Gift of Being - Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network

September - December 2014
Gift of Being:
Called to be a Church of All and for All
IN THIS ISSUE
l Inclusive Development
Preplanning Project
l Engage Disability India
l African Disability Forum Launch
Contents
14
2 Editorial
3 It’s the Coercion, Stupid!
5 Gift of Being: Called to be a Church of All and
7
8
for All
7
EDAN Regional Coordinators and Reference
Group Meeting
8 Inclusive Development Preplanning Project
10 Inclusion and participation of persons with
disability promoted in Evangelical seminaries in
Peru
12 African Disability Forum Launchs
13 6th The Deaf Ministry International Conference
Report:
14 International Day of Persons with Disabilities
16 CollaborativeResponse to Ebola crisis
17 Clubfoot Care for Kenya programme (CCK)
18 Engage Disability India
19 Bread for the World – Regional Conference
13
East and West Africa on Intercultural
Communication and Cooperation
20 St. Andrews Ministry for Persons with
Disabilities (Kenya)
Edan is a programme of the World Council of Churches (WCC) on Persons with Disabilities within the Unity, Mission and Ecumenical Relations.
Issues and views in this publication are opinions held by the members and contributors and not neccesarily of EDAN or WCC.
Managing Editor: Dr. Sam Kabue • Editors: Syovata Kilonzo / Angeline Okola
For information and Contribution please contact:
EDAN
P.O. Box 22, 00300, Nairobi - Kenya
Tel: +254 444 58 37
Email: info@edan.or.ke or skabue@edan.or.ke • Website : www.edan-wcc.org/ www.edan.or.ke
Design & Printed by: Pann Printers Ecumenical
P.O. Box 29276, Nairobi
Disability Advocates Network
Tel: 254 20 225236 / 214348
1
editorial
I
t will already be the New Year 2015 by the
time you read this September to December
publication of our newsletter. One over
writing theme in the many articles is the
resilience to move ahead with our advocacy
work for the inclusion of persons with
Disabilities in all aspects of the Spiritual,
social, economic and structural life of the church
and society. I am convinced of the hope ahead of
us.
In his January 1st Weekly devotional message,
Edward Culpepper reminded us that “The Lord
is good to those who wait for him, to the soul
that seeks him. {26} It is good that one should
wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD,”
(Lamentations 3:25-26 NRSV) and allow ourselves
to be lulled to sleep in the quiet of waiting.
Sometimes we rouse enough to protest that what
looks like shirking our calling to work in God’s
vineyard is instead waiting upon the Lord”.
We continue to wait upon the Lord with hope
and faith coupled with our labour which we
believe will not be in vain. As an expression of
that hope and in putting our faith into action, we
enter 2015 with a four years strategic plan and
commitment from our main partners to continue
to accompany us. Three distinct strategic pillars
will guide our work in this strategic plan. These
include deepening disability discourse in the
church and theological institutions; human rights
of persons with disabilities; and, social inclusion.
We will continue to maintain and create
networks in our work both internally within
the World Council of Churches and externally
with the international disability sector. We are
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Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
proud of our involvement in many of the World
Council of Churches structures like the Central
Committee, Executive Committee, Faith and
Order Commission, Commission on Church and
International Affairs and the Comission on World
Mission and Evangelism.
However, there is still more to be done for our
visibility within WCC an example being the
absence of our representation at the Ecumenical
Education Formation Commission with which we
are supposed to be very closely attached and on
which we continue to advocate. At programmatic
level, we will continue to increase our endeavour
to work with all departments and projects in the
World Council of Churches. We will also with
greater intencity reach out to other Regional
and National ecumenical organisations as well
as individual churches. We still hold that these
institutions and Churches are not complete
without the involvement of persons with
disabilities. Their inclusion practice should be an
integral part of their characteristic.
Dr. Samuel Kabue,
EDAN Executive Secretary
Sometimes we rouse
enough to protest that
what looks like shirking our
calling to work in God’s
vineyard is instead waiting
upon the Lord
VIEW POINT
It’s the Coercion, Stupid!
David Cohen
B
ecause of psychiatry’s power to
coerce, society gives psychiatric
theories a free pass.Both Michel
Foucault and Thomas Szasz
dated the beginnings of a distinct
European institutional response to
madness to the late 1500s-early
1600s. For Foucault it started in France with the
creation of the public “hôpital général” for the poor
insane. For Szasz it began in England with for-profit
madhouses where upper class families shut away
inconvenient relatives.
Despite their different ideas on the beginnings of
anything resembling a mental health system, both
authors agreed that it was characterized by the
coercive incarceration of a specially labeled group.
Since its origins, the psychiatric system has
coerced its lunatics and madmen and madwomen
in madhouses, its inmates and patients in mental
hospitals, its consumers and users in the community.
(Yes, for a brief moment in the 1800s, British asylum
superintendent John Connolly started a movement
to ban all physical restraints within his establishment,
but it didn’t last long.) The coercive element
of psychiatry has persisted despite all changes
in treatments, despite all changes in places for
treatments. This is the invariant part of psychiatry.
My colleagues Tomi Gomory and Stuart Kirk
and I argue in Mad Science: Psychiatric Coercion,
Diagnosis, and Drugs that the only constant in
psychiatry has been coercion. We also argue that
no other treatment can compete with coercion —
nothing. According to some psychiatric discourse
and doctrine, for those who “need treatment the
most,” only coercion makes the administration of a
treatment possible. Not to mention that coercion
itself has often been called a treatment.
I venture to suggest that most practicing
psychiatrists, if pressed, would choose to replace
or discard any existing treatment or intervention
save one: the power to impose a treatment or
intervention.
It seems to me that this coercive function is what
society and most people actually appreciate most
about psychiatry. That families and other people in
crisis can call upon the police to restrain someone
acting in a seemingly incomprehensible or dangerous
way and have that person taken by force to a place
run by psychiatrists is truly where psychiatry as a
profession distinguishes itself. It’s the distinguishing
service it offers or function it meets as a helping
profession (aside, today, for the prescription of
psychoactives).
