HUMAN RIGHTS. YES!

PART 4:
LEARNING ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS


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PART 4:
LEARNING ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS

 


Section 3:
Learning Exercises for Part 2

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

 

EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 11:
LIVING INDEPENDENTLY AND
WITH DIGNITY IN THE COMMUNITY


 

EXERCISE 11.1:
What Does it Mean to Live Independently and with Dignity in the Community?

Objective: To understand what it means to live independently and with dignity

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk

1. Define and Consider:

The facilitator should ask the group the following questions and list the responses:

· What does “living independently” mean to you? To your community?

· Where and how do most persons with disabilities live in your communities ?

· Who in your community is typically placed in an institution? What kinds of disabilities do they typically have?

· Do you know persons with disabilities who live independently according to your definition?

 

2. Analyze:

Emphasize that all human beings have a right to live with dignity and equality. Ask the group the following questions and list the responses:

· What does “living with dignity” mean to you?

· Do you think persons with disabilities would give the same definition as persons who do not currently have a disability?

· Do you think most persons with disabilities in your community live in dignity? Who in particular do you think does live in dignity? Who does not?

 

3. Discuss:

What can be done to ensure that all persons with disabilities in the community can live in dignity? Can live independently?

 

EXERCISE 11.2:
Understanding Barriers to Enjoyment of the Right to Live Independently and with Dignity in the Community

Objective: To understand barriers to living independently and with dignity

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of the CRPD

 

1. Introduce:

· Ask for examples of barriers that prevent some persons with disabilities in the community from living independently and with dignity. List these examples.

· Are some groups of persons with disabilities especially prevented from living independently and with dignity? Why?

 

2. Discuss:

Divide participants into small groups of two or three. Ask each to make up a short fictional but typical biography of a person with disabilities in this community, describing how he or she was denied the right to live independently or with dignity.

Alternative: Present these “biographies” as role-plays.

3. Report/Analyze:

Ask each group to present its “biography.” After each, discuss what specific human rights were violated in this fictional person’s story. List these violations.

4. Analyze/Discuss

Discuss with the group what it would take for each of these fictional persons to achieve the right to live independently and with dignity. You might frame this as how to reverse the negative biographies and violations reported in Step 3.

· Consider the various supports guaranteed in Article 12, Equal recognition before the law; Article 19, Living independently and being included in the community; and Article 28, Adequate standard of living and social protection.

· What could be done to obtain these supports?

· Would it help to advocate for these supports in terms of human rights?

 

EXERCISE 11.3:

Understanding the Right to Live Independently and with Dignity in the Community

Objective: To review and understand the right to live independently and with dignity affirmed by the CRPD

Time: 45 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of CRPD Articles 12, 19, and 28, and related questions

1. Paraphrase and Discuss:

Divide participants into three groups and assign each one of the CRPD articles: Article 12, Equal recognition before the law; Article 19, Living independently and being included in the community; and Article 28, Adequate standard of living and social protection. (Because of its length, you may want to divide Article 19 among three groups, with items 4 and 5 being considered by separate groups). Give each group copies of its respective article and the additional questions about the article.

Assignment:

(a) Paraphrase all parts of the article into everyday language. Write your paraphrase on chart paper.

(b) Answer the following questions about your article:

Article 12, Equal recognition before the law

· What do you think is meant in Part 1 by “recognition everywhere as persons before the law”?

· What do you think is meant in Part 2 by “enjoy legal capacity”?

· What kind of support do you think is intended in Part 3 by “support they may require in exercising their legal capacity”?

· What are some examples of “the exercise of legal capacity” mentioned in Part 4?

Article 19, Living independently and being included in the community

· What do you think is meant by “independent living”? Give some examples.

· What do you think is meant by “full inclusion and participation in the community”?

Article 28, Adequate standard of living and social protection

· What do you think is meant in Part 1 by “adequate standard of living”?

· What do you think is meant in Part 1 by “continuous improvement of living conditions”?

· What do you think is meant in Part 2 by “social protection”?

· What “services, devices and other assistance” do you think are meant in Part 2(a)?

 

2. Report:

Ask each group to post their paraphrase and read it aloud with the whole group, pausing at each phrase to ask if participants have questions or alternative language. Ask them to explain their answers to the questions that come with each article. Try to arrive at a clean and clearly understandable version of each article. Write each on chart paper and read aloud.

3. Give examples:

Ask for examples of how these rights could be enjoyed and make a difference for persons with disabilities.

4. Discuss:

How can these articles be used to set national disability rights agendas and formulate platforms of action for submission to political parties of government decision makers?

