Improving the Lives of People with Disability Worldwide
Joint Media Release The Hon Jan McLucas parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers with The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, 5 December 2011
Improving the Lives of People with Disability Worldwide
The Australian Government today announced support to improve the lives of people with disability worldwide at a symposium on the World Health Organisation and World Bank's World Report on Disability in Sydney.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas said the Australian Government will contribute $2 million towards a new United Nations Trust Fund to assist countries to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The United Nations Trust Fund will support developing legislation to protect the rights of people with disability, improving the delivery of services, encouraging dialogue between governments and persons with disability and improving the data and research on disability.
The report provides an extensive review of the challenges people with disability face around the world, including their experiences of inequality, and recommendations on how to overcome these barriers.
It recommends that all governments enable access to all mainstream policies, systems and services, adopt a national disability strategy and plan of action, and increase public awareness and understanding of disability.
To read the media release in full, visit:
http://www.janmclucas.fahcsia.gov.au/mediareleases/2011/pages/jmc_m_pwd_5december2011.aspx