(I hasten to add here that coercion is probably
necessary for the survival of a social group, as we
discuss in Mad Science, following the insights of
author Morse Peckham. The questions are when is
it used in a disagreement between parties, and by
whom.)
In my view, society’s appreciation — its gratitude
— for psychiatric coercion, for psychiatry’s
extra- and intra-legal police function, has a largely
unappreciated consequence: it supports the socalled knowledge base of that discipline.
That means that without the shock and awe of a
coercive medical discipline, the flimsy theories and
continually-refuted hypotheses of physiological
defects as causes of distress and misbehavior
would have to truly fend off on their own in the
marketplace of ideas about what ails people, what
makes them tick, and how to help them overcome
their problems. Psychiatric theories would have to
compete squarely against other theories and schools
of thought, and it’s doubtful to me that they could
do so successfully.
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
3
VIEW POINT
Society’s appreciation for psychiatric coercion subtly,
but radically, imbalances the playing field. Because
of psychiatric coercion, society gives psychiatric
theories a free pass. These theories never need
to pass any rigorously devised tests (as we expect
other important scientific theories to pass), they
only need to be asserted.
Here I am turning on its head the often-expressed
idea that society supports psychiatric interventions
because people believe that psychiatric theories are
valid. And since “evidence” fails to support these
theories and the hypotheses derived from them, so
the belief goes, one therefore needs to debunk the
theories by critical analysis of the evidence and the
continual stream of findings.
But it’s the opposite in my view. The knowledge is
not supporting the power. The power to coerce is
what excuses the lack of valid knowledge.
I’m not discounting the influence of the biomedicalindustrial complex, like a fish might discount water.
But after decades of engaging in critical analysis of
the psychiatric and other evidence, I conclude that
there has never
been good evidence to support psychiatric theories.
Psychiatry has never ever needed scientific evidence
to spread its ideas and practices, and possibly never
will. Indeed, its top experts can state today that they
have found no biomarkers of expertly diagnosed
mental disorders and falsely promised the American
public for decades that biomarkers were just around
the corner.
Let’s face it: No one cares that psychiatric research
of the past 50 years failed to turn up one finding of
use for a scientific clinical psychiatry. The business of
psychiatry continues with barely a pause.
In order to prosper, all psychiatry (and, increasingly,
other mental health professions whose formerly
distinctive training and theories are slowly blurring
into one psychiatrized whole) needs is the social
support for its coercive practices.
If so, removing formal coercion from the helping
enterprise should be an investment that will yield
the greatest actual return in terms of debunking
the “psychiatric knowledge base.” Limiting mental
health professionals’ option
to coerce their patients
and clients will open up the
“mental health system” to
a multiplicity of choices
and interventions based on
diverse schools of thought.
*****
Note: Adapted from a talk given
at Mad in America’s International
Film Festival in Arlington,VA,
October 12, 2014.
David Cohen
Beyond Health and Illness: David
Cohen, a researcher, author, a
professor of social welfare at
UCLA and a practicing clinical
social worker for over 30 years,
writes about social and cultural
constructions of reality.
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Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
IN FOCUS
Participants during discussions on the new statement
Gift of Being:
Called to be a Church of All and for All
F
rom 12-15 October at the
Mennonite Conference Centre,
Elspeet, Netherlands staff members
of the EDAN, the WCC Faith and
Order Commission and the WCC
Commission on World Mission and
Evangelism, among other participants
held a meeting to develop a new statement with the
working title “Gift of Being: Called to be a Church
of All and for All”. The new document, which aims to
build on the WCC interim statement on disability “A
Church of All and for All” issued in 2003, is founded
on the premise that even a decade later, persons
with disabilities experience marginalization both in
societies and in the church communities themselves.
Hosted by Professor Hans Reinders of the Free
University of Amsterdam, the meeting initiated
theological reflection on both disability and the
place of disabled persons within the life of the
churches as part of just and inclusive communities.
These reflections served as a basis of EDAN’s new
statement.
The meeting observed that Churches have moved
on issues of disability in the last ten years, but
there are still continuing challenges that must be
addressed. The new statement will give churches a
fresh momentum to address the issue of disability.
Discussing WCC’s new mission statement Together
Towards Life, the Faith and Order convergence text
The Church: Towards a Common Vision and the
WCC’s Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, Dr. Kabue
EDAN Executive Secretary said the issue of disability
poses a clear challenge to the churches in terms of
its unity, mission and witness.
“The communion of the churches in unity and
diversity is impaired without the gifts and presence
of all people, including persons with disability. The
mission of the church is to proclaim God's reign
of justice and peace and is less than credible if
the churches do not actively and visibly receive
the diverse gifts of all its members, including
persons with disability.” The inclusion of persons
with disability is not an option but a defining
characteristic of the church.
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
5
VIEW POINT
At the meeting, Rev. Dr Gordon Cowans, EDAN’s
Caribbean coordinator, drew attention to the
working title of the document. He said since “life
is a gift, every life has intrinsic value”. Aikaterini
Pekridou, a Greek Orthodox doctoral student from
the Irish School of Ecumenics, affirmed these views
stressing the significance of EDAN’s contributions
in ecumenical and ecclesiological dialogue. “If
communion is the gift by which the church lives,
and the gift that God calls the church to offer to
a divided and wounded humanity, ecclesiological
reflections from EDAN provide a concrete challenge
and opportunity to live into a common vision of the
church as communion,” Pekridou said.
Fadi El Halabi, a Maronite Christian from Lebanon
and EDAN’s Middle East coordinator, said, “the new
document from EDAN will challenge churches
in the Middle East to address disability from a
theological perspective and find new ways of making
the church an inclusive community at all levels.”
A significant contribution to the statement was
received in a colloquium hosted by the Faculty of
Theology’s Centre for Dogmatics and Ecumenical
studies at the Free University in Amsterdam on
14th October. In the discussions a research group
comprised of faculty, students and ministers in
formation engaged with the text, providing a
stimulating critique to help shape the draft. The
statement will be finalized in February 2015 and
will be presented to the WCC governing bodies for
approval.
