Policy paper

The Leprosy Mission International

Published 23 July 2018

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

Form for submitting commitments for the Global Disability Summit 2018

Your organisation

Type of organisation: Civil Society Organisation If other: Click or tap here to enter text. Name of organisation: The Leprosy Mission International

Charter for Change

Please read the attached Summit Charter for Change: the principal legacy of the Summit. If your organisation is happy to sign up to the Charter, please confirm by putting a cross in the box below.

My organisation signs up to the Summit Charter for Change ☒

Your organisation’s commitments to achieve the rights of people with disabilities in developing countries

A. Commitments to eliminate Stigma and Discrimination:

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Policy, legislation and its implementation

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who has supported its development (75 words limit):

Persons with leprosy related disabilities are the only group amongst people with disabilities who face ‘legal discrimination’ on account of discriminatory legislations that exist in many countries, denying them some of the critical rights guaranteed under the CRPD such as the right to political participation and equal recognition before the law. The Leprosy Mission is fully committed to ending stigma and discrimination by working along with persons affected by empowering them to combat discriminatory laws.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

By 2023, TLM will endeavour to reduce discriminatory laws by 75% and ensure at least 50% of the leprosy endemic countries address stigma and discrimination under the international treaties ratified by them. We will work with the CRPD Committee to ensure 21 leprosy endemic state parties to CRPD promote human rights of persons with leprosy related disabilities.

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Representation and empowerment of persons with disabilities

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who has supported its development (75 words limit):

TLM commits to supporting people disabled by leprosy to actively participate in the disability movement to strive towards the implementation of the UNCRPD. It will support the empowerment of people affected by leprosy through rights awareness, support for mental wellbeing, skills development and strengthening of leprosy people’s organisations. .

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

By 2023, TLM through its collaboration and partnership with the Disabled People’s International will ensure persons with leprosy related disabilities and their representative organizations are members of the DPOs in the countries where we work and the Member National Assemblies represent the rights of persons with leprosy related disabilities. We will continue to advocate for inclusion of information on persons with leprosy related disabilities by the state parties article 35 of the CRPD.

B. Commitments for Economic Empowerment:

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Skills development for decent work

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):

TLM commits to supporting the training of people with disabilities, including those disabled by leprosy by providing them with the technical and life/business-skills in the areas of micro-credit/self-employment to be able to access decent and full employment, whilst working with employers to sensitise and motivate them to provide inclusive and accessible workplaces.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

By 2023 TLM will ensure training of people with disabilities, and sensitisation and motivation of employers which is integral to its programme in countries that are engaged in economic empowerment projects.

C. Commitments for Technology and Innovation:

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Additional resources

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):

TLM commits to investing in producing good quality and aesthetically inclusive assistive devices (from protective footwear to Above-Knee Prosthetics and everything in between) and to ensuring they are available to all who need them along with appropriate support in their effective use and maintenance. TLM will continue to invest in utilising new technologies, including 3D Printing/Milling to ensure that our assistive devices are the best they can be whilst continuing to expand access and affordability.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

Use of 3D Milling technology for protective footwear started in India and is gradually expanding there through 2018 – 2022. Extension projects will be added in Nepal and Sri Lanka over 2019 – 2022, along with operational research on its impact. This will inform plans for subsequent replication in Africa – probably starting with Nigeria, and other Asian countries.

D. Commitments for Data Disaggregation:

Please select the category which your commitment most relates to: Commit to use the Washington Group questions

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):

TLM commits to using the Washington Group Questions (WGQ) as part of its data collection processes to gather disability data to information project, local and national planning. We will advocate with other disability stakeholders in countries where we work to ensure that WGQ are used in the national census survey and other administrative data that is collected is inclusive of vulnerable groups such as persons with leprosy related disabilities.

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

By 2023….. TLM will be using the disaggregated disability data to plan, implement and measure our interventions apart from sharing the same with other partner organizations to avoid duplication of interventions and to maximize our reach.

E. Commitments for Women and Girls with Disabilities:

Please enter the exact wording of the commitment/s, including details of others who have supported its development (75 words limit):

Women with leprosy related disabilities face ‘triple jeopardy’ in the communities they live due to disability, poverty and discrimination on account of stigma attached to leprosy. Stigma attached to leprosy deprives them of certain human rights such as respect for home and family as guaranteed under article 23 of the CRPD. We are committed to protecting women with leprosy related disabilities from becoming victims of domestic violence. .

Timeframe and/or implementation plan (75 words limit)

By 2023, TLM will ensure gender disaggregated data and gender analysis in all the steps of the project cycle. We will integrate /specifically target gender equality/equity in our programmes. We will continue to promote dialogue/work with partners on promoting gender awareness and equality/equity.