In October 2000, DREDF, in partnership with the U.S. Social Security Administration and seven other federal agencies, convened From Principles to Practice, a landmark international disability rights law and policy symposium. DREDF would like to extend a special thanks to Marie Strahan of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Susan Daniels formerly with SSA without whose tenacity, leadership and vision this first-of-its-kind meeting would not have been possible. More than forty nations have enacted some form of disability anti-discrimination legislation in the past ten years, yet law and policy experts and advocates internationally have had few opportunities to come together to discuss legal theories, implementation issues, and strategies for future reform. The symposium provided such an opportunity.
The broad goals of the four–day symposium were to:
- launch an international disability rights working group of attorneys, policy and legislative experts, and people with disabilities;
- share ideas about laws and policies, enforcement mechanisms, and strategies for reforms;
- discuss basic legal principles;
- identify specific strategies and tactics that will advance legal reforms; and
- encourage communication among lawyers and advocates.
Approximately one–hundred–fifty invited participants from fifty–seven countries including sponsor–observers joined DREDF in Washington, DC to participate in the symposium. Commissioned papers by disability rights law and policy experts from abroad and the US set the stage for the plenary sessions.
Susan Daniels, then the Deputy Commissioner, Office of Disability and Income Security Programs for the U.S. Social Security Administration welcomed the participants. Greetings were also extended by Justin Dart, Jr., Co–Founder of Justice for All, Jonathan Young, then Associate Director for Disability for The White House who welcomed the participants on behalf of Bill Clinon, and Pat Wright, DREDF’s Governmental Affairs Director. The opening plenary session – simultaneously translated into four languages as was the entire symposium – set the stage for the days to follow with a presentation and discussion of the nature of prejudice as it relates to disability discrimination. Panelists from Kenya, Peru and the US served as respondents.
The first full day of the symposium opened with presentations describing the state of disability law globally – more than 40 of 189 United Nations member States have adopted some form of anti–discrimination law for people with disabilities. In other sessions models of equality were considered by panelists from Costa Rica, South Africa and the US, and the definition of disability as it relates to disability rights was discussed by panelists from The Netherlands and the US. Additional plenary topics included the conflict between the charity and social policy models, and the emerging right under international and U.S law to community integration for people with disabilities living in institutions; Ecuador, Mexico and the US provided examples. Case studies illustrating effective community advocacy strategies were presented featuring India, Germany and the US. The challenge of effective enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and policies was presented from the viewpoints of practitioners from South Africa, Hungary and the US.
The symposium also offered working groups on architectural accessibility, international development and civil society, transportation, employment under various social and economic circumstances, a UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities, grassroots organizing and coalition building.
Concluding the meeting, participants met in regional groups to identify future needs and ideas for collaboration. These recommendations, taken together with the outcomes of a written survey led to the symposium’s final recommendations.
In remarks about the symposium Venus M. Ilagan from the Philippines said "…Congratulations for organizing one of the best disability conferences I know of (and has so far participated in). The choice of thought-provoking topics and the other innovative sessions have benefited me so much in terms of the treasure of knowledge and experience gained from the conference…"
"It was indeed a great meeting!" said Eduardo Joly from Argentina. "It was a chance to get to know great high-powered people from all over the world, working on similar lines and facing surprisingly similar problems. It was also a chance for the Latin Americans to come together and begin to work on regional efforts in a concerted fashion. And learning from your successes, as well as from your limitations, will prove very useful
in the struggles before us. Thank you for this opportunity."
"Thank you very much for putting together one of the best or maybe the best invitational conferences I have ever attended." Remarked Yolan Koster-Dreese of The Netherlands. "This was truly a manifestation of an adult movement, of people with a mission – a real and realistic goal and a true purpose. I feel so proud to belong to this fantastic bunch of people and to feel part of this magnificent movement. Congratulations! Thank you again for your leadership, for inviting me and organizing this GRAND EVENT!"
Transnational Publishers published the commissioned papers in a book that was released internationally.
Co-Sponsors: Presidential Taskforce on Employment of Adults with Disabilities, President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Department of State, Center for Mental Health Services, National Council on Disability, US Agency for International Development, US Information Agency, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, ICCO and ELA Foundation