National Council on Disability
International Watch Federal Advisory Committee
Conference Call Minutes
November 2, 2006
12:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Present

Kathy Martinez
Joan Durocher 
John Miers
Eric Rosenthal
Marca Bristo
Cindy Lewis
Wendy Batson
Maria Reina
Alicia Contreras
Rik Opstelten
Catherine Townsend
Rebecca Russo
Victor Pineda
Mark Engman
Katherine Guernsey
Karen Heinicke-Motsch

I.          Roll Call and Welcome

II.        Amend/Approve the Agenda
The agenda was accepted as presented.

III.       Update on the UN drafting committee working on the Convention text (Maria Reina)

Ms. Reina reported that the drafting committee is still at work and that there are subgroups on  specific language.   She stated that the translations are checked to assure that they are consistent with the English draft.  The convention=s fourth version has been released and she expects the final text to be available soon.

Ms. Reina stated that article 12 still has the problem with the footnote on legal capacity but the  drafting committee is only correcting the grammatical errors. She stated that there is on-going debate on this issue and there will need to be another meeting to discuss this at the conclusion of the subcommittee which ends November 22nd.

Ms. Reina stated after the committee meets they will have to resolve the footnote issue and give it to the General Assembly in December and hopefully the convention will be passed the third week of December.  She said that she followed the discussion each time the drafting committee presented a new draft and the caucus sends a note each time with observation suggestions.  She added that she has seen something that was related to article 24 which mentioned secondary education.  The caucus did not release reaction to the fourth draft and she is not sure if it will be included as yet. 

Mr. Rosenthal inquired whether, when the Committee reconvenes, there is any indication that the footnote will be dropped?

Ms. Reina reported that there will be a meeting next week to develop a common position on the footnote and if other countries drop the footnote than there will be none.  China cannot move forward alone with the footnote.  It will need support from Russia and other countries.

IV.       Update from Handicap international (HI) on their current work in Afghanistan (Wendy Batson for Tina Singleton)

Ms. Batson opened by stating that she met with Tina when she was on her way to Afghanistan and they had a long discussion about what she was hoping for in Afghanistan.

Ms. Batson reported that HI has had a network of offices in Europe for the past 25 years.  She added that they opened up an office in Canada  4 years ago and just opened an office in Washington earlier this year and were incorporated as a 501c3 in January.  The Washington office is focusing on three main roles: mobilization; recruiting English language staff; and reaching out and beginning to work in coalitions in the United States on issues of primary concern with folks who work in developing countries. 

Mr. Batson stated that HI has been working in Afghanistan since the 1980s and most of the work has been on emergency response.  She said that political security has been poor and that it has been very difficult to move around the country and look at the country=s needs in a holistic way.  In 2004 HI was able to open a center in Kabul called the Community Center for the Disabled (CCD).  CCD is trying to establish linkages around the country but it is difficult because travel is hard around Afghanistan and most of it is done via air.  Nonetheless, Tina is the primary project officer working with the CCD staff in Kabul with the primary purpose of making CCD a wholly, locally-run organization. Initially, 50 folks found their way to the center, and it is now up to 300/400 people.  Those folks have been able to come into the center and receive a whole variety of needed services.

Ms. Batson stated that the center is working on inclusion issues in Kabul and its surrounding cities and that most of Tina Singleton=s work in the next year is going to be spent becoming recognized and being recognized by the appropriate ministries and teaching how to conduct fund raising efforts.  HI conducted a national survey on disability and the results of it were written up and are now being translated in the two primary languages of Afghanistan as well as English and French.

Ms. Batson added that one of the success stories in Afghanistan is the schools built with USAID. The fact that it happened is largely due to the work of a local organization called CDAP. 

Finally, Ms. Batson reported that the CCD Center is working exclusively on livelihood with a particular emphasis on women who have disabilities and who find themselves in a very difficult position.  The center is providing in-house training on literacy and identifying candidates for work.

V. International Watch=s advice to NCD regarding future foreign policy work (Membership)  

Ms. Martinez reported that the Council voted in July to extend International Watch=s charter.   Ms. Martinez said she would like to use this particular conference call as an opportunity for the International Watch membership to conduct a brainstorming session for future goals of the committee.

Ms. Martinez stated that the Council functions as an independent federal agency whose role is to provide advice the President and Congress.  

Ms. Durocher reported that she had sent around correspondence that was addressed to the Prime Minister of Romania about how institutions are being built with World Bank funds.  She inquired whether an evaluation of institutions, such as the World Bank, that receive US funds would be in order and whether the membership had thought about this possibility.

Mr. Pineda stated that he has been employed at the US Treasury and that the United States is the largest stakeholders and has a large say in how the funds are being used.  The office of the US Treasury that deals with multilateral banks has several mandates.  He stated that his first goal was to understand what it was that they were looking at in terms of development and then see how we could support more inclusive philosophies of development specifically towards universal design and other types of programs mandated in the foreign assistance legislation.

Mr. Pineda added that he and Ms. Durocher had analyzed the language in the legislation that labeled the US Treasury as needing to address the issue of disability.  He added that it was not Treasury=s primary target to do this work but he wanted to look at how to get the ball rolling at the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to start mainstreaming disability issues.

Mr. Rosenthal stated that in response to Ms. Durocher=s query, he thinks pursuing the World Bank angle is important, especially on Romania.  Mr. Rosenthal reported that he is considering filing a complaint to the World Bank with respect to the Romania issue .  With regard to an agenda for NCD, the fact that NCD puts so much into its reports and recommendations, continuing to pursue the recommendations that have not been implemented is very important.  Secondly, an external evaluation of the type Joan discussed would be very valuable. An external evaluation of the type would very valuable.  All we have is internal, nothing external.  We may also need a second round of foreign assistance legislation.

Ms. Martinez stated that we have been fortunate to have Ms. Heumann pushing from the inside at the World Bank.       

Ms. Martinez was asked what role NCD should play in the Convention work.  Ms. Martinez stressed that NCD had been contributing to the Convention process throughout its development via topical papers and side events and has been supportive and vocal about the passage of the Convention.  She added that after it is passed, she is sure that NCD will continue to advise and provide technical assistance.  She added that NCD has a new Chair who is establishing priorities for NCD=s work, and that may have an impact on the work we do.

VI.       New Business

Mr. Pineda stated that he had spoken with a woman from the ADD Ministry of Health from Iraq.  He said that he would pass along any information that she provides to him to IW members.  He added that there are few projects that are underway in Iraq that involve disability issues.

Ms. Batson stated that HI is attempting to reach out and help local groups.  There will be a meeting next month to try and connect with Iraq. 

Ms. Martinez stated that the World Institute on Disability is working with a foundation that is establishing its nonprofit status in California and is attempting to purchase wheelchairs in Vietnam and then have them shipped to Iraq and eventually try to set up a factory in Iraq.

Karen Heinicke-Motsch stated that she is working part time at CBM  for the next couple of years with WHO on communication guidelines. CBM has chosen the Thanksgiving holiday week to host the Congress of Americas in Chile.  It is the first conference in a series of conferences taking place as we prepare for the launching of the guidelines.       

VII.     Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m. eastern time.