Second Visit to Brussels by DPOs supported by Sightsavers

On 5^th June 2019, Delegates from Sightsavers India made a second visit to Brussels as a part of the project “Building Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Empowering Organisations of Persons with Disabilities”. This is a 3-year project funded by the EU and implemented by Sightsavers India and in collaboration with EDF.

The Indian Delegates were as following:

Puran Mal Sharma, from the Indian DPO, “All People’s Network Organisation (APNO)”,

Santosh Kumar Moharana, from the Indian DPO, “Samarth, Gajapati”,

Neeta Nagesh, from the Indian DPO, “Viklang Ekta Sewa Samiti”,

Anuradha Pareek, from the Indian DPO “Sajag Divyang Sewa Samithi”,

Jayashree Kumar, State Programme Manager from Sightsavers India and

Namrata Mehta, Programme Manager, EU projects from Sightsavers India

During the visit, a series of events were held where the team got an opportunity to share the work undertaken on SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) as part of the point of the agenda on ‘International Cooperation’. A seminar was held where the delegates talked about the rights of women with disabilities in India. A presentation on “The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)” was Chaired by EDF Vice President and member of the CEDAW Committee, Ana Pelaez. Initiatives including capacity building of women DPO members on self-defence, employment schemes and workshops on sexual and reproductive health and rights were shared.

The delegates interacted with members of international disability organisations such as Association for Research and Training on Integration in Europe (ARFIE), International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) EU task group and International Disability Alliance (IDA), Ana Lucia Arellano, Autism Europe and European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) at EDF office. They also met the representatives of the unit on SDGs in DG Development and Cooperation (DEVCO), at the European Commission.

The visit fulfilled the exchange of good practices, information and successes.