ECUADOR / DISABILITIES

High up in the Andes, Quito provided the dramatic venue for the 128th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, or IPU, that brought together law makers and elected officials from around the world. UNICEF and the government of Ecuador used this opportunity to bring attention to the rights of children with disabilities.  UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:19
• Production Date: 12 April 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
• MAMS Id: U130412e

Description

STORY: ECUADOR / DISABILITIES
TRT: 3.19
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 27 MARCH 2013, QUITO, ECUADOR

Shotlist

1. Various, street scenes, Quito, Ecuador
2. Various, delegates arriving for conference
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ian Liddell-Grainger, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom:
“And a disability in a child doesn’t have to be physical, it could be dyslexia, it could be learning difficulties, it could be so many things.”
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Chungong, Deputy Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union:
“We think that is important to create awareness of the issue among the parliamentary community and also point to some action that parliament and parliamentarians can take to promote and protect the human rights of children.”
5. Various, conference
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Susana Sotttoli, UNICEF Deputy Director, Programme Division:
“The rights of children with disabilities is not a new thing for UNICEF, it’s at the core of our mandate. For us to be present at the Inter-Parliamentary Union, international Parliamentary Union Assembly is an excellent opportunity for us to put it at the center of the legistlative agenda of various parliaments around the world.”
7. Various, delegates on field trip visiting Dylan Ramirez:
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Agnes Wolbert, Member of Parliament, Netherlands:
“It’s great of this government that they choose to have the inclusion of people with handicaps. It’s also nice that they look at the health, but also at housing, also at education. ”
9. Medium shot, delegates at Ramirez house
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Philomene Fouty-Soungou, Member of Parliament, Republic of Congo:
“The field visit was a fantastic experience for me because hearing is good but seeing is even better. And I urge that these activities continue. I think that other countries, including those in Africa and my own country, will do what we need to do and continue to improve all we doing for disabled people. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it.”
11. Various, delegates with Dylan Ramirez

Storyline

High up in the Andes, Quito provided the dramatic venue for the 128th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, or IPU, that brought together law makers and elected officials from around the world.

The IPU in conjunction with UNICEF and the government of Ecuador used this opportunity to bring attention to the rights of children with disabilities.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ian Liddell-Grainger, Member of Parliamentt, United Kingdom:
“And a disability in a child doesn’t have to be physical, it could be dyslexia, it could be learning difficulties, it could be so many things.”

SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Chungong, Deputy Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union:
“We think that is important to create awareness of the issue among the parliamentary community and also point to some action that parliament and parliamentarians can take to promote and protect the human rights of children.”

Equal rights for people with disabilities are championed in Ecuador.

At a special meeting, the Vice-President of Ecuador, which has spearheaded these efforts, shared Ecuador’s vision and experiences with delegates.

A panel discussion was also held on how best to specifically address the rights of children with disabilities, who are estimated to number 95 million worldwide.

SOUNDBITE (English) Susana Sotttoli, UNICEF Deputy Director, Programme Division:
“The rights of children with disabilities is not a new thing for UNICEF, it’s at the core of our mandate. For us to be present at the Inter-Parliamentary Union, international Parliamentary Union Assembly is an excellent opportunity for us to put it at the center of the legistlative agenda of various parliaments around the world.”

Delegates also had an opportunity to see for themselves how Ecuador’s efforts to bring equity to those living with disabilities are impacting the lives of children.

They visited the home of four-year old Dylan Ramirez, whose family is receiving many forms of assistance, from a wheel-chair to financial help that has allowed them to build a disability-friendly house.

SOUNDBITE (English) Agnes Wolbert, Member of Parliament, Netherlands:
“It’s great of this government that they choose to have the inclusion of people with handicaps. It’s also nice that they look at the health, but also at housing, also at education. ”

SOUNDBITE (English) Philomene Fouty-Soungou, Member of Parliament Republic of Congo
“The field visit was a fantastic experience for me because hearing is good but seeing is even better. And I urge that these activities continue. I think that other countries, including those in Africa and my own country, will do what we need to do and continue to improve all we doing for disabled people. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed it.”

The partnership between the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the government of Ecuador and UNICEF is helping ensure that children with disabilities around the world are not forgotten and reminds us that they too have the right to lead healthy and productive lives.