T
he Regional Coordinators
and Reference Group of the
Ecumenical Disability Advocates
Network (EDAN) under
the leadership of Executive
Secretary Dr. Samuel Kabue
met at Mennorode Conference
and retreat Center, Elspeet, Netherlands on 15th
October 2014.
A review of the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan
highlighted the significant role played by EDAN
during the Assembly and in the inspiring preAssembly EDAN meeting. It celebrated the
movement towards increased representation in
most WCC Commissions but regretted that the
commitment to include 3 advisors in the Central
Committee was not honoured during the last
meeting of the Central Committee.
The consultation also learnt of the establishment
of the Education and Ecumenical Formation
Commission on which EDAN is not represented.
Given the importance of this Commission and the
historical working relationship of EDAN and the
Ecumenical Theological Education (ETE) commision,
the participants urged that representation in the
Commission be addressed.
The Executive Secretary presented the Secretariats
report which highlighted the range of activities
accomplished since the Assembly including an
adopted three year strategic plan 2014-2017
The meeting focused on the four year strategic
plan which emphasised the transitional nature of
this period in the network’s fifteen year journey.
Discussions considered the three main strategic
objectives for the 2014-2017 period namely:
i. Deepening disability discourse in churches and
theological institutions.
ii. Promoting and protecting disability rights
iii. Fellowship and networking for social inclusion
The Coordinators shared efforts of the activities in
their regions since the 10th Assembly and continued
to demonstrate the significant impact of the
organisation in local churches and communities.
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Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
INFOCUS
Group photo of the participants
EDAN Regional Coordinators and
Reference Group Meeting
With a dogged determination to accomplish the
ambitious objectives in the most cost effective way,
much of the discussion revolved around the levels
of interaction which could minimize the need for
air travel to attend face to face meetings, improved
inter-regional communication and co-ordinators
committed themselves to more efficient use of
emerging information communication technology.
It was observed that new opportunities are likely
to arise through the initiative of the “community of
practice on disability” of ACT Alliance into which
EDAN has been admitted to full membership. It is
hoped that this collaboration will open additional
areas for complementary action.
Another opportunity has arisen in an invitation from
Joni and friends – a US based disability organisation
who has invited the Latin America Co-ordinator
to share in a conference to be held in California in
February 2015. This initiative could open further
opportunities for collaboration.
Regional reports were presented by cocoordinators, and adopted by the meeting. The
meeting agreed on the need for new leadership
in pivotal positions in the regional structures.
Succession planning in regard to the Central
Coordination, Regional Coordination and reference
Group was greatly advanced in the discussions.
During the meeting, Rev. Kathy Reeves from the
United Methodist Church stepped down as the
North American Regional Coordinator in favor
of Rev. Kelli Parrish Lukas of the United Church
of Christ who now becomes the new North
America Regional Coordinator. Rev. Reeves
offered to accompany and mentor her into the
new responsibility. Other changes in the Regional
Coordination are anticipated in the near future. A
change was also agreed on the Reference Group to
be announced later after some consultation.
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
7
IN FOCUS
Inclusive Development Preplanning
Project
O
ver the years, persons
with disabilities have
continuously been excluded
in development processes
being implemented by
governments, civil society,
churches and church
organisations. This situation can be attributed to a
number of factors including: low capacity of actors
within the disability movement to do advocacy
work; inadequate implementation of the existing
legislations and policies regarding persons with
disabilities; and lack of knowledge among the general
public when it comes to the rights and needs of
persons with disabilities and the necessary measures
to meet them.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities has also brought about a paradigm
shift from charity to development and human
rights. During our various workshops on human
rights around the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, affirmation has been made
that disability issues need to be viewed from a
Uganda Focus Group Meeting
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Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
development perspective. The discussion on the lack
of participation on the MDG has called for greater
need to ensure practical steps for inclusion both at
planning and implementation stage. This has further
been strengthened by the open space internationally
to contribute towards post 2015 development
agenda.
In partnership with Finnish Evangelical Lutheran
Mission (FELM) we have just completed
implementing a three year (July 2011-June 2014)
project in the five East African countries (Burundi,
Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda). This project
on Advocacy for the Promotion of Rights and
Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities was planned to promote inclusive good
governance through strengthening disabled peoples’
organisations to hold government to account for the
realization of the rights of persons with disabilities,
with a focus on the UN Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Summative
evaluation of this project was done in April 2014
and one of the recommendations was that EDAN
should endeavor to strengthen its relationship with
IN FOCUS
Development partners, church organisations and the
civil society including disabled peoples’ organizations
(DPOs), to ensure issues of rights and development
of persons with disabilities are given equal attention.
EDAN needs to continue to initiate and/or support
ongoing capacity building/development programmes
for persons with disabilities and their organisations.
To do this, EDAN conceived the idea of a disability
inclusive development project to be implemented
in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from 2015-2017. The
project is expected to start in January 2015. EDAN
conducted a six months vigorous preplanning phase
whereby different stakeholders were involved. These
included EDAN members of staff, representatives
from organisations of person with disabilities in
the three selected project countries, churches and
church organisations implementing development
programmes, nongovernmental organizations and
government representatives.
The aim of the preplanning project was to prepare
a framework application (project proposal) which
was submitted to one of our partners in November
2014 for funding consideration. The objectives
of the Pre-Planning Process were: ensure project
ownership by the target group; selection of the
appropriate in-country working partners; establish
the capacity of all involved partners and to ensure
best use of the resources with positive impact.
The process was led by a joint Preplanning Steering
Group (PSG), composed of EDAN staff, and
one contact/liaison person in each of the focus
countries identified through the national federation/
organisation of persons with disabilities. The main
role of the pre planning steering group was to shape
the information collected in the various preplanning
activities and identification of practical steps of
implementing an inclusive development project. The
first PSG meeting which took place mid August 2014
in Nairobi besides identifying various stakeholders
to participate in the preplanning process designed a
road map for the preplanning process.
