NEAT Working Group on

Mainstreaming Disability in East Asia Economic Community: Breaking Barriers and Creating Inclusive Society Through Mutual Collaboration

 

Final Report

 

The Network of East Asian Think-tanks (NEAT) is a Track 2 international organization of ASEAN plus 3 countries (Japan, China and ROK) or The ASEAN Plus Three (APT). The network serves as a regional mechanism, aiming to promote the academic exchanges and provide intellectual support for East Asian cooperation and development. In addition, it facilitates collaboration between the government and academic sectors, particularly on key and sensitive agendas in the region, for instance maritime transportation, irregular migration, and East Asian community (EAc) development.

 

According to “Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in ASEAN Community” and “Concept Paper on ASEAN Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2011‐2020): the Thematic Years to Promote Disability Inclusive Development in ASEAN”, the declaration and concept paper encourage ASEAN member state (AMS) to act on mobilizing the plan of action of the ASEAN Decade for Persons with Disabilities and emphasize that disability is a cross‐cutting issue embedded within all three ASEAN Communities with the ultimate goal of ASEAN to mainstream disability perspectives in this region. Furthermore, the recent East Asia Vision Group (EAVG) II Report: Realising an East Asia Economic Community by 2020, also states 4 recommendations including 1) singlemarket and production base, 2) financial stability, food and energy security, 3) equitable and sustainable development and 4) constructive contribution to the global economy. Thus, promotion for collaboration of AMS implementing disability related projects at regional level is the key success to address this particular action plan.

 

These goals also correspond to global approach – the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) with mainstreaming livelihood of PWDs in “Article 27 Work and Employment” that States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to work, on an equal basis with others; this includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities. States Parties shall safeguard and promote the realization of the right to work, including for those who acquire a disability during the course of employment, by taking appropriate steps, including through legislation.

 

Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University is higher education and academic institution regarding disability studies and rehabilitation services since 1993 that now aims to be a center of education and research on disability in the Asia-Pacific through international network cooperation, educational orientation and academic services under the philosophy of economic sufficiency. Ratchasuda College has served to quality of life development for persons with disabilities (PWDs) more than two decades though various strategies and missions; forge quality of knowledge on disability and develop ethical academic students, establish universal research on disability, contribute to academic services development, create the collaboration amongst the organizations for the disabled and with concerned agencies, either national or international, break barriers of social discrimination towards disability, develop the administration system concerning good governance strategies, local knowledge and Thai life-style within the framework of economic sufficiency. Thus, based on the ultimate goal of The Network of East Asian Think-tanks (NEAT) to promote quality of life and mainstream for persons with disabilities in East Asia Economic community, Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University can serve to address such ultimate goal through particular objectives, methodologies and approaches in this concept paper.

 

For the full text of the report, click here.