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Moussa Charafeddine

Arab Forum

The Arab Forum of Organizations for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities represents the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region of Inclusion International. The Arab Forum is an organizational framework for all Arab organisations working in the field of intellectual disability.

Formed in 1993 in Sharja, United Arab Emirates, the Arab Forum has since campaigned to promote the human rights and full inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities throughout MENA.

Objectives

1. To improve the life quality of people with Intellectual disability and their families, and to joint efforts over the Arab World towards an Inclusive Society.

2. To fight for the appropriate social reforms, according to the Arab heritage, and cultural contribution to the development of social interrelation models, based on justice, equality and interdependence, and to promote the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities, their families and communities.

3. To support the national organizations through capacity building, so that they reach their full potential as dynamic and effective campaigning tools.

4. To work closely with other Arab NGOs in the field of social development, specially those who work in the field of disability.

5- To assist the Arab states in consultative terms towards establishment of the appropriate legislation.

6- To liase with similar international non-governmental organizations, especially Inclusion International.


Main activities

1. Periodic meetings to empower people with disabilities and their families
2. Peace promotion
3. Yearly training seminars for parents and educators in different countries
4. Formulation of state policies for the sector
5. Promotion of CBR programs
6. Promotion Inclusive education with UNESCO
7. Follow up the implications of the UN Treaties, specially related to the child’s rights
8. Public campaigns
9. Encourage partnership programs for technical cooperation (South to South, and North to South)
10. Promotion of Community Development
11. Publications (Journey to Inclusive Schools, Human Rights and Intellectual disability in Arabic)


Membership

All the members of Inclusion International in the Arab Region constitute the principle acting members of the Forum. The following countries are represented:

In North Africa: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan
In the Middle East: Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrai, UAE

In early 2003, Gulf Disability Association was formed with organizations from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain and Oman. This organization represent most of the organizations which deal with all disabilities in those countries. Some of its founders are also members of Inclusion International.

It is extremely important to note that organizations from these countries and from the rest of the Arab World countries are welcome to join.

Summary of activities presented at the 2004 General Assembly in Burkina Faso

Turmoil, violence and insecurity are still prevailing in that region of the World. The Arab Region became the focus of political attention. The condition in Iraq, Palestine, and the Gulf region is very disturbed. Hundreds of incidents took place, resulted in increasing the numbers of victims among them were hundreds of people with disability. Many of the results are not known yet. The local and international humanitarian missions are facing difficulties to cope with the catastrophic conditions.

There were a lot of changes which took place in the Middle East and North African Region. The most significant issue in that period was the matters of the UN Convention about the Rights of People with Disabilities.

Another very important issue was the adoption of the Arab League Countries “The Arab Decade for People with Disabilities”

The third issue was the recommendation of the Arab Parliamentarian Union to establish Specialized Parliamentarian Committee within that organization, to follow up the Arab Decade for People with disability.

Here is the review of the events:

1- October 2003:
Arab African Conference about Rehabilitation and disability in Cairo.

2- December 18, 19, 2003 the 1st gathering of the Arab Experts on Disability was held in Qatar. Shekha Hessa Al Thani the UN Repertoire presented a review about the updates of the UN Convention. The Ecuador ambassador was there too. He briefed the participants about the progress in the negotiations concerning the draft of the treaty.

3- January 7-9/2004 the condition of the Children at Risk at the Mediterranean Region was discussed in Genoa Italy. Our Regional Chair presented an overall review about the prevailing condition of the Arab Children... Gazlini Foundation of Italy, the Arab Urban Union, and the European Commission financed that conference. It was recommended that Genoa will establish an International network to deal with data base and projects to face the prevailing challenges for the wellbeing of the children of the region.

4- January 24-27/ 2004, Rehab Dubai 2004 International Conference was held at UAE. Our regional representative presented an over all review about the condition off Persons with Disability in the Arab World, and challenges of the Arab Decade for people with disability.

5- April 16-18/2004 the second gathering of the Arab Experts on Disability was held at the Arab States League in Cairo. The experts discussed the matters of the UN convention with the Technical Social Affairs Committee of the Arab States League and with the Arab Organization of People with Disabilities. The participants reviewed the latest draft of the treaty, and they put the appropriate comments. The most important ones were considering the deinstitutionalization and about the rights of people with disability to choose the pace of their accommodation.

6- May 23/2004, the League of Arab States Summit in Tunis ratified the Arab decade for People with Disabilities 2004-2013. To follow up that the Arab Organization of People with disability held talks with the Secretary General of the Arab States League Dr Amro Moussa. Dr. Moussa promised to establish an official Arab League State monitoring system to follow up the Pan-Arab Program of Action regarding the Arab Decade for People with Disability

7- August 3-7/2004, the Arab Organization for People with Disability, the UN Repertoire, and the UN ESCWA (Economic & Social Commission of Western Asia) organized and international Conference to review the UN Convention Draft. The Panel of Experts from the IDA was invited to attend that event. Mrs. Venus Flagan the President of DPI –and the president of the IDA- Mr. Jakinen, the President of the World Federation of the Deaf, the Vice President of Rehabilitation for the Arab Region Mr. Khaled Elmuhtar, the Vice President of the World Blind Union, Shaikha Heassa Al Thani, and the Arab Experts on Disability participated in the Conference. The participants reviewed the draft of the treaty. The most important issues were Women with Disability, and the Monitoring mechanism. The Arab experts discussed the program of Action related to the Arab Decade for People with Disability.

8- Sept 1 2004, the Union of the Arab Parliaments recommended establishing Pan Arab Parliament Committee for People with Disability. This matter was claimed from Beirut Parliament, it was an appeal from the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament to the Arab State League.

There are two another important facts related to the NGOs and the countries who are participating in the UN follow up meetings. A Jordanian DPO – Landmine Survivors -was chosen to is represent the DPOs of the Asian countries, besides the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs was chosen to represent the Governments of Asian countries.