Culture & Disability
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Culture and Disability: This report was first presented at the 16th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: Persons with Disabilities and Human Rights (8-10 November Policies and Practices in 2016, Beijing, China), co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF); Asia and Europe Raoul Wallenberg Institute (nominated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden); Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, France; Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippines, Federal Department of Foreign Published by: Affairs, Switzerland and hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Republic of China. 31 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Singapore 119595 This report was inspired by the agenda of 16th Informal ASEM Seminar on T: +65 6874 9700 Human Rights: Persons with Disabilities and Human Rights 8-10 November F: +65 6872 1135 2016, Beijing, China) and the Arts & Disability Forum 2016: Shaping www.asef.org Perspectives, Enabling Opportunities (29-31 March 2016, Singapore), co-organised by the British Council, National Arts Council, Singapore and Author Singapore International Foundation. Jordi BALTÀ PORTOLES All rights reserved © Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), November 2016 Graphic Design fFurious (Singapore) Download from culture360.asef.org Team at Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) 2 Ratna MATHAI-LUKE, Valentina / RICCARDI, Anupama SEKHAR 3 COMMISSIONED BY: CONTENTS 48 3. 3.3.7. Awareness-raising and 1. communication Introduction Policies and Measures The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) promotes understanding, strengthens relationships and facilitates cooperation among the people, institutions and organisations of Asia and Europe. ASEF enhances dialogue, enables exchanges on Arts and Disability 49 07 and encourages collaboration across the thematic areas of culture, economy, education, governance, public health in Partner Countries of 3.3.8. Networks and partnerships and sustainable development. 1.1 Context the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) ASEF is an intergovernmental not-for-profit organisation located in Singapore. Founded in 1997, it is the only 52 institution of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). Together with about 750 partner organisations ASEF has run more 08 than 700 projects, mainly conferences, seminars and workshops. Over 20,000 Asians and Europeans have actively 25 3.3.9. Research 1.2 Scope and methodology participated in its activities and it has reached much wider audiences through its networks, web-portals, publications, 3.1. Legislation exhibitions and lectures. For more information, please visit www.asef.org/ 29 3.2. Policies 4. 2. 35 Conclusions and 4 3.3. Programmes and projects 4 Policies on Arts and Recommendations / Disability: Background / 36 56 5 and Key Concepts 5 3.3.1. Arts development 4.1. Conclusions 11 culture360.asef.org is a portal initiated by the ASEF’s contribution is with the financial support Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and managed by the of the European Union. This document has been 2.1 Defining disability 38 58 Culture Department at the Asia-Europe Foundation produced with the financial assistance of the 3.3.2. Accessibility 4.2. Recommendations (ASEF). culture360.asef.org aims to stimulate the European Union. The contents of this document are cultural engagement between Asia and Europe and the sole responsibility of the researcher and can 13 enhance greater understanding between the two under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting 2.2. Disability and culture in 42 regions. Created for and fuelled by artists, cultural the position of the European Union, ASEF or other co- international law practitioners and policy makers, culture360.asef. organising institutions 3.3.3. Funding org is your platform to inform, exchange ideas, interact and collaborate with the arts and cultural 16 communities across Asia and Europe. As a reference 44 tool, and a place for dialogue, this exciting portal will 2.3. Global and regional 3.3.4. Access to employment take cultural cooperation between Asia and Europe to strategies on disability a whole new level. and culture 45 www.culture360.asef.org 17 3.3.5. Consultation and 2.4. Policies on culture and involvement in disability: challenges, decision-making objectives and rationales 46 21 3.3.6. Training and 2.5. Final observations capacity-building 1.1. Context Over the past few decades, the increasing expansion of facilities, programmes and events in the arts and culture in many countries has been accompanied by an increasing attention to the needs, challenges and opportunities of specific social groups. Public policies and programmes have often involved schemes aimed at enabling access and participation in cultural life for children and young people, ethnic or linguistic minorities and other groups, including people with disabilities, on the understanding that these groups may face particular difficulties in accessing culture. Measures in the field of culture but an increasingly rich one, 6 Many initiatives in and disability at local and national with an emerging wealth of legislation, policy, level have been adopted in the relevant practices. / broader context of the international programmes and recognition of the rights of people This report has been produced 7 with disabilities. At the global between September and October projects have been level, the adoption of the 2006 UN 2016, in the context of preparations Convention on the Rights of Persons for the 16th Informal ASEM Seminar adopted across with Disabilities, Article 30 of which on Human Rights (Beijing, China, focuses on participation in cultural 8-10 November 2016), which will Asia and Europe, life, should be noted in particular.1 focus on the theme Persons with addressing a Disabilities and Human Rights. As this report will prove, many The report was commissioned by variety of types initiatives in legislation, policy, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), programmes and projects have been with the aim of identifying trends of disability and adopted across Asia and Europe, and examples as regards culture addressing a variety of types of and disability in the 51 countries intervening in disability and intervening in a wide that are part of the Asia-Europe a wide range of range of areas. This remains a Meeting (ASEM).2 Chapter 1: diverse and unequal landscape, areas. This remains a diverse and unequal landscape, Introduction but an increasingly rich one, with an emerging wealth of relevant practices The preparation of the report has primarily involved desk research, 1.2. Scope and including an analysis of international legal standards; international, methodology regional, national and local policy documents; project descriptions; research reports; websites and other relevant resources, as described in footnotes and in the This report focuses on existing legislation, policies, accompanying bibliography. E-mail programmes and projects in the field of culture and correspondence has also provided evidence of relevant projects disability in the countries that make up ASEM. In and initiatives.4 this context, a definition of culture comprising the Following this introduction, arts and tangible and intangible heritage as well as Chapter 2 of the report presents other issues typically addressed by cultural policies the background and key notions across the region has been adopted. The definition relevant to policies in the field of culture and disability, including of disability is determined by existing international international legal standards and standards, as described in section 2.1 below. definitions, global and regional strategies, rationales underpinning All art forms and cultural fields, as well as all types legislation and policy in this field of disabilities, have been taken into account when and other relevant concepts. compiling and analysing the information. A particular Chapter 3 addresses successively examples in legislation, policy, aim of the report is to show the diverse range of areas programmes and projects found 8 in which measures can be adopted, so as to provide across the ASEM region, thus 8 presenting a very broad and diverse / inspiration to stakeholders across Asia and Europe spectrum of measures focusing on / and beyond.3 universal access to culture, active 9 participation in creative activities, 9 training and capacity-building, networks, international cooperation A particular aim Given the time and resources Research has addressed both public and research, among others. available, and the ever-increasing policies and measures, adopted at Finally, Chapter 4 presents a set of of the report is to number of experiences in this regional, national or sub-national conclusions and recommendations field, the report does not aim to level either by departments in emerging from the report, aimed at show the diverse present a comprehensive mapping charge of cultural policy or other public authorities and other relevant of all existing initiatives, nor to relevant bodies (e.g. ministries or stakeholders among the partners range of areas in compare approaches across bodies addressing disability), and of ASEM. countries or determine ‘best initiatives emerging within civil which measures practice’. The focus generally lies society, including those designed on stated aims and activities of and implemented by NGOs, informal can be adopted, existing legislation, policies and groups, foundations and other so as to provide programmes, with information private or non-profit actors which about their actual results and are active in the field of arts and inspiration to effectiveness