 

 

EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 12:
ACCESS TO JUSTICE

 

EXERCISE 12.1:
Turning to the Justice System

Objective: To recognize the complexity of the justice system and how people use it

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk

 

1. Brainstorm:

Ask participants to name some typical reasons that people in their community turn to the justice system. List as many of these as possible, using a model of the chart found below. Include issues related to property, family matters, violent crimes, or instances where one person has hurt another but the act is not considered a crime (for example, making false spoken or written statements about a person). For each reason given, ask what institutions people turn to for justice in each situation (for example, police, council of elders, religious authorities, magistrates, courts).

REASON FOR TURNING TO THE
JUSTICE SYSTEM
INSTITUTION
TURNED TO
ROLES IN THIS INSTITUTION

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

2. List:

Ask what are the various roles individuals play in these institutions of the justice system mentioned in Step 1 (for example, victim, perpetrator, witness, police, elder, lawyer, judge, specialized expert, juror, prison official) and list these on the chart.

· Do persons with disabilities usually play any of these roles in your community? Check those that apply.

 

3. Discuss:

Consider those roles that persons with disabilities do not play:

· What happens when persons with disabilities are excluded from these roles and thus from full participation in the justice system? To the person with disabilities? To the justice system?

· Why do you think persons with disabilities are excluded from these roles?

· What can be done to increase the participation of persons with disabilities in the justice system?

 

 

EXERCISE 12.2:
Barriers to the Justice System

Objective: To identify barriers to participation in the justice system faced by persons with disabilities

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: List of roles generated in Exercise 12.1

 

1. Analyze:

Using the list of persons and institutions involved when people turn to the justice system generated in Exercise 12.1, ask each participant (or pair of participants) to choose one role and to evaluate the barriers a person with a disability might face in fulfilling this role.

2. Role Play:

Ask each participant or pair to report on their analysis and to role-play at least one of the barriers a person with a disability would face in fulfilling this role.

3. Discuss:

· What are the consequences when persons with disabilities are excluded from full participation in the justice system? To the person with a disability? To the justice system? To society as a whole?

· Which barriers have the greatest effect on persons with disabilities? On the justice system? On society as a whole?

· What can be done to eliminate these most significant barriers to full participation? List these barriers and save the list for reuse in Exercise 12.3.

EXERCISE 12.3:

What Rights to Access to Justice Does the CRPD Affirm?

Objective: To review and understand the right to access to justice affirmed by the CRPD

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of Article 13 of the CRPD

 

1. Review:

Divide the participants into small groups. Ask each group to work together to paraphrase Article 13, Access to justice, in common language and give some examples of how that right could be enjoyed and make a difference for persons with disabilities in their community.

2. Paraphrase:

Read Article 13 aloud. Pause at each natural section to ask different groups for their paraphrase. Discuss the meaning of the section until everyone can agree on a paraphrase. Write the final paraphrase of Article 13 on chart paper and read aloud.

3. Give examples:

Ask for examples of how that right could be enjoyed and make a difference for persons with disabilities.

4. Discuss:

· How can Article 13 of the CRPD be used to set national disability rights agendas and formulate platforms of action for submission to political parties or government decision makers?

· How can it be used to engage in dialogues with court administrators and ministries of justice?

 

 

EXERCISES FOR CHAPTER 13
THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION

 

EXERCISE 13.1:
What Rights to Education Does the CRPD Affirm?

Objective: To review and understand the right to education affirmed by the CRPD

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of CRPD Article 24

1. Review:

Divide the participants into small groups. Give each group a copy of Article 24, Education, and ask them to work together to paraphrase it in common language. Since the article is quite long, you may wish to assign different parts to different groups.

2. Paraphrase:

Read Article 24 aloud. Pause at each comma or natural section to ask different groups for their paraphrase. Discuss the meaning of the section until everyone can agree on a paraphrase.

Write the final paraphrase of Article 24 on chart paper and read aloud.

3. Give Examples:

Encourage participants to draw from their past experiences and give some examples of how the right to education could be enjoyed and make a difference for persons with disabilities in their community.

4. Discuss:

How can Article 24 of the CRPD be used to set national disability rights agendas and formulate platforms of action for submission to political parties or government decision makers?

 

 

EXERCISE 13.2:
Experiencing Education

Objective: To discuss improvements to the education system

Time: 45 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk

1. Introduce:

Divide participants into groups of 2-3 to discuss the following:

· In what type of school setting did you receive your education (e.g. inclusive school, mainstream/integrated school, or a segregated school)?

