International Forum on Disability and Development: Caring, Participation and Action

The issues faced by people with disabilities and their needs are integral to the process of building a harmonious society, as well as the improvement of human rights in China. Experts gather in Beijing for learning and discussion.

Conference Dates: 12/10/07 - 12/15/07

The intent of the International Forum on Disability and Development is to facilitate learning and discussion among academic fields, policymaking circles and business communities about the value of people with disabilities. The forum will also provide a platform to promote the adoption and implementation of policies for the development of services for people with disabilities.

It is of great significance to understand the lives of people with disabilities and to promote their well-being, as each of us are facing the risk of disability.

The theme of this forum is “Caring, Participation and Action,” which includes the following sub-themes:

Education and Development
Employment and Development
Rehabilitation and Development
Social Security and Development
Community Service for People with Disabilities
Disability Prevention
Children with Disabilities
Older Adults with Disabilities
Marriage and Family Issues for People with Disabilities

Purposes

*To commemorate the first anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, issued on December 13, 2006, so as to evoke an across-the-board discussion regarding the value of people with disabilities, the social determinates, and issues such as health, employment, welfare and education of people with disabilities among academic fields, policymaking circles and business communities

*To celebrate the 16th International Day of Disabled Persons, annually observed on December 3; the publication of the “White Paper of the Development of Enterprise of Chinese Disabled Persons”; and to provide a platform promoting the adoption and implementation of policies for people with disabilities by senior policymaking institutions and officials

*To commemorate the anniversary of the second nationwide survey on people with disabilities (completed on December 3, 2006) and together, with an academic discussion on “Disability and Development,” to make China’s and other countries’ policies for people with disabilities more pertinent in the near future

*To encourage communication and exchange on the prevention and rehabilitation of disabilities, and to discuss policies and measures to encourage and support nonprofit organizations' and private sectors’ development of services for people with disabilities

*To provide professional training by international experts and enhance network development and team-building for the progress of the disabled community
Six Sessions

1) Academic Session (Two Days, December 10-11)

The protection of the rights of people with disabilities
The involvement of people with disabilities in the social economy
Health and human services for people with disabilities
Policy research

2) Government Session (Half-Day, Morning of December 12)

The social development of people with disabilities
The government's responsibility for the development of enterprise for people with disabilities
The creation of a fair and efficient development strategy and action plan for people with disabilities

3) Non-Governmental Session (Half-Day, Afternoon of December 12)

The significance and historical responsibility of NGOs serving people with disabilities
NGOs' primary forms of assistance for people with disabilities
The development models for NGOs serving people with disabilities

4) Business Session (Half-day, Morning of December 13)

The needs of people with disabilities and social service development
Forecasting the needs and service provision for people with disabilities
Development strategies for creating services to accommodate people with disabilities

5) High-Level Roundtable Session (Half-Day, Afternoon of December 13)

Decision-makers, policy makers, scholars, entrepreneurs, NGOs and the representatives of people with disabilities will engage in dialogue on common issues of concern, urge the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and promote the formulation and implementation of the action plan.

6) Workshop on Theory and the Practice of Social Work with People with Disabilities (Two Days, December 14-15)

Theory and practice of social work
Models of disability for social work practice
Intervention for older persons with disability within the context and culture of the family
The development and operation of foundations in United States and Taiwan

Confirmed Overseas Speakers

*Maria Aranda, associate professor, School of Social Work, University of Southern California
*Peter Brandon, professor, Demography and Sociology Program, Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University
*Charlene Harrington, professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco
*Akiko Ito, chief, Program on Disability, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations
*Robert Jacobs, professor, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
*Ick Seop Lee, professor, School of Social Welfare, Yonsei University, South Korea
*Lynn Martin, assistant professor, Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo
*Jon Pynoos, professor, School of Gerontology, University of Southern California
*Elyse Salend, program officer, Archstone Foundation, U.S.
*Walter Swoboda, senior geriatrician, Geriatric and Rehabilitation, Germany
*Meng-Tsung Tang, CEO, Xiao Yue-Xia Pastoral Care Foundation, Taiwan
*Laura Trejo, general manager, City of Los Angeles Department of Aging

Registration

The deadline for registration is November 10. Mail the registration form to: Conference Secretariat, Peking University Institute of Population Research, No. 5 Yiheyuan Road, 100872 Beijing, China. Or fax the registration form to (8610) 6275-1976. Or email the form to ifdd2007@163.com.

For questions about submitting abstracts or other matters, please contact the conference secretariat. Telephone: (8610) 6275-1974. Fax: (8610) 6275-1976. Email: ifdd2007@163.com.