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Start Time :

December 2, 2019

Finish Time :

December 10, 2019

European Disability and Development Week 2019

The fourth edition of the European Disability and Development Week (EDDW) will take place from Monday 2 December to Tuesday 10 December 2019. Celebrating both the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and the Human Rights Day, the EDDW aims at raising awareness on the rights of persons with disabilities and the breadth and variety of disability inclusion in development, as well as fostering dialogue amongst policy-makers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders concerned with inclusive development.

This year, EDDW19 gathers 12 events taking place all over Europe.

Programme EDDW19

Monday 2 December

10:00 – 13:00 | Group Homes – A Defensible Investment?

Roundtable about the role of international donors and organisations in perpetuating the social exclusion and segregation of children and adults with disabilities.

Organisers: European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) with Disability Rights International (DRI) and the Validity Foundation in cooperation with Julie Ward Member of European Parliament (MEP)

Location: Brussels, Belgium – European Parliament
Registration: please click here. Registration will close on 22 November 2019.
Contact: Ines Bulic Cojocariu, ENIL – ines.bulic@enil.eu


17:00 – 19:00 | #EDDW19 photo exhibition – “Together for Inclusion”

Reception to launch the winning photos of the 2019 Together for Inclusion photo contest.

Organisers: International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) with European Commission, DG International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO)

Location: Brussels, Belgium – DG DEVCO, European Commission
Registration: By invitation only
Contact: Angélique Hardy, IDDC Secretariat – coordinator@iddcconsortium.net



Tuesday 3 December

08:30 – 15:00 | The Forgotten People: Including Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action

Conference focusing on the inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities in humanitarian action.

Organisers: The Atlas Alliance, Save the Children Norway, Inclusion International together with the Norwegian Association for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NFU)

Location: Oslo, Norway – Oslo Congress Centre
Registration: To register
Contact: Manel Mhiri, Inclusion International – manel@inclusion-international.org


10:00 – 17:00 | An Untapped Potential: How disability inclusive is the Dutch development sector?

Launch of a new report entitled An Untapped Potential: How disability inclusive is the Dutch development sector? Steps taken since the ratification of UN CRPD

Organisers: Dutch Coalition on Disability and Development (DCDD)

Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands – Gelijk=Gelijk conference in Jaarbeurs; and also follow online via @DCDD_nl
Registration: To register for participation in the event in Utrecht
Contact: Lieke Scheewe, DCDD – l.scheewe@dcdd.nl


13:30 – 17:30 | Inclusive Development now!:  5 years of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Switzerland and its impact on Switzerland’s international cooperation

Conference focusing on disability-inclusive development in Switzerland’s international cooperation.

Organisers: Swiss Coalition for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in International Cooperation (SDIC) together with CBM Switzerland, Handicap International, FAIRMED and the International Disability Alliance (IDA)

Location: Berne, Switzerland – Kursaal Berne
Registration: To register
Contact: Maria-Theres Schuler, CBM Switzerland – maria-theres.schuler@cbmswiss.ch


3 December – online | Good practices of the inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action

Online launch of a new joint report entitled Good practices of the inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action

Organisers: Humanity & Inclusion (HI), CBM, the International Disability Alliance (IDA)

Location: Online via social media – follow @HI_Advocacy #WeInclude
Contact: Aurélie Beaujolais, Humanity & Inclusion (HI) – a.beaujolais@hi.org



Wednesday 4 December

14:00 – 15:30 | Rehabilitation for inclusive development: optimal functioning, full participation!

Panel debate on the role of rehabilitation in development policies and programming and its potential to implement the “leave no one behind” imperative and Article 26 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Organisers: Humanity & Inclusion (HI) with Liliane Fonds, International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) and Light for the World

Location: Brussel, Belgium – WWF Office
Registration: To register
Contact: Valentina Pomatto, Humanity & Inclusion – V.Pomatto@hi.org



Thursday 5 December

09:00 – 16:30 | Disability inclusion in development cooperation – The European way forward

Bridging the Gap stakeholders conference focusing on policies and practices of different stakeholders towards achieving disability inclusion in international cooperation.

Organisers: Bridging the Gap with IDDC and the European Disability Forum (EDF)

Location: Brussel, Belgium – European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

Registration: By invitation only
Contact: Alessia Rogai, Bridging the Gap/IDDC – alessia.rogai@iddcconsortium.net


17:30 – 19:30 | Organisations of persons with disabilities in international cooperation – launch of the Innovation to Inclusion programme

Cocktail reception to launch the Innovation to Inclusion (i2i) programme – focus on the role of organisations of persons with disabilities (DPOs) in international cooperation and the i2i programme which focuses on innovative inclusive employment to include women and men with disabilities in Kenya and Bangladesh.

Organisers: European Disability Forum, Leonard Cheshire and the i2i Consortium

Location: Brussel, Belgium – Thon Hotel EU
Registration: To register
Contact: Marion Steff, EDF – marion.steff@edf-feph.org


17:00 – 19:00 | Disability and Development Seminar – International and Local Perspectives

A seminar to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities and growing interest in disability and the Institute of Disability Studies (IDS), University of Sussex and beyond. Speakers sharing an international development perspective as well as the local perspective, with a focus on research and advocacy.

Organisers: Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex

Location: Brighton, United Kingdom – Convening Space, IDS, University of Sussex
Registration: No registration required – all welcome!
Contact: Mary Wickenden, IDS – M.Wickenden@ids.ac.uk



Friday 6 December

15:00 – 16:00 | Making the case for Rehabilitation in Universal Health Coverage

Webinar providing a space for discussing the financial barriers to access rehabilitation, the reasons these barriers exist and how they can be addressed to ensure that everyone can reach the highest attainable standard of health.

Organisers: Humanity & Inclusion and the World Health Organisation (WHO)

Location: Online webinar
Registration: To register
Contact: Valentina Pomatto, Humanity & Inclusion – V.Pomatto@hi.org



Tuesday 10 December

14:00 – 17:00 | The Importance of Investing in Disability-Inclusive Education

Roundtable discussion which will revolve around a case study that will be approached from the various perspectives of DPOs, institutional actors and mainstream development organisation, to raise awareness, identify best practices and highlight the positive returns of disability-inclusive education and early childhood development for children with disabilities and their communities.

Organisers: Light for the World and the European Disability Forum (EDF)

Location: Brussels, Belgium – Mundo-Madou building
Registration: To register
Contact: Sarah Hull, Light for the World – eu@light-for-the-world.org