IFTIN Foundation held one day conference of Enhancing PWD’s Accessibility on Public life and Political Participation on 11th December, 2019 at Riham hotel Mogadishu which its objectives was to establish atmosphere that Government institutions, Civil Society groups, Business Leaders and PWDs representatives able to meet and discuss the public participation of People with Disabilities. The conference that attended 162 participants from;

1. Ministry of Public Works and reconstruction.
2. Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development
3. Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
4. Ministry of Youth and Sports
5. Somali Non-State Actors (SONSA)
6. Somali Chamber of Commerce and Industry
7. Somali Bankers Union
8. Universities
9. PWD CSOs.

The event started to share the concept note with participants by the Chairman of Iftin Foundation while secondly IFTIN presented the findings from assessment on key public spaces accessibilities for People with Disabilities in September this year and the participants noted that over 70% of reached spaces were note accessible for PWDs. The key speakers from the different institutions discussed their point of views on the disabled people and they inclusively welcomed the conference and information shared, they have rated that issue of PWDs is national issue while they have promised they will take visible positive actions.

During the conference was engaged panel discussion participated 6 (4 male/2 female) panelists including two disable people which they have debated possible steps on PWD’s issues that able to be turned into actions focused on accessibility and National Disable act. The panel that included Director General of Ministry of Public works and reconstruct were asked more questions objective and constructed questions by Disable people group and the panel prolong importance of the questions and answered relative.

Hassan Ahmed Shirwa’ Director General of Ministry of Public Works and Reconstruction said “PWDs issue is national and the Ministry of Public and Reconstruction will pave the way how public spaces to be included accessible facilities with PWDs” Abdi Abshir Dore the Director Somali Chamber of Commerce and Industry said “any activities from Businesses should be accessible and provide required service simple by the order of chamber”

Media TV outlet

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=587119302036850&id=631633283587976
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2814896958571078&id=468010099926454
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=791266201298395&id=100668937024795

Twitter link:

Enhancing PWD's Accessibility on Public and Political Participation conference which its slogan #GIVE_CHANCE_WITH_PWDs by @iftinfoundtion is underway in Mogadishu attending by representatives from FGS, CSOs, Businesses and PWD's CSOs.@1977Creative @USAIDSomalia @SomaliaBUILD pic.twitter.com/cpfWXUJSYH

— Iftin Foundation (@iftinfoundtion) December 11, 2019

IFTIN Foundation In collaboration with Somali Disability Cluster have collectively organized and facilitated world Commemoration of International Disability Day on 3^th, December 2019 in Mogadishu. The event was held at Ramada hotel in Mogadishu where 60 (17 female/43male) people with disabilities have fully attended as well as the facilitated representative from the partners while the objective of the event was to acknowledge the importance of disability day and address the key issues regarding the PWDs in Somalia.

The event was officially opened by Representative from IFTIN Foundation and Somali Disability Cluster addressed the about challenges faced by disability people in accessing public places and benefit the service opportunities.  Disable participants discussed they are excluded from political and social participation and discriminated from all forms of social development because of their physical image.

Abdullahi Hassan the chairman Somali Disability who was discussing the importance of commemorating the Disability Day said “we are here to celebrate the International Disability Day and share with international disabilities that we are still alive and doing our own struggle for finding better live though our government and people are not aware our painful issues”

During the event was implemented panel discussion which participated group of six (6) people including one lady and debated;

1. One decade of CRPD ratification advocacy
2. The so far progress of CRPD implementation in Somalia
3. Why national disability act was not implemented yet by government

The participants asked the panel relevant and objective questions related ways can empower people with disabilities in Somalia and panel group analyzed constructively with the topics and answered the questions from the participants.

Iftin Foudtion co_organised Commemoration International Disability Day 3, December 2019.

Key note speakers and panelists including experts from Iftin Foundation will be on the stage soon.#makeit #Accessible #4PWDs#Somalia pic.twitter.com/ZHxdu7GyyG

— Iftin Foundation (@iftinfoundtion) December 3, 2019

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2603667386378394&id=363773513701137

On 19^th November, 2019, Iftin Foundation held one day CRPD follow up meeting for representatives from PWD’s CSOs based in Mogadishu participated trainees of September this year for Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities which was to know and evaluate PWD’s level of understanding on the CRPD Convention to enhance the participation of people with disabilities in the political and public life while focusing on the rights of PWDs to access public spaces/places as well as the their current limitations and the challenges in accessing public spaces and its consequence on their political participation. 18 participants (12 male/6 female) from 13 PWDs including types of disabilities and Youth CSOs were attended by the session.

Mohamed Ismail Mahamud physical disable person ‘’the knowledge I gained from the CRPD training was much significant and I shared to the rest of the community”, he said that he able to ask accessing public spaces for way of being active in the community as well as the politics.

Decko Ali Hanshi from Youth CSOs discussed during CRPD workshop meeting, gained more knowledge on how to advocate and support people with disabilities while she also shared a scenario of which she has supported with her classmate disabled student who was using wheelchair after faced school accessibility barrier, which was finally removed after her and other teams negotiated with school management “we negotiated with school management to ease the disable student can access the entrance door without any other support and remove the barrier to enable the wheelchair user students to access their class alone”.

Posted links

https://www.facebook.com/383804668477743/posts/1255362734655261/

https://www.facebook.com/383804668477743/posts/1255362734655261/