Project Description:
Eugene, Oregon, USA: Twenty U.S. organizations and 40 disability and civil society organizations from 20 countries have been selected to participate in one of four U.S. Department of State sponsored EMPOWER Programs focused on disability-inclusive diplomacy. This two-way exchange program, administered by MIUSA, places disability rights at the core of U.S. public diplomacy efforts, and aims to expand the capacity of organizations in the U.S. and overseas to promote inclusive communities and advance disability rights around the world.
Countries participating in the EMPOWER Partnerships for Inclusive Communities program include: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Israel, Kenya, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Serbia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and the U.S.A.
Each U.S.-based organization has been paired with two organizations from one of the participating 20 countries. American participants will travel to their partners home countries to gain an understanding of disability access and inclusion in their communities. Then, international participants will be hosted by MIUSA and their partners in the U.S. to continue collaborative relationships and develop projects that promote rights and inclusion of people with disabilities in their respective communities. Projects range from inclusive education, independent living, healthcare and reproductive rights, law and policy, legal aid, recreation and sports, access to public services, and advocacy for youth, women, and minority disability groups. Learn more about and view an interactive map of the 20 selected teams here.
The EMPOWER Programs underline the importance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Over 130 countries have ratified the CRPD and there are 155 signatories working to remove barriers and improve the lives of people with disabilities worldwide. In his December 3, 2011 proclamation in support of International Disability Rights Day, President Obama declared that his administration would place international disability rights at heart of our nations foreign policy, and this program exemplifies that value.
Funded by the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and in partnership with U.S. administrating organizations, American Councils for International Education, Discovering Deaf Worlds, Global Deaf Connections, and MIUSA, the EMPOWER Programs will bring an estimated 75 international disability rights leaders from every geographic region to the United States for two-to-four week professional development programming, and send approximately 57 American stakeholders abroad for reciprocal exchanges.
MIUSA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower people with disabilities around the world to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development. Since 1981, MIUSA has offered international exchange programs to over 2,000 youth, adults, and professionals with and without disabilities from more than 110 countries.