Phase two of the process was marked by Focus
Group meetings in each of the participating
countries comprising twenty participants
who included 8 persons with disabilities; 5
representatives of church related development
Discussion Group during Kenya Focus Group Meeting
programmes; 5 representatives of development nongovernmental organisations and 2 representatives
from government departments that deal with
development issues. Through discussions, the
forums identified thematic areas to be addressed
by the disability inclusive development project.
The forums also provided a platform for sharing
experiences on disability inclusive development
projects in the project countries; identification
of key actors to be involved in implementing the
disability inclusive development project as well
as outcomes, indicators and impact of disability
inclusive development project to be implemented.
The third phase of the process involved analysis of
focus group reports to generate a wider contextual
perspective on exclusion of persons with disabilities
from development policies and programmes in the
three countries. This was followed by preparation of
the draft proposal by EDAN staff members which
was shared with all stakeholders for their inputs.
The draft proposal was reviewed in a validation
meeting which marked the final phase of the
preplanning process. The validation meeting
was held on 10 and 11 November in Nairobi.
It was composed of participants from each of
the three countries (one from the federation/
organisation of persons with disabilities, one
from church organisation and one from a civil
society/ nongovernmental organisation doing
development work), and EDAN members of staff.
The final product which is a draft proposal has been
submitted to one of our development partners for
funding approval.
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
9
IN FOCUS
Inclusion and
participation
of persons with
disability promoted in
Evangelical seminaries
in Peru
A
s a result of the sensitization
and training activities carried
out by EDAN Latin America and
Urban and Rural Mission (MUR)
of Peru in the cities of Lima and
Chiclayo over the last years,
representatives and/or members
of Evangelical Christian theological institutions in
Peru, churches and evangelical associations, pastors,
students of theological seminaries, representatives
of state institutions and civil society met from 6-9
September to share ideas and experiences, and
coordinate efforts, with a view to incorporating
the theme of disability into their curricular plans
and promoting the socio-ecclesial participation of
persons with disability in their institutions.
In Peru, according to figures from the National
Statistical Institute’s first National Specialized Survey
on Disability, 2012, there are 1,575,402 persons
with some kind of disability, that is, 5.2% of the total
population, 754,671 being men and 820,731 women.
This same source points out that less than 20%
of persons with disability in the country have any
form of remunerated employment, 80% do not have
access to education and more than 90% do not have
a disability certificate.
This initiative called together important allies, gaining
the support of the Ministry of Education’s General
Management of Special Basic Education, the National
Council for the Inclusion of Persons with Disability,
through expert professionals in the field of inclusive
education and the issue of disability in the country.
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Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
The Charitable Society of Lima, the Office of the
Member of Congress John Reynaga and the Pilgrims
Church Biblical Seminary of Chiclayo also endorsed
this initiative from the outset. In this regard, Oscar
Bravo, Coordinator of the Coalition EDAN-MUR,
pointed out that the commitment and contribution
of different social agents do not only create social
capital, but also represent a significant achievement
as they will contribute to the sustainability of the
initiative.
One important achievement of this campaign for
inclusion was the receptivity obtained in diverse
theological institutions in Lima, Chiclayo and Trujillo.
In Lima, five theological institutions have become
committed in one form or another, to the task of
including the theme of disability in their curriculums,
while in Chiclayo there were three, and one in
Trujillo. All will give continuity to the theme in
which the Coalition EDAN-MUR commits itself in
assessment and collaboration. The intention of the
initiative is to continue incorporating other centres
of theological studies. There is no doubt that an
adequate theological formation requires that the
theme of disability constitute a curricular tool in
said institutions.
To assist in the institutional processes of including
disability in their curriculums EDAN-MUR
printed and disseminated a book titled “Teología y
Discapacidad: Hacia la inclusión socio-eclesial de las
personas con discapacidad” [Theology and Disability;
Towards socio-ecclesial inclusion of persons with
disability) to the participants.
IN FOCUS
Introducing Disability
Discourse in Catholic
Theological Institutions in
the Middle East
F
rom December 3rd – 6th, 2014 the EDAN
Executive Secretary visited Lebanon
as part of a series of interactions with
Deans of Faculties of theology from select
Universities to discuss the possibility of
introducing disability discourse in their institutions.
Since the Association of Theological Institutions
in the Middle East remains inactive, the EDAN
Executive Secretary, accompanied by the Middle
East Regional Coordinator visited individual
theological colleges and met with the institutions
top leadership. The institutions visited are: Near
East School of Theology, Ecclesiastical Sciences la
Sagesse University, I’Institute Superieur de Sciences
Religieuses at Universite Saint Joseph de Beyrouth,
St. Paul Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Faculty
Group photo - Training of Trainers workshop participants.
E
DAN and the South Pacific Association
of Theological Schools (SPATS) held
a Training of Trainers on Disability
Curriculum from 8th to 12th December,
2014 at the Fulton College, Nadi, Fiji
Islands. The aim of the training was to develop
confidence and enhance capacity of the trainers
to interpret and implement disability and theology
curriculum in church institutions. 33 participants
from 8 countries in the Pacific region representing
Round table discussion in the Middle East.
of Theology at the Holy Spirit University and
Theological Institute of the Antonine University.
Interactions with the theological colleges
provided face to face discussions that were able
to remove fears from some of the Deans and
also correct some misconceptions that most of
them had regarding disability and theology course.
The idea of introducing the course was well
received by the leaders met. EDAN through the
Regional Coordinator will make follow up on the
recommendations reached.
Training of
Trainers on
Disability
Curriculum for
the Pacific Region
theological institutions and disabled peoples'
organisations attended this training.
One of the main achievements of the training was
the reviewing of the disability curriculum developed
by EDAN Pacific in collaboration with SPATS in
2011. Whereas some theological institutions have
difficulties in introducing the curriculum immediately,
they committed to infuse some of the curriculum in
their theological institutions in the short term
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
11
Advocacy
African Disability Forum Launch
Forty regional and national leaders of organisations of persons with disabilities (DPOs) in
Africa, congregated at the UN Conference Centre, Addis Ababa from 17-19 November 2014
in a meeting which saw Africa region launch the African Disability Forum (ADF).
