislative process.
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CBID as a Strategy: CBID was defined as a goal to make all sectors of society (health, education, etc.) inclusive of marginalized groups. Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) was identified as the primary tool to achieve this goal.
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Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (CBIDRR): Experts emphasized making disaster management gender-sensitive and inclusive of older persons and those with disabilities, ensuring their specific needs are met during and after natural disasters.
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Inclusive Education: The Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) and other partners presented initiatives to provide accessible education, emphasizing that inclusive development must start with equal learning opportunities.
The Islamabad Recommendations
The conference concluded with the unanimous adoption of the “Islamabad Recommendations on CBID,” which called for:
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Harmonization of Laws: Aligning all disability policies with CBID principles.
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Political Participation: Enhancing the involvement of persons with disabilities in politics at all levels.
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Data Collection: Gathering disability-specific data to better plan community services.
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Media Promotion: Ensuring equal and positive representation of persons with disabilities in the media.
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Strengthened Networking: Improving collaboration between governments, UN agencies, DPOs (Disabled People’s Organizations), and the private sector.
Future Outlook
The event featured the launch of a 3-Year Strategic Plan for the CBID Network Pakistan. The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly committed to presenting a bill in Parliament to ensure that persons with disabilities can live meaningful lives rather than depending on welfare