UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL COORDINATION MECHANISM
THEMATIC WORKING GROUP ON DISABILITY-RELATED CONCERNS

Seventh session
1-2 December 2003
United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok

RESOLUTION

59/1. Regional implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific during the Decade of Disabled Persons,
2003-2012

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,

Recalling its resolution 58/4 of 22 May 2002 on promoting an inclusive, barrier-free and rights-based society for people with disabilities in the Asian and Pacific region in the twenty-first century, by which it proclaimed the extension of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002, for another decade, 2003-2012,

Recalling also the successful High-level Intergovernmental Meeting to Conclude the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002, held at Otsu City, Shiga, Japan, from 25 to 28 October 2002 and hosted by the Government of Japan, the Shiga Prefecture Government and the city of Otsu, and its adoption of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific,

Observing that the Biwako Millennium Framework identifies the following seven priority areas: self-help organizations of persons with disabilities and related family and parent associations; women with disabilities; early detection, intervention and education; training and employment, including self-employment; access to built environments and public transport; access to information and communications, including information, communication and assistive technologies; and poverty alleviation through capacity-building, social security and sustainable livelihood programmes,

Noting that the international community expressed its commitment to economic and social development in the face of rapid globalization in adopting General Assembly resolution 55/2 of 8 September 2000 entitled “United Nations Millennium Declaration”, embodying a large number of specific commitments, including gender equity, universal education and poverty eradication, aimed at improving the lot of humanity in the twenty-first century,

Noting the recognition by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank that unless persons with disabilities are brought into the development mainstream it will be extremely difficult to halve poverty by 2015 or give every girl and boy the chance to complete primary education by the same date, which was agreed at the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000 and is part of those Banks’ commitment to the inclusion of disability concerns in their poverty eradication efforts,

Noting the discussions at the first session of the Ad Hoc Committee on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities, established by the General Assembly in its resolution 56/168 of 19 December 2001,

Welcoming the Government of Afghanistan as the forty-second signatory of the Proclamation on the Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region, at the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting in October 2002, as well as the Government of New Caledonia as the forty-third signatory of the Proclamation on 3 December 2002,

Noting with appreciation the contributions by Governments and civil society to the technical cooperation trust fund for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002,

1. Takes note of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific;

2. Requests all members and associate members to support the implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework at the national level through public awareness activities, appropriate policies, other measures and the allocation of resources in keeping with national capacities, and through international cooperation and partnership, including the transfer of resources and technologies, as appropriate;

3. Urges Governments in the region which have not done so to sign the Proclamation on the Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region;

4. Invites all Governments, donor agencies and the private sector to continue to contribute to the technical assistance trust fund for the extended Decade, 2003-2012, to ensure the successful implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework;

5. Also invites the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Labour Organization and other concerned United Nations bodies and agencies, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and civil society organizations, in close cooperation with ESCAP, to strengthen their support for the development of national capabilities for the effective implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework;

6. Requests the Executive Secretary:

(a) To give special attention, in collaboration with all concerned offices, bodies and agencies of the United Nations system, Governments, and civil society to the development of regional activities in support of the implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework;

(b) To recognize the Asia-Pacific Development Center on Disability as an ESCAP partner on disability and to ensure close collaboration between ESCAP and the Center on promotion of the empowerment of persons with disabilities and a barrier-free society in the Asian and Pacific region, as a viable means of ensuring the implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework;

(c) To support Governments at their request in fulfilling the targets of the Biwako Millennium Framework in such areas as statistics, information and communication technology, urban and rural environments, public transport, poverty reduction, gender and development, and education of children and youth with disabilities;

(d) To provide technical support to Governments in the region in the development of regional support for the consideration of an international convention on the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities by organizing regional meetings and training workshops;

(e) To report to the Commission at its sixty-fourth session on the mid-point review of the present resolution.

5th meeting
4 September 2003