O
n realization that Africa is
one of the two continents
without a recognized
representative regional
disability forum of Disabled
People’s Organisations,
the other being North
America, consultative meetings led by the UN
Special Rapporteur on Disability of the commission
for Social Development with the support of the UN
Department of Economic and Social Development
(DESA) and in partnership with the UN Economic
Commision for Africa(UNECA) , African Disability
organisations, academic institutions and development
partner have been held since 2012 with the aim of
establishing a DPO-led , multi-stakeholder forum
to advance the rights and inclusion of persons with
disabilities in Africa.
The need for a unified representative voice of DPOs
and persons with disabilities in Africa has become
more acute with the advent of the African Union
“Disability Architecture” (AUDA), adopted by the
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Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
AU Conference of Ministers of Social Development
(CAMSD) in November 2012.
Despite the creation of Pan African Federation
of the Disabled (PAFOD) which was thought to
become African Regional Disability Forum, it has not
been accepted as such by other continental Disabled
Peoples Organisations.
The establishment of ADF was steered by an Interim
Working Group composed of 10 leaders of African
Continental, sub-regional and national Federations of
DPOs. Dr. Samuel Kabue, EDAN Executive Secretary
was a member of the working group. The group held
meetings to review options and reach consensus on
the organizational structure and functioning of ADF
and its immediate priorities.
The ADF will seek to strengthen and unify the
representative voices of DPOs and persons with
disabilities in Africa. It will seek to be inclusive and
engage with all existing pan-African, sub-regional and
national federations of DPOs. The ADF governance
structure will be light. A small ADF office will focus
on communications and member organization
development and capacity-building activities.
advocacy
ADF membership will include Pan African, subregional and national federations of DPOs and
other organizations and will focus on the following
objectives:
6th The Deaf
Ministry International
Conference Report:
1. Promote awareness of disability rights and
disability inclusion among persons with
disabilities, DPOs, development NGOs,
governments, public and private employers
and the general public in Africa;
2.Strengthen the capacity of continental, subregional and national federations of DPOs
to promote disability rights and empower
persons with disabilities, and strengthen
regional networking and partnerships;
3.Represent the voice of Africans with
disabilities and their families to the African
Union, the Regional Economic Communities
and to other African as well as international
organisations, and at regional and international
conferences and meetings;
4. Promote the ratification and implementation
of the CRPD by all African countries;
5. Promote implementation by African
governments of the African Decade
Continental Plan of Action, 2010-2019, in
collaboration with the African Union and the
African Disability Alliance (ADA);
6.Advise the African Union Commission
and Department of Social Affairs on
implementation of the African Union Disability
Architecture (AUDA);
7.Advocate for the inclusion of disability
issues and persons with disabilities in all
development programs and projects in Africa
funded by the World Bank, the UN and its
specialized agencies, the African Development
Bank and by bilateral donor agencies;
8. Promote disability studies and research by
African universities and research institutes,
and advise on research priorities, collaborate
on research projects and disseminate research
findings.
W
ith the objective
of strengthening
work among the
deaf and sharing of
experiences among
deaf persons in the
ministry, more than
200 deaf persons from 30 countries all the world
attended Deaf ministry International (DMI) 6th
International Conference from 7th -11th October
2014 in Seoul Korea.
Deaf Ministries International is a Christian Mission
to the deaf started in Korea in 1979 by Neville and
Lill Muir in the historical city of Inchon, Korea in
1979. The international conference is held every 3
years since 1999. The 1st one was held in Philippine;
2nd in Thailand, 3rd in Uganda, 4th in Egypt, 5th
in Australia and the 6th in South Korea. EDAN
sponsored Mrs. Patricia Mulongo, a deaf woman
from the Immanuel Church of the Deaf in Kenya to
participate in this 6th Conference.
The conference provided an opportunity for the
ministry to review its vision as set in 1979 and
celebrate its 35th anniversary. It also received
reports of its work in the field and deliberated ways
of expanding its work in Asia.
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
13
IN FOCUS
S
International Day
of Persons with Disabilities
ince the United Nations proclaimed
3rd December as the international
Day of Person with Disabilities
in 1992, its observance provides
opportunities for participation by all
stakeholders – Governments, the UN
system, civil society and organizations
of persons with disabilities to focus on issues
related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities
in development, both as beneficiaries and agents.
The theme for 2014 was Sustainable Development:
The Promise of Technology . The focus was on the
role of technology in: Disaster Risk Reduction and
Emergency Responses; Creating Enabling Working
Environments and Disability-Inclusive Sustainable
Development Goals.
This year, the day was commemorated at a time
when disability is referenced in various parts of
the draft proposal on the SDGs and specifically in
14
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
parts related to education, growth and employment,
inequality, accessibility of human settlements, as
well as data collection and monitoring of the SDGs.
Technology should be used to open doors for an
inclusive society for all in implementation of the
SDGs.
To mark the day, various events, performances and
forums are implemented internationally, regionally,
nationally and at grassroot levels. At the UN
Headquarters in New York, various panel discussions
were held which emphasized the importance of
technology for persons with disabilities. “Technology
can greatly impact the achievement and outcome of
the SDGs for persons with disabilities, and for people
everywhere. The SDGs can be used to promote the
impact and benefits of assistive technology, accessible
information and communications technology,
technological adaptations and other policy and
programmatic measures to improve the well-being
in focus
and inclusion of persons with disabilities in society
and development.” Observed one panel discussion
on “Accessible Technologies for Persons with
Disabilities: Crossing the Digital Divide” organized
by UNDESA.
