 UNCRPD Disability Inclusion Training Page

A two-day training on UN CRPD was facilitated by Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation, Disability Rights Fund Project, who provided ample opportunities for participants to actively engage and share experience on various aspects aligning the CRPD with other human rights and policies.

The two-day interactive discussion highlighted that Persons with disabilities need to be consulted on relevant issues that concerns them directly, whether on education, health, rehabilitation, or community living. Providing reasonable accommodation may be necessary to enable some persons with disabilities to communicate their needs and choices and voicing out their opinions.

This is the first UNCRPD training conducted by the Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation to engage National Council of Persons with Disabilities and to FVTTC Staffs teachers and it was important to understand the roles of the States Parties/Government as stipulated in the Convention

A few things that came out loudly was the demarcation of roles and responsibility by each OPD’s and NCPD was well identified by participants and are encouraged to align their scope of work tothe UNCRPD. This is to ensure procedures and processes are needed to make it clear where the responsibility lies for coordination, decision-making, regular monitoring and reporting, and control of resources.

Also the strengthening partnership with National Council of Persons with relevant Government Focal Point and stakeholders for improving the well-being of

Ms. Savaira Tinai DRF Project Co-ordinator referring to charts group presentation reflection on disability updates for Fiji for the past 7years

Ms Kajal a representative from the National Council of Persons with Disabilities and Salote of Viti Spinal during a group discussion.

persons with disabilities and should cover both mainstream policy and programme areas and specific services for persons with disabilities.

Barriers to participation of persons with disabilities need to be identified and removed, and making changes to laws, policies, institutions, and environments through advocacy and lobbying.

Improving human resource - Capacity-Human resource capacity can be improved through effective education, training, and recruitment. Relevant training on disa- Training Facilitators, Ms. Savaira Tinai & Ms. Senimilia Seru assisting the group during a discussion on understanding progressive realizability, which incorporates human tion: From L-R: Ilisabeta of Counterstroke, Amari of FVTCC, Kajal of rights principles, should be inte- NCPD, Salote of Viti Spinal, Peniasi of FDPF and Semiti of United Blind grated into current programmes. Persons of Fiji In-service training should be provided to staffs providing and managing services.

Inclusion Fiji participant Mr. Serupepeli Volavola participating during a group discussion with the CDPD Staff

L-R: Tepola Rasari, Karishma, Kajol and Seru There were a total of 37 participants, of whom 15 participants identified were new to the training on UNCRPD.

The FDPF would like to acknowledged the Disability Rights Fund & Disability Rights Advocacy Fund for its continuous funding support aiming to support the advancement of the CRPD at the national levels through lobbying and implementation, also making sure that developments programs, policies and plans are inclusive of persons with disabilities using the CRPD as a guideline.

The training was on the 9 - 10 August, 2022 at the FVTTC Hall, NCDP Complex, 3 Brown

Street, Suva

The Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure and Meteorological Service, Mr. Taitusi Vakadravuyaca “Bringing together a diversity of stakeholders and gathering their valuable feedback will undeniably help the Fiji Meteorological Service improve flood early warning in Fiji.”

The Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure and Meteorological Service, Mr. Taitusi Vakadravuyaca in his opening address at the Fiji National Flood Early Warning Stakeholder Workshop at the Holiday Inn, said that the workshop held was another important step

in their project.

The Fiji Meteorological Service has been working with the Pacific Community since February of this year to determine the technical support that may be beneficial to improving and strengthening Flash Flood Early Warning Systems in Fiji. This has been made possible through the Hydrology Support for Flash Flood Early Warning Sys- Participants for the Fiji National Flood Early Warning Staketems project, in collaboration with the holders Workshop at the Holiday Inn Foreshore. Pacific Community (SPC) and funding support by the Australian Water Partnership (AWP).

Mr. Vakadravuyaca added that it was the hope of the Fiji Meteorological Service that the stakeholder engagement would be an essential mechanism that will promote a shared understanding of the value of flood early warnings as well as foster a shared understanding of different stakeholder’s requirements of flood early warning in Fiji.

Furthermore, outputs of the project will include the improvement of flash flood early warning systems in a pilot catchment in Fiji, to demonstrate an approach for the strategic development of an upscaled programme of support for building surface water hydrological capacity and systems to address flash flooding and other hydrological needs in the Pacific.

The Fiji National Flood Early Warning Stakeholder Workshop was held at the Holiday Inn Hotel from the 10th – 11th of August, 2021 in Suva, Fiji

The Fijian Elections Office (FEO), in ensuring the general election is accessible for everyone, have prepared and placed an A4-sized voter instruction booklet (VIB) for visually impaired persons at every polling station.

This was one of the outcomes of a meeting held between the Supervisor of Elections and the Elections Disability Access Working Group (EDAWG).

The Elections Disability Access Working Group In a statement, (EDAWG) and the Supervisor of Election in one of their meetings FEO said the VIB contained fonts of larger size to enable those visually impaired to exercise their right to vote in an informed manner.

Voter Instruction Booklet in Braille

“Secondly, the FEO has provided the Fiji Society for the Blind a list of all the candidates in the election and their numbers so that they can prepare this in braille for all of their members,” the statement read.

“The FEO will also be conducting a Community Elections Advocate Training of Trainers with members of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities so that they can conduct community level awareness with their own members in preparing them for the election.”

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said they were trying to ensure that, as far as practicable, the FEO, in collaboration with EDAWG, prepared a general election accessible by all members of the public. “And in turn boosts the confidence in elections with people from all parts of society,” he said. The Fiji National Election was held on the 14 of December 2022 and most persons with disabilities found the booklet and braille version very easy to follow.

Voter Instruction Booklet in easy to Read English version

Voter Instruction Booklet in easy to read Fijian version

Voter Instruction Booklet in easy to read Hindi version