Aelanius: First Regional Meeting on Disability Inclusive Budgeting

(Suva, Fiji. Nov 18, 2013): The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat hosted the first Regional Disability Inclusive Budgeting and Disability Statistics Workshop last week to promote dialogue between the regional representatives for the rights of person with disabilities in the Pacific.

The workshop included regional representatives from government disability focal Ministries, Finance Ministries and national statistics agencies as well as Disabled people organizations, Forum Secretariat and international agencies.

Workshop participants at the Regional Disability Inclusive Budgeting and Disability Statistics Workshop at the Novotel Hotel in Suva, Fiji Islands.

Data producers and users were brought together in an effort to build a common understanding of the gaps between what is needed and available to improve disability statistics and worked towards an established work plan that maps out immediate short term and midterm actions.

“The 2010 report on disability published by the World Health Organisation and the World Bank presents many recommendations for the development of policies for the full participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities, it highlights the fact that more work needs to be done in terms of research and social innovation in order to answer the existing policy challenges,” says Acting Director, Strategic Partnerships and Coordination Programme, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Mr Filipe Jitoko.

“The dialogue between different key disability stakeholders, including finance ministries, national statistics agencies and disabled people organizations is critical to developing a common understanding of each other’s priorities, capacities and challenges, essential to develop and implement national policies.”

Regional representatives were able to share their understanding and increase knowledge in order to convince member governments on the benefits of inclusive budgeting as a key tool for mainstreaming disability.

The workshop was organized by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Pacific Disability Forum.