In Kenya, the National Council for persons with
disabilities organized a forum at the Kenyatta
International Conference in Nairobi which
was attended by persons with disabilities,
government representatives, development partners,
representatives of disabled people’s organisations
and other stakeholders. The forum was used to
promote an understanding of disability issues and
to mobilize support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities. It also increased
awareness on the gains derived by including persons
with disabilities in every aspect of political, social,
economic and cultural life.
The Nyeri county government in partnership in
Partnership with Girl Child Network organized two
days medical camp for the general public with health
talks and one stop service centre for persons with
disabilities to celebrate the day. The Celebrations
brought together National and County Government
officials, Policy makers from the County Assembly of
Nyeri, Private Sector players, Opinion Leaders, Civil
Society, Disabled Persons Organizations and Persons
with disabilities.
Hundreds of Persons with disabilities benefited
from free Education Assessment and referral for
placement in Education and Training Institutions;
Medical Assessment; Registration of PWD by the
National Council for Persons With Disabilities as
provided for in the PWD Act, 2003. Other activities
were Exhibitions by Service providers and displays
of work done by PWDs in Nyeri County.
Speaking during the event, the Nyeri County
Assembly Speaker, Hon. David Mwangi Mugo, advised
Persons with Disabilities to prove their abilities
whenever opportunities are offered to them, so
that they can change the attitudes and mindsets of
employers who view them as liabilities rather than
assets. He urged all stakeholders to mainstream
disability in their activities, more so by adapting the
modern technology which makes accommodation
of persons with disabilities much easier. Responding
to calls by Persons with disabilities for equal
opportunities, the members of County Assembly
made a commitment to enact County legislations
providing for equal opportunities, accessibility
and a fund for the empowerment of Persons with
disabilities.
Emphasizing the constitutional foundation of
rights for persons with disabilities, Dr. Laibuta,
a commissioner with the Commission for the
implementation of the Constitution Kenya reminded
the participants that disability is not a sector,
but a cross cutting issue, and therefore it is a
responsibility for all, both at the national level and
the County level.
The MCA representing PWD in the Nyeri Assembly,
who was also the event patron, Hon. Joseph Kanyi
King’ori, called on partners to support drafting
of laws, which requires extensive research and
consultation with all stakeholders, considering that
disability is a crosscutting issue. Mr. King’ori, who is
a member of the ecumenical fraternity championing
for the rights of PWD decried the impact of
poverty and neglect on persons with disabilities. He
called on the County Government of Nyeri to carry
out a census and establish a database for Persons
with disabilities saying that the 2009 national census
results are unreliable for effective planning
and interventions.
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
15
ADVOCACY
Collaborative
Response to
Ebola crisis
U
pon the invitation of World
Council of Churches Health
and Healing programme, EDAN
2 staff members attended a
consultation on collaborative
response to Ebola crisis held
at the All Africa Conference
of Churches, Nairobi from 24th- 26th November
2014. The consultation drew together 70
participants representing health professionals and
church health associations, Councils of Churches,
religious leaders, theologians, representatives from
the Africa Christian Health Associations Platform
(ACHAP), Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network
(EPN), All Africa Conference of Churches, the World
Council of Churches, Theological Institutions, UN
agencies, ACT Alliance, Faith communions , Caritas
Internationalis, and other critical stakeholders to
share experiences and expertise, dialogue and
strategize on the following:
and timely information; Promoting commitment
of faith-based organisations to collaborate with
the multistakeholders in community mobilisation, destigmatization and addressing cultural
barriers to medical access; collaborating to
ensure essential services for conditions such as
HIV, TB, Malaria, sexual and reproductive health
and other non-communicable diseases are
not sidelined during emergency management;
considering proactive responses in neighbouring countries to which Ebola might cross the
borders.
1.Sharing of most up to date information on Ebola
and alignment of advocacy messages through:
updates on the current responses to Ebola, by
the representing organisations, and the current emerging challenges, including challenges
in coordination and collaboration; Advocating
to ensure that responses, including burial rituals
and procedures, are safe, compassionate and
afford people dignity whilst addressing the common good ; Ensuring channels of communication between critical stakeholders are identified
and established where absent
The outcome of the consultation was increased
awareness and enhanced understanding of the Ebola
virus, its impact and the need for the faith community to respond effectively, compassionately, proactively and with life affirming responses; understanding
of the role, current functions and responses of the
various represented stakeholders in the response to
Ebola; enhanced understanding of the on-going and
planned contribution by Faith Based Organisations
to the current Ebola crisis and other health challenges, particularly in affected countries: Recognition
of the risks to all countries and need to proactively
prepare to prevent or mitigate against such crisis.
2. Coordination of roles among faith-based organisations in the response to Ebola, through: identifying the role the WCC and others can play as
intermediaries between the faith-based health
service providers and community and international organisations as a conduit for accurate
At the end of the consultation, participants developed a statement of intent of effective collaboration
between all key stakeholders in the response to
critical health and disaster emergencies, such as the
Ebola crisis.
16
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
ADVOCACY
Clubfoot Care for Kenya
programme (CCK)
T
he year 2014 saw EDAN accompany
AIC CURE International Children's
Hospital Clubfoot Care for Kenya
programme (CCK) to provide
treatment to clubfoot patients.
Clubfoot Care for Kenya concerns
itself with ensuring that every child
born with clubfoot in Kenya has access to affordable treatment before celebrating 2nd birthday. The
initiative offers less expensive, yet most effective,
approach in dealing with clubfoot deformity among
children.
In the light of this, EDAN with a specific financial
grant from our partner the United Church of Canada in 2014 is accompanied Clubfoot care for Kenya
in the provision of treatment to clubfoot patients
by providing braces for children undergoing corrective surgery in the year 2014. This work started in
January has seen over 300 new patients brought on
board and are continuing with treatment.
Apart from provision of the braces, the funds have
been used to conduct 2 refresher trainings (medical
and Counseling) and a fresh training (targeting medical and clinical officers) to ensure clinics are self
sufficient in terms of giving tenotomy services to patients. In addition to the trainings, a total of 20 visits
were made to program clinics to give much needed
support and supervision of treatment process.
