The WBU survey for Human rights` intervention and advocacy
support:
Some previous efforts of the WBU and its subcommittees to advocate and
support blind or partially sighted persons have not been completely
successful. Advocating efforts to the UN and government offices have left
us without any form of response or feedback to our specific concerns. On
one occasion, specifically with respect to the killings of people with albinism
in Tanzania the WBU wrote a letter to the UN high commissioner for human
rights but it took four years before the Commissioner wrote a report to the
UN general assembly. Since the report from the Commissioner to the
general assembly did not specify any one contributor but rather “NGOs” we
will never know if our advocacy efforts succeeded. Regardless, four years
is far too long a time from knowledge to action.
Based on our experiences, we need to rethink how we advocate for
change in situations of serious human rights abuse where blind or partially
sighted persons are particularly vulnerable. In that process, your
experience, advocacy efforts and conclusions will be very valuable and
much appreciated as we improve our strategy to respond to human rights
abuse and violations affecting blind or partially sighted persons at the
global level. Please take the time to review this survey and help us by
answering as many of the six questions you can. Please send your
answers to anders.arnor@wbuoffice.org by August 31st.
Name of your organization:
Your organization`s region (ABU, AFUB, EBU, NA/CARRIBBEAN, ULAC,
WBU-AP):
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1. The UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD)
is the first treaty to globally respect and protect the rights and dignity
of persons with disabilities. It reaffirms several unique contributions to
the human rights community and articulates fundamental principles.
Some examples are: Article 12 – Equal recognition before the law,
Article 13 – Access to justice, Article 15 – Freedom from torture or
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Article 16 –
Freedom from exploitation, violence or abuse and Article 18 – Liberty
of movement and nationality. With regard to the UN CRPD, please
give examples of and describe what human rights abuses/violations
blind or partially sighted persons have faced within your country.
2. What actions did your organization take to address their situation and
were they successful? (Example: press release, legal counsel,
organized protests, advocating government offices)
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3. Did your organization request assistance from the WBU or the
regional presidents in response to the situation? If so, which
assistance did you receive?
4. Has your organization collaborated with any local or national disability
organizations, civil society actors, non-for-profit organizations, human
rights organizations, schools or universities in advocating against - or
addressing - human rights abuses/violations of blind or partially
sighted persons? (If so, please specify the organization(s) and
describe the outcome.
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5. Does your organization have a strategy for assisting blind or partially
sighted persons in situations of human rights abuses/violations? (If
so, please describe the strategy, when and how it has been
implemented).
6. Some situations of human rights abuse may call for actions on
multiple levels. The WBU could - although it’s very limited resources
for individual situations – develop and provide your organization with
instruments such as toolkit, advocacy support or co/signed letters.
How do you think the WBU could or should support your organization
in future situations where blind or partially sighted citizens` human
rights are abused or violated in your country?
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Thank you very much for your time and commitment. When you have
completed the survey, please send it to Anders Arnor, Intern at the WBU
office at anders.arnor@wbuoffice.org.
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