An International Watch Federal Advisory Committee meeting was held on January 15, 2004. Topics on the agenda included recent legislative developments regarding NCD's recommendations in "Foreign Policy and Disability"; NCD's meeting with the officials heading up the planned Millennium Challenge Corporation; and the United Nations Working Group meeting on the International Convention.

Update on Foreign Assistance:

Follow-up continues on NCD's foreign policy report. NCD staff met with Clay Lowery, who is Deputy Assistant Secretary for National Debt Development and Quantitative Policy at the Treasury Department, and is currently heading up the Millennium Challenge Account working group; and Drew Luten, Deputy General Counsel at USAID, to discuss the Millennium Challenge Act legislation (a follow-up letter is posted on NCD's website). The MCA legislation, when passed, will establish a new development agency that will tie development assistance to countries that demonstrate performance in specified areas. The legislation currently includes language that requires that a commitment to the rights of people with disabilities be shown before a country is eligible for funding under the Act. NCD staff also met with Lorne Craner, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the State Department to follow up on NCD's recommendations for the Department. We have also requested a meeting with Administrator Natsios at USAID.

We are currently awaiting passage of the Omnibus legislation which we anticipate will include both the MCA language and the foreign operations appropriations requiring that USAID develop and implement appropriate standards for access for people with disabilities for construction projects funded by USAID. This legislation applies to all USAID funded projects, not just those contracted by USAID.

NCD met with Senator Harkin's staff and other leaders in the disability community on January 15 to advise on legislative priorities for 2004.

Update on the International Convention:

Lex moderated a panel on the importance of an International Convention in celebration of the UN's International Day of Disabled Persons on December 3. At the end of the meeting, the UN announced that it will conduct an external audit of the accessibility of its facilities.

On January 5 - 16, 2004, the Ad Hoc Committee Drafting Working Group met at the United Nations to begin drafting text for the Convention on the Human Rights of People with Disabilities. The Working Group consists of representatives from 27 countries, one national human rights institution, and 12 non-governmental organizations. Representatives hope to submit a draft text for consideration at the third Ad hoc meeting, which will be held May 24-June 4, 2004. A fourth meeting is planned for August 23 - September 3, 2004. NCD sent a letter to Representative Tom DeLay, in support of House Concurrent Resolution 169, which expresses the Sense of Congress that the United States should support a UN Convention on disability rights.