· Describe the best parts of your educational experience. What made it so good?

· Describe the worst parts of your educational experience. What made it so bad?

· Did your worst experiences violate the right to education?

 

2. Report:

Ask a spokesperson from each group to summarize their discussion:

· What kinds of educational environments did persons experience?

· What factors created good or bad educational experiences? List them.

3. Discuss:

· Does the current education system support persons with disabilities and provide reasonable accommodations? Should it?

· Consider the roles that persons with disabilities currently play in the education system: what happens when persons with disabilities are excluded from these roles or excluded entirely from the education system?

· Now consider what changes or improvements you would make to prevent others from experiencing the same barriers to education.

 

 

EXERCISE 13.3:

Identifying the Causes of Discrimination in Education

Objective: To analyze the causes of educational discrimination

Time: 45 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of Causation Map

1. Brainstorm:

· Ask participants what they consider to be the principal problems of discrimination or barriers to persons with disabilities accessing quality education. List these problems.

· Solicit input from other persons who have noticed the problem and/or are affected by it.

· List the barriers and instances of discrimination as they are mentioned.

2. Explain:

Divide participants into small groups and ask each group to choose a problem to analyze from the list created above. Give each group copies of the Causation Map. Explain that their task is to break the problem down into manageable parts. Give these instructions and introduce the Causation Map, explaining that it pushes you to consider all possible causes of the problem. Illustrate how to use the diagram using a simple example.

3. Analyze:

Give these instructions:

Step 1: Identify the problem. Write down the problem experienced on a flip chart as the first heading in an outline.

Step 2: What are the major causes that contribute to the problem? These might involve people, systems, equipment, cultural attitudes, or external forces. Write down each cause as a sub-heading under the problem.

Step 3: Taking each cause identified in Step 2, identify possible sub-causes for that cause. Write these sub-causes on the outline.

Alternative: Do the analysis above, using the causation diagram below. Write down the problem identified in the centre of the diagram and circle it. Next, write down each cause in an inner circle around the problem listed in the centre of the diagram. Finally, write sub-causes in the outer rim of the circle. This diagram helps to show the relationship between the problem identified and its causes and sub-causes.

 

3. Report/Discuss:

Ask a spokesperson from each group to state their problem and summarize their analysis, using the outline created on the chart paper. (Present the diagram that was created if this option was utilized).

4. Summarize:

Ask participants to draw some general conclusions from these analyses, asking questions like these:

· Did you observe any similarities in these analyses?

· Were similar causes and sub-causes identified?

· Why do you think the same causes were identified in so many diagrams?

· Can you use this analysis to investigate or create plans for taking action to address some of the principal causes of the problems analyzed here?

 

 

EXERCISE 13.4:

Speaking Up for Education

Objective: To examine discrimination in education systems and consider how to take action against it

Time: 60 minutes

Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk

 

1. Introduce:

Reintroduce the list of discrimination or barriers in accessing quality education used in Exercise 13.2. Observe that while that exercise looked at the causes of these problems, this one seeks to articulate them and look for solutions.

2. Plan:

Divide participants into small groups of 3-6 participants. Ask each group to choose a problem from the list that they would like to focus on. Give these instructions:

(a) Plan a five-minute presentation to a mock “Board of Education” that includes teachers, administrators, and parents.

(b) Ask groups to choose a spokesperson for the presentation and someone to serve on the “Board of Education.”

(c) While the groups plan presentations, each member of the “Board of Education” meets to decide on their roles. These roles should reflect the attitudes, both positive and negative, found in the community. Roles might include teacher, parent, peer, administrator, religious or community leader, or government official.

(d) Presentations should:

· Describe the discrimination, including whom it affects and some of its causes;

· Relate the discrimination to a human right in the CRPD;

· Describe the discrimination’s affect on the lives of persons with disabilities;

· Describe how addressing the problem can improve the lives of persons with disabilities; and

· Propose next steps or specific actions that can be taken to address the problem.

 

3. Role-Play/Discuss:

Have the spokesperson from each group make a presentation to the “Board.” Encourage members of the “Board” to respond according to their role.

4. Discuss/Draw Conclusions:

Debrief each presentation by asking for questions, comments, objections, or suggestions from the larger group. Ask questions like these:

· How did the spokesperson feel when presenting the problem?

· How did the “Board” react? What attitudes and barriers were represented?

· Were the responses of the “Board” typical of opinion in your community?

· Were the problems presented human rights issues?

· Was the tactic for addressing the problem feasible in your education system? Why or why not?

· What would be the next step in real life for addressing this problem?

 

 


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