The following is a story of Wellington, one of the
patients who has benefited from this funding
Wellington was born at home on 10/12/2012. His
parents were shocked, and really saddened, when
they realized their first born had clubfoot. Other
family members were amazed, too. From fear of
being stigmatized, his parents decided to hide him.
The mother narrated how she was ashamed of
uncovering the child because of the ridicule that she
received from neighbors.
When his mother visited children clinic at Kitale
District Hospital, she was referred to C.C.K clinic
Baby Wellington with his mother.
(within the hospital) the same day. After warm and
assuring reception by the counselors and proper
diagnosis, the doctors recommended her to stay
at home for a week since the child was still very
young. A week later, the child was brought back to
the hospital and treatment was started. With 5 cast
changes, the deformity was successfully corrected.
The correction was so successful that, no tenotomy
procedure was necessary. Upon completion of the
casting process, he was put on braces. The foot has
been corrected well, something that has greatly
encouraged the parents all along. The correction of
Wellington’s foot has made it possible for him to
lead a normal life like any other child. His parents
appreciate the intervention Wellington received
through CCK program.
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
17
in focus
Engage Disability India
F
uelled by desire to model inclusion
to the world, churches and individuals
throughout India organized a
conference titled Engage Disability
India at Crowne Plaza, Rohini, New
Delhi from 25th to 27th September,
2014. This conference was designed
to inspire and strengthen efforts to see people,
regardless of ability, engage with faith communities.
Over 400 people participated with great enthusiasm
and the delegates included 210 pastors/theologians/
church leaders and 154 members from various
NGOs working in Community Based Rehabilitation
and other disability programs.
During the conference, 4 sessions were held that
progressed from looking up at God, into our church,
around us at our families and out to the world. The
sessions were:
1. Disability and Theology (looking up at God):
a number of superb speakers covered what
Jesus, the Church and the Bible says about
disability as well as how can the church be
more inclusive? Participants were introduced
to frameworks on inclusion of persons with
disabilities. Being created “in the image of
God” meant that we should take pride in our
ability and disabilities as they reflect God.
2) The Inclusive Church (looking inwards)
covered how Bible colleges, pastors and
church members can work together so that
people with disability are included in all
aspects of church life. The need for social
ramps, referring to the church examining
social and attitudinal barriers and not just
physical barriers discussed. Participants
were introduced to the Beyond Suffering
course which gives a Christian approach
to disability. Jayakumar Christian, World
Vision International challenged the church
to transform India by its love for the most
marginalized. Pastors shared their stories
about inclusion. One church in Nepal had 50
people who had mobility issues, and another
church had sign language interpretation at
every service and special services reaching
out to the deaf. There were also stories
of congregations in Mumbai where the
Churches were competing to be the most
inclusive church. Inclusion was not seen as a
burden but something to be cherished and
aspire to. A recurrent theme was that this is
not the job of a few inspired pastors, although
we heard from many, but the role of every
Christian in India! We are the church!
3) Disability and Families looked at the lived
reality (looking around) of parents, siblings
and carers. There were many heart wrenching
stories of exclusion but an equal number
of stories of families being welcomed and
helped by the Christian community in India.
The plenary session had a powerful testimony
from a participant who explained how his
church had come to accept and celebrate
the uniqueness of his child who has autism.
Another participant spoke about how their
adoption of a child with severe disabilities had
transformed their family and impacted the
community around them who asked “why do
they love that child?”
..... this is not the job of a few inspired pastors, although
we heard from many, but the role of every Christian in
India! We are the church!
18
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
ADVOCACY
4) Faith and Disability Inclusive Development
(Looking out to the World). The final day
was opened by Dr. Dave McComiskey, the
international head of CBM, who delivered a
presentation Ways of reaching persons with
disabilities in India through disability inclusive
health, education, and vocational training were
also explored. Many well-known Christians
gave their greetings and well wishes including
Joni Eareckson Tada (Joni and Friends), Nick
Vujicic (Beyond limits),
The conference saw participants sign a petition
to the government demanding it fully enshrine
the UN Convention on the Rights of the People
with Disability in Indian laws. The petition will be
presented to the Prime Minister of India.
Intentional networking sessions were held where
people from different regions were grouped
together, shared ideas, appointed regional facilitators
and planned a way forward. 13 sub-regional
groups were formed as follows: NEPAL, NORTH
1 (Uttarakhand), NORTH 2 (Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh),
NORTH EAST (Assam, Arunachal, Sikkim, Nagaland,
Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura), DELHI,
Uttar Pradesh, CENTRAL Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, EAST 1 (Bihar, Jharkhand), EAST 2
(West Bengal, Odisha), WEST (Rajasthan , Gujarat ,
Goa , Maharashtra, Daman & Diu, Dadra and Nagar
Haveli), SOUTH 1 (Tamil Nadu, Kerala), SOUTH
2 (Telangana / Hyderabad), SOUTH 3 (Karnataka,
Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar, Pondicherry,
Andhra Pradesh). These regional networks will be
facilitated to create a platform for unity, prayer and
synergy.
Three hubs were also created: A Communication
Hub led by World Vision to facilitate intra-regional,
interregional and international communications;
Resources Hub led by Catholic Health Association
of India to compile and create different tools to help
the Christian community move towards inclusive
Christian communities and a Coordinating hub that
supports and facilitates the functioning of the other
hubs.
Bread for the World –
Regional Conference
East and West Africa
on Intercultural
Communication and
Cooperation
E
DAN was invited to be part of a
Regional Conference of Bread for
the World for East and West Africa
to discuss issues of intercultural
communication and cooperation.
The objectives of the meeting was to
provide the appropriate environment to exchange
and keep each other informed on the new and
burning issues that are occurring in the region and
to discuss probable solutions for difficulties and
potential conflicts; to strengthen the networking by
the participants to create new contacts, enhance
existing relationships and to exchange knowledge
and experience on intercultural cooperation; and
enhance intercultural dialogue and communication
in the context of the personnel service and partner
system of Bread for the world.
