Objective
The objective of the proposed regional working group on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities is to provide technical advice and support to members and associate members, to promote the full and effective implementation of the Decade, 2013–2022.
Functions
In pursuance of the objective stated in paragraph 1 above, the working group shall advise members and associate members on the following:
- Reviews of Decade progress, especially concerning the implementation of the Ministerial Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013–2022, and the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific;
- Regional and subregional cooperation to advance implementation of the Ministerial Declaration and the Incheon Strategy;
- Research on the evolving situation of persons with disabilities in the Asia-Pacific region;
- Outreach to diverse disability groups at the national and local levels, and networking.
Membership
The working group shall be composed of representatives of ESCAP members and associate members, as well as civil society organizations operating at the regional and subregional levels in Asia and the Pacific.
The tenure of working group members shall be five years, with the possibility of extension for another five years.
All ESCAP members and associate members shall be eligible to serve on the working group.
The working group should be composed of 30 members, taking into account gender equality: 15 from members and associate members and 15 from civil society organizations. At least half of the seats allocated for civil society organizations should be guaranteed for persons with disabilities and emerging civil society organizations.
A civil society entity that meets the following criteria shall be eligible to serve as a member of the working group: (a) operate at the regional and/or subregional levels in Asia and the Pacific; (b) be an organization or network that represents, supports and/or promotes the interests of persons with diverse disabilities; (c) has technical expertise relevant to advancing the implementation of the Ministerial Declaration and the Incheon Strategy.
The announcement of interest by individual ESCAP members and associate members, and civil society organizations, in serving as members of the working group shall take place at the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003–2012, 29 October – 2 November 2012, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
The proposed composition of the working group shall be submitted to the Commission at the session that immediately follows the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting, for a final decision. Thus, the Commission at its sixty-ninth session, in 2013, will make the final decision on the composition of the working group for the first term, spanning the period 2013–2017. The second announcement of interest in serving on the working group shall take place at the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting convened on the occasion of the midpoint of the Decade (2017). The Commission at its seventy-fourth session, in 2018, will make the final decision on the composition of the working group for the second term, spanning the period 2018–2022.
ESCAP members and associate members, civil society organizations, in particular, organizations of persons with disabilities, subregional intergovernmental agencies, United Nations agencies, development cooperation agencies and development banks can attend meetings of the working group as observers.
Rules of procedure
The working group shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
Secretariat
The ESCAP secretariat shall serve as the secretariat of the working group. It shall, inter alia, disseminate working group documentation in accessible formats.