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 1:
EQUALITY AND NON-DISCRIMINATION
EXERCISE 1.1:
What Does It Mean to Enjoy Equality and Non-Discrimination?
Objective: To understand what it means to enjoy equality and non-discrimination
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk
1. Brainstorm/Discuss:
Brainstorm, listing responses to the following questions:
· What does the word equality mean to you?
· What would “enjoying full equality and non-discrimination” mean to you in terms of:
o How you live your life?
o How you treat other people?
o How other people treat you?
o What opportunities you have access to?
o What life experiences you can enjoy?
o How others live and experience their lives?
Review the definitions of formal equality, equality of opportunity, and de facto equality. Ask for examples of each from participants’ personal experiences or observations.
2. Imagine:
Divide participants into small groups. Give these instructions:
Make up a fictional account of a person with a disability who enjoys formal equality of opportunity (for example, at school, in the workplace, in the community) but does not yet enjoy de facto equality with others in that setting. Give the person a name, specific age, disability, and living context. Consider:
· What barriers have been removed or actions taken to ensure that this person enjoys formal equality of opportunity?
· What barriers have not been removed?
· How would de facto equality be different for this person?
3. Present/Discuss:
Ask each group to “introduce” their imagined person. After each presentation, discuss:
· What additional actions are needed to ensure de facto equality for that person?
· Who is responsible for taking those actions and how could they be achieved?
EXERCISE 1.2:
Understanding Barriers to Equality and Non-Discrimination
Objective: To identify barriers to equality and non-discrimination faced by persons with disabilities
Time: 45 minutes
Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk
1. Brainstorm/Discuss:
· Can you think of examples of discrimination and inequality that might be common to different persons with disabilities in their everyday lives? List these.
· In your examples of discrimination and inequality, does the discrimination occur only on the grounds of disability? What other kinds of discrimination might persons with disabilities experience?
· Does discrimination only affect persons with disabilities? What about their friends or families?
2. Analyze:
Break into pairs or small groups and, using the list of examples of discrimination and inequality generated, ask each group or pair to choose one example and discuss among each other:
· Who is responsible for the discrimination and inequality?
· Why might the person or persons responsible engage in the discrimination and violations of equality? Are they even aware they are behaving in a discriminatory way?
· What is the root cause of the discrimination and inequality identified?
3. Role-Play:
Ask each group or pair to report on their analysis and to role-play at least one of the barriers or root causes of discrimination and inequality that a person with a disability might face.
4. Discuss:
· What are the consequences when the root causes of discrimination and inequality are not addressed? To the person with a disability? To society as a whole?
· Which root causes/barriers have the greatest effect on persons with disabilities? On society as a whole?
· What can be done to eliminate these most significant uses and/or barriers to full enjoyment of the principles of equality and non-discrimination?
· What can be done to make persons aware that they are behaving in ways that continue discrimination against persons with disabilities?
EXERCISE 1.3:
Understanding Equality and Non-Discrimination
Objective: To review and understand the equality and non-discrimination provisions of the CRPD
Time: 45 minutes
Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of CRPD Articles 5 and 2
1. Review:
Divide the participants into small groups. Ask each group to work together to paraphrase CRPD Article 5, Equality and non-discrimination, and CRPD Article 2, Definitions, in common language and give some examples of how they could be enjoyed and make a difference for persons with disabilities in their community. Alternatively, have some groups address Article 5 and others address Article 2.
2. Paraphrase:
Read Articles 5 and 2 aloud, pausing at each natural section to ask different groups for their paraphrase. Discuss the meaning of the sections until everyone can agree on a paraphrase. Write the final paraphrase of the articles on chart paper and read it aloud.
3. Give Examples:
Ask for examples of how the rights to equality and non-discrimination could be enjoyed and make a difference for persons with disabilities.
4. Discuss:
How can Articles 5 and 2 of the CRPD be used to set national disability rights agendas and formulate platforms of action for submission to political parties or government?
EXERCISE 1.4:
What is “Reasonable Accommodation”?
Objective: To understand the concept of “reasonable accommodation”
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of CRPD Articles 2 and 5.3; Post-It Notes
Optional: newspaper/magazine articles
1. Explain:
Invite participants to discuss their understanding of the term “reasonable accommodation.” After a short discussion, review the definition of reasonable accommodation from CRPD Article 2 with participants. List and briefly discuss key duties listed in the definition:
· Identify barriers that impact the enjoyment of human rights for persons with disabilities;
· Remove barriers;
· Make modifications or adjustments that are necessary and appropriate;
· Make modifications or adjustments that do not impose a disproportionate or undue burden;
· Respond to the specific, individual circumstances of the person with a disability;
· Find solutions to address barriers that are appropriate to the individual with a disability;
· Recognize that some accommodations may entail cost-free changes to standard practices while others may require resources to be spent on supports, equipment, or modifications; and
· Understand that such accommodations are directed at ensuring the enjoyment of all human rights.
Emphasize that such accommodation includes modifying policies and practices, as well as making changes to facilities or premises in order to remove disabling barriers.
2. Brainstorm:
Ask participants to break into small groups and discuss reasonable accommodations in various settings. Instruct each group to develop a list of reasonable accommodations that may be relevant to the enjoyment of different rights. For example, groups should brainstorm and develop a list of reasonable accommodations for the following settings (note to facilitator: each group should only be assigned one setting at a time):
· Education
· Employment
· Political Participation
· Health
· Justice
· Culture and Sport
Optional for Facilitator: To encourage discussion, facilitators may want to provide examples of reasonable accommodations after participants discuss the definition. For example, facilitators may provide a copy of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to help participants start thinking about accommodations in an education setting, or the facilitator may distribute a variety of examples from different workplaces involving persons with different types of disabilities to use in this exercise. See, for example, Arthur O’Reilly, The Right to Decent Work of Persons With Disabilities, International Labour Organization (2007): http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1177&context=gladnetcollect
3. Discuss:
Ask one spokesperson from each group to present the list of reasonable accommodations they discussed. Ask non-group members if they can think of any reasonable accommodations the group did not include. Are all of the examples provided reasonable accommodations? Develop and write down a list of reasonable accommodations for each setting based on the discussions.
It is also important for participants to start considering the idea of “reasonable” versus “unreasonable” accommodations. Facilitators should ask the following questions:
· Are all accommodations “reasonable”?
· What might be considered an “unreasonable accommodation”? By whom? Why?
· Who or what institution decides whether an accommodation is “reasonable” or “unreasonable”?
· What is “undue hardship?” How is it determined?
4. Conclude:
Review the various lists of accommodations that have been developed and consider next steps:
· What should be done to ensure these accommodations are provided in each setting to persons with disabilities?
· How can you use the CRPD to help you achieve these accommodations?