The conference realised that the church is well
placed to insist on intercultural accommodation
since she doesn’t chose who joins it and therefore
has a big potential to influence this much needed
change.
The conference provided an opportunity for EDAN
to engage partners during an open space created to
share on various projects and activities.
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
19
NEWS UPDATE
Dr. Kabue (second from left) during the dinner.
St. Andrews Ministry for Persons with
Disabilities (Kenya)
T
This year the disability awareness week took place
from 17th to 23rd November, 2014. On the 21st,
there was a fundraising walk as well as dinner that
took place at the Church Hall with the aim of raising
Ksh. 1,000,000 (1 million shillings) to enhance the
support services geared towards the improvement
of quality of life for persons with disabilities
supported by the PCEA St. Andrews Church and to
establish self employment support fund for persons
with disabilities.
EDAN accompanied the activities
UPCOMING EVENTS
of the week by attending the dinner
where Dr. Kabue was the guest of
From rights to inclusion
Venue: Arusha
honour while Angeline Okola and
Dates: 21st – 23rd January
Dorothea Gauland took part in
the 12km fundraising walk. EDAN
Gathering of information on inclusive development
was also able to suggest preachers
Venue: Secretariat
for the various services on the
Dates: 12th – 30th January
23rd November 2014 as a way of
Inclusive development planning forum for Kenya
supporting the initiative by churches
Venue: Nairobi
to utilize the gifts of persons with
Dates: 9th – 13th February
disabilities in their congregations
while at the same time facilitating
Inclusive development planning forum for Tanzania
their spiritual growth.
Venue: Arusha
he Ministry at the PCEA St.
Andrews was started in 1992
with the sole purpose of
ministering to the needs of
persons with disabilities and
more particularly to the hearing
impaired. EDAN has been partnering with this
Ministry for the last 4 years more so during
their annual disability awareness week.
Dates: 23rd – 27th February
20
Ecumenical Disability
DisabilityAdvocates
AdvocatesNetwork
Network
DIRECTORY
EDAN Directory
Sponsor
Unity, Mission and Ecumenical Relations
World Council of Churches
150 route de Ferney
P. O. Box 2100 CH-1211 Geneva 2,
Switzerland
Phone: +41 22 791 602111
Fax: + 41 22 791 0361
Executive Secretary
Dr. Samuel N. Kabue
EDAN
C/O All Africa Conference of Churches
P. O. Box 22, 00300, Ronald Ngala
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: + 254 20 4445837
Fax: 254 20 4445835
Email: skabue@edan.or.ke
Website: www.edan-wcc.org
EDAN Reference Group
Rev. Arne Fritzson
Svartriksslingan 94
16739 Bromma
Sweden
Telfax: 46 8 808 189
Email: arne.fritzson@bredband.net
Ms. Carolyn R. Thompson
46 Rawson Road, # 2
Arlington, MA 02474
USA
Rev. Noel Fernandez Collot,
Chicho Valdes 423,
Entre 3y4
Ciego de Avila
65100Cb
Cuba
Tel (Office): 53-33-225223
Telfax: 53-33-227129
Email: fernolla@enet.cu
Ye Ja Lee
808ho 107 dong Boram APT,
Sang Geyo 9 Dong 685,
Nowan Ku
139-768
Seoul
Korea
Tel(Office): + 82 11 342 1089
(Home): + 82 2 932 1081
Email: leeyeja19@daum.net
EDAN Regional
Coordinators
Africa:
Prof. Rev. Abraham Adu Berinyuu
University of Development Studies
P. O. Box 1276 Tamale,
Ghana
Telfax: 233-71-22748
Email: menvolima@yahoo.com
Asia:
Ye Ja Lee
808ho 107 dong Boram APT,
Sang Geyo 9 Dong 685,
Nowan Ku
139-768
Seoul
Korea
Tel (Office): + 82 11 342 1089
(Home): + 82 2 932 1081
Email: leeyeja19@daum.net
Europe:
Torill Edoy
Church of Norway Council
Postbks 799 Sentrum
0106
Oslo
Norway
And
Ms. Simone Poortman
Madoerahahof 8
3742 SH Baarn
Netherlands
Telfax: 31-3554-20840
Email: simpoort@worldonline.nl
Latin America:
Rev. Noel Fernandez Collot,
Chicho Valdes 423,
Enre 3y4
Ciego de Avila
65100Cb
Cuba
Tel (Office): 53-33-225223
Telfax: 53-33-227129
Email: fernolla@enet.cu
Pacific:
Setareki S. Macanawai
Chief Executive Officer
Pacific Disability Forum
Tel: 679-3312008, + 679-3307530
Fax: 679-3310469
M/Vodafone: + 679 -9921486
M/Digicel: + 679-7082891
Email: ceo@pacificdisability.org
Website: www.pacificdisability.org
S: Setareki Macanawai
24 Des Voeux Road
GPO Box 18458
Suva, Fiji Islands
Fiji
Caribbean:
Rev. Dr. Gordon Cowans
Knox College
P. O. Box 1735 Spalding
Clarendon
Jamaica
Tel:987 8080
Tel/Fax: 987 8045
Email: gcowans@cwjamaica.com
Middle East:
Fadi Halabi
Beirut, MCC Office
Achrafieh, Sioufi, Ghazali Road
Mimosa Building, 8th Flr
Lebanon
Network Partners
Bread for the World-Protestant Agency
for Diakonia and Development
P. O Box 40164
10062 Berlin, Germany
The United Church of Canada
3250 Bloor Street West
Suite 400 Etobicoke, Ontario
M8X 2Y4 Canada
Tel: 001 416 2315931
Website: www.uccan.org
Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network
21
EDAN is a Programme of the
World Council of Churches (WCC) on Persons with
Disabilities within the Unity, Mission and Ecumenical Relations.
P.O. Box 22, 00300, Nairobi - Kenya
Tel: +254 444 58 37
Email: info@edan.or.ke or skabue@edan.or.ke
Website : www.edan-wcc.org/ www.edan.or.ke