Action in support of persons with disabilities
In September 2011, the Executive Secretary appointed a full time Focal Point responsible for the follow-up of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and endorsed the Joint Plan of Action of the Interagency Support Group (IASG) of the Convention. To support the implementation of the Convention, ECLAC’s contribution is oriented toward awareness raising, research and access to knowledge, in addition to the ongoing technical assistance offered by the Population Division (CELADE) to harmonize data collection through censuses. ECLAC’s considers the follow-up of the Convention an important tool to respond to its mandate to contribute to strengthen democracy and give support to its Member States in moving toward greater equality under an entitlement-based approach to rights.

Activities:
a) A survey on the follow-up of CRPD and the situation of persons with disabilities was sent to the 20 countries of Latin America (including Haiti) to collect information on available statistical data and public policies from: 1) National statistical Institutes; 2) Governmental institutions for disability; 3) National NGOS for persons with visual and motor disabilities (October 2011– February 2012). Responses were received from 19 National Statistical Institutes; 9 governmental institutions and NGOs from 9 countries.
b) Creation of a specialized online resources guide on Disability produced by ECLAC Library and the Division for Social Development to disseminate the CRPD and the Interamerican Convention; substantives reports; statistics; national, regional and international information; research tools and recent news. The website was launched in December 2011 and is periodically updated [Available at http://biblioguias.cepal.org/discapacidad].
c) One chapter of the 2012 Social Panorama of Latin America (Chapter V) was dedicated to establish a first regional statistical mapping of the situation of persons with disabilities and their needs of support and assistance. This chapter was prepared by the Social Development Division jointly with ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean and the Population Division (CELADE). [See online at http://www.cepal.org/publicaciones/xml/8/49398/2012-960-PSI_WEB.pdf]
d) Incorporation of a thematic portal on Disability in the virtual network LACSIN (RISALC): the knowledge platform managed by ECLAC Social Development Division [Launched on 25 June 2012; available at http://www.risalc.org/portal/].
e) Publication of the 15th issue of the newsletter Challenges published by ECLAC in collaboration with UNICEF on the Rights of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities. The Spanish version is already available online and the English version will be issued shortly. [See online at: http://www.cepal.org/]
f) An Expert meeting on Expert meeting to define strategic priorities for the regional agenda regarding the situation of persons with disabilities was held at ECLAC’s headquarters on 14-15 May 2013. The main objective of this expert meeting was to analyse the situation of persons with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean and to define strategic priorities for the regional agenda to impulse joint initiatives between governmental organisms and civil society organizations. The recommendations presented to the Secretariat of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a regional contribution to the position document that will be presented at the High Level Meeting to be held on 23 September 2013 at the opening of the United Nations’ General Assembly [Documentation of the meeting is available online at: http://biblioguias.cepal.org/discapacidad]
g) Establishment of a task force by the Statistical Conference of the Americas (SCA) (Santiago, November 2013) comprising representatives from Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic to coordinate the drafting of a regional report on the statistical information available in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and the difficulties encountered in assessing the status of persons with disabilities, for submission at the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the Statistical Conference of the Americas, in 2014. As of this report 34 national offices of the region had responded to the request of statistical and qualitative information regarding their activities of measurement and further response is being sought from the others. Once presented the report and received the comments of the Executive Committee, the mandate received calls on the task force “to liaise with the member countries of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics and with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization to look into avenues for collaboration and into the possibility of holding two subregional training workshops at national statistical offices in Latin America and the Caribbean in preparation for the next round of censuses”.
h) At the request of Ms. María Soledad Cisternas, President of UN Expert Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, statistical information on the situation of women and girls with disability will be processed on the basis of information being collected in item g) to contribute to a regional report on the issue.
i) Preparation of a state of the art document and analysis of public policies on inclusive education in all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean that will also contribute to the implementation of the Regional Observatory on Inclusive Education (CLADES-Brazil/ ECLAC) (Starting date: 7 April 2014).
j) Organization of an Interactive Dialogue with civil society on Disability, Development and National policies in Chile that will be held at ECLAC headquarters on 30 May 2014 in coordination with recognized organizations of persons with disability and the President of the UN Expert Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the participation as observers of the national authorities and international community in posted in Chile.

