AnguillaAntigua and BarbudaBahamasBarbadosBelizeBermudaBritish Virgin IslandsCayman IslandsDominicaGrenadaGuyanaHaitiHealthHome Page SlideshowIn FocusJamaicaMontserratNewsSaint LuciaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSurinameTurks and Caicos IslandsWork Areas slide show

Implementation of the Pétion Ville Declaration, a human rights imperative

This is the position of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Assistant Secretary-General for Human and Social Development Dr. Douglas Slater, in a statement to mark the observance of International Day for Persons with Disabilities, on 3 December 2018.

According to Dr. Slater, the implementation of the Pétion Ville Declaration “will not only contribute towards the achievement of a number of the Sustainable Development Goals, but also to building Social Resilience, a strategic priority of the Caribbean Community’s Strategic Plan 2015 – 2019.

The Assistant Secretary-General noted that the CARICOM Rapporteur on Disabilities, in fulfilling its mandate, will facilitate, on a fast track, a number of actions necessary for achieving the goals embedded in this year’s theme ‘Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality” and by extension advance the establishment of a   of a disability-inclusive society, for all in CARICOM Member States.

 

Read Full text of Message

 

STATEMENT BY DR. DOUGLAS SLATER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL,

HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, CARICOM SECRETARIAT

 ON THE OCCASION OF

DAY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

 

3 DECEMBER 2018

 

 

To this end, implementation of the Pétion Ville Declaration becomes a human rights imperative. Its implementation will not only contribute towards the achievement of a number of the Sustainable Development Goals, it will also contribute to building Social Resilience, the second strategic priority of the Caribbean Community’s Strategic Plan 2015 – 2019.

The CARICOM Rapporteur on Disabilities, in fulfilling its mandate, will facilitate, on a fast track, a number of actions necessary for achieving the goals embedded in this year’s theme ‘Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality” and by extension advance the establishment of a   of a disability-inclusive society, for all in CARICOM Member States.

On 22 September 2018, the Thirty Fifth Council for Human and Social Development endorsed the appointment of a CARICOM Rapporteur on Disabilities.   This appointment represents the culmination of a series of actions undertaken in response to a specific mandate, issued by the CARI COM Conference of Heads of Government at its Thirty-Fourth meeting in July 2013 that priority attention be given to the concerns of persons with disabilities.  In accordance with this decision, a high Level Ministerial Meeting on People with Disabilities was held 5- 6 December, 2013, in Pétion-Ville, Haiti, to further discuss the issues affecting people with disabilities. 

The Pétion Ville Declaration, in spirit and in letter, captures the Region’s commitment to developing an inclusive society which caters for and embraces its citizens with disabilities, both present and future generations.  Further, it recognizes the important contribution, existing and potential, that persons with disabilities can make towards enriching the diversity of our societies.  However, the Pétion Ville Declaration goes beyond delineating the Region’s commitment, it references the needs,  with  non-discrimination being the most fundamental, and challenges faced by people with disabilities which include: society’s role  in creating and maintaining barriers to the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities; and the un-addressed obligation to remove those barriers in order to provide them full access and equal participation; including in the economic,  political and social arenas.

To this end, implementation of the Pétion Ville Declaration becomes a human rights imperative. Its implementation will not only contribute towards the achievement of a number of the Sustainable Development Goals, it will also contribute to building Social Resilience, the second strategic priority of the Caribbean Community’s Strategic Plan 2015 – 2019.  .

The CARICOM Rapporteur on Disabilities, in fulfilling its mandate, will facilitate,  on a fast track, a number of actions necessary for achieving the goals embedded in this year’s theme ‘Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality” and by extension advance the establishment of a   of a disability-inclusive society, for all in CARICOM Member States.

I take this opportunity to wish you all the best on this day.

Read the following statements from:

  1. CARICOM Special Rapporteur on Disabilities, Senator Dr Floyd Morris
  2. Chairman of the Advisory Panel for CARICOM Disabilities, Ms Kerryann Ifill
Tags
Show More
Back to top button