Beneficiaries:
National statistical offices of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (items a and g);
Non-governmental organizations of persons with disabilities and national authorities in Chile and Latin America (items f and j);
UN Expert Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (item h);
Users of ECLAC publications and websites (all other items).

Partnerships and Financing
Even though ECLAC activities have been mainly carried out through its limited Regular Budget, additional funding was received in 2013 from UNICEF to process specific data analysis for Chapter V of the Social Panorama and the Challenges newsletter [items c) and e)] and funding from the World Bank and the Saldarriaga Concha Fundation was received to organize the Expert meeting mentioned in item f).
Activities being carried out in 2014 (items g to i) are carried out in collaboration with the Statistical Conference of the Americas, the President of the UN Expert Committee on the Rights of Persons with disability, CLADES-Brazil and the organizations and national authorities of PwD in Chile.

http://biblioguias.cepal.org/discapacidad

Action in support of persons with disabilities
In September 2011, the Executive Secretary appointed a full time Focal Point responsible for the follow-up of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and endorsed the Joint Plan of Action of the Interagency Support Group (IASG) of the Convention. To support the implementation of the Convention, ECLAC’s contribution is oriented toward awareness raising, research and access to knowledge, in addition to the ongoing technical assistance offered by the Population Division (CELADE) to harmonize data collection through censuses. ECLAC’s considers the follow-up of the Convention an important tool to respond to its mandate to contribute to strengthen democracy and give support to its Member States in moving toward greater equality under an entitlement-based approach to rights.

Activities:
a) A survey on the follow-up of CRPD and the situation of persons with disabilities was sent to the 20 countries of Latin America (including Haiti) to collect information on available statistical data and public policies from: 1) National statistical Institutes; 2) Governmental institutions for disability; 3) National NGOS for persons with visual and motor disabilities (October 2011– February 2012). Responses were received from 19 National Statistical Institutes; 9 governmental institutions and NGOs from 9 countries.
b) Creation of a specialized online resources guide on Disability produced by ECLAC Library and the Division for Social Development to disseminate the CRPD and the Interamerican Convention; substantives reports; statistics; national, regional and international information; research tools and recent news. The website was launched in December 2011 and is periodically updated [Available at http://biblioguias.cepal.org/discapacidad].
c) One chapter of the 2012 Social Panorama of Latin America (Chapter V) was dedicated to establish a first regional statistical mapping of the situation of persons with disabilities and their needs of support and assistance. This chapter was prepared by the Social Development Division jointly with ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean and the Population Division (CELADE). [See online at http://www.cepal.org/publicaciones/xml/8/49398/2012-960-PSI_WEB.pdf]
d) Incorporation of a thematic portal on Disability in the virtual network LACSIN (RISALC): the knowledge platform managed by ECLAC Social Development Division [Launched on 25 June 2012; available at http://www.risalc.org/portal/].
e) Publication of the 15th issue of the newsletter Challenges published by ECLAC in collaboration with UNICEF on the Rights of Children and Adolescents with Disabilities. The Spanish version is already available online and the English version will be issued shortly. [See online at: http://www.cepal.org/]
f) An Expert meeting on Expert meeting to define strategic priorities for the regional agenda regarding the situation of persons with disabilities was held at ECLAC’s headquarters on 14-15 May 2013. The main objective of this expert meeting was to analyse the situation of persons with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean and to define strategic priorities for the regional agenda to impulse joint initiatives between governmental organisms and civil society organizations. The recommendations presented to the Secretariat of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a regional contribution to the position document that will be presented at the High Level Meeting to be held on 23 September 2013 at the opening of the United Nations’ General Assembly [Documentation of the meeting is available online at: http://biblioguias.cepal.org/discapacidad]

Partnerships and Financing:
Even though ECLAC activities have been mainly carried out through its limited Regular Budget, additional funding was received from UNICEF to process specific data analysis for Chapter V of the Social Panorama and the Challenges newsletter [items c) and e)] and funding from the World Bank and the Saldarriaga Concha Fundation was received to organize the Expert meeting mentioned in item f).