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Protection, Empowerment, Equality

Social Development in Asia-Pacific

The Asia-Pacific Disability Champions Award

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The Asia-Pacific Disability Champions Award

Challenges and Opportunities 

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the Government of the Republic of Korea honored ten Asia-Pacific Champions of Disability Rights and seven Promoters for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2013-2022 during the High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Final Review of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2002-2012, held in Incheon, Republic of Korea from 29 October 29 to 2 November 2012.

 
The Champions were recognized for their outstanding achievements and impacts in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities.  They include a notable parliamentarian, a community leader in poverty reduction and a women’s rights leader.  The Promoters were recognized for their exceptional knowledge and experiences in specialized areas related to the ten goals of the Incheon Strategy to Make the Right Real for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific.   
 
The Champions and Promoters were selected by an international jury for the multi-dimensional impact of their work, the wide support they have mobilized and their capacity to serve as role models.
 
The Champions and Promoters are expected to be the vanguard for raising awareness and catalyzing the implementation of the Incheon Strategy to Make the Right Real for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific during the new Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022. 
Our Response 

In response to ESCAP’s call for the Asian-Pacific Disability Champions nomination, many governments, NGOs and individuals from the Asia-Pacific region submitted completed nomination forms and support materials for nominees. Receipt of nominations by the secretariat opened in early February and closed in May 2012. Some 50 nominations from over 20 countries and areas were received during this time.

 
The ESCAP secretariat would like to express gratitude to all the governments, NGOs and activists who supported the regional initiative by nominating the individuals who have been making significant contributions to the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities over the last years.

Asia-Pacific Champions of Disability Rights 
 
1. Mr. Monthian Buntan, Senator, Royal Thai Parliament and member-elect of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Bangkok, Thailand        
2. Mr. Mohd Abdus Sattar Dulal, Executive Director, Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallyan Somity, Dhaka, Bangladesh 
3. Mr. Katsunori Fujii, Chairperson, Executive Board, Japan Disability Forum, Tokyo, Japan
4. Ms. Lyazzat Kaltayeva, Chairperson, Central Asian Disability Forum, Association of Women with Disabilities “Shyrak”, Almaty, Kazakhstan      
5. Mr. Setareki Seru Macanawai, Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Disability Forum, Suva, Fiji
6. Ms. Poonam Natarajan, Chairperson, National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi, India  
7. Mr. Frank Allen Hall-Bentick, International Portfolios Coordinator, Australian Federation of Disability Organizations, Melbourne, Australia 
8. Ms. Maulani Agustiah Rotinsulu, Chairperson, Indonesian Association of Women with Disabilities, Jakarta, Indonesia
9. Mr. Young-Wook Song, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Korea Foundation for Persons with Disabilities, Seoul, Republic of Korea
10. Ms. Zhang Haidi, Vice-Chairperson, State Council Working Committee on Disability, and Chairperson, China Disabled Persons’ Federation, Beijing, China

Monthian Buntan, Personal motto: I have given up on giving up! Aspiration: Enable persons with disabilities to contribute significantly to inclusion in society.

Abdus Sattar Dulal, Personal motto: My investment today is for the people of tomorrow. Aspiration: Build the capacity of disabled peoples’ organizations to safeguard “make the right real!”

Katsunori Fujii, Personal motto: Be consistent, be true to principles and never give up! Aspiration: Devote myself to the further development of disability policies in Asia-Pacific.

Lyazzat Kaltayeva, Personal motto: Every morning, life begins afresh! Aspiration: Promote active Central Asian engagement in the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022.

Setareki Seru Macanawai, Personal motto: Seize every opportunity to make a difference! Aspiration: Promote effective subregional cooperation in implementing the Incheon Strategy.

Poonam Natarajan, Personal motto: Celebrate life, celebrate diversity, let the energy flow … Aspiration: Promote community-based rehabilitation strategies locally, regionally and globally.

Frank Allen Hall-Bentick, Personal motto: Social justice and equality through empowerment, persistence and determination. Aspiration: Empower people with disabilities to implement the CRPD and Incheon Strategy.

Maulani Agustiah Rotinsulu, Personal motto: Work with heart, work with dignity! Aspiration: Promote local policy action to implement the Incheon Strategy.

Song Young Wook, Personal motto: Be always loyal and sincere. Aspiration: Promote freedom from disabling attitudinal, physical and information barriers.

Zhang Haidi, Personal motto: Wings may be broken, yet the soul flies high. Aspiration: Help build a conducive environment and multi-level action for disability-inclusive development.

 
Promoters for the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022 
 
1. Mr. Pema Chhogyel, Senior Programme Officer, Special Education Section, Department of School Education, Ministry of Education, Thimphu, Bhutan
2. Mr. Joseph Kin Fun Kwok, Executive Committee Member and National Secretary for Hong Kong, Rehabilitation International, Hong Kong, China 
3. Mr. Thomas Wai Mun Ng, Founder and Executive Director, Genashtim Innovative Learning Pte. Ltd., Pasig City, Philippines 
4. Mr. Ronnel Agor Del Rio, Governor’s Advocate on Disability Affairs, Office of the Governor, Provincial Government of Batangas, Lipa City, Philippines 
5. Mr. Muhammad Atif Sheikh, President, Special Talent Exchange Program, Islamabad, Pakistan
6. Mr. Shudarson Subedi, Central President, National Federation of the Disabled Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
7. Mr. Oyunbaatar Tseden, President, Mongolian National Federation of Disabled People’s Organizations, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
 
Pema Chhogyel, Personal motto: Work with discreet determination, rather than give way to adversity. Aspiration: Promote education for persons with disabilities to be independent and self-reliant

Joseph Kwok Kin Fun, Personal motto: Love and solidarity through the Incheon Strategy of hope. Aspiration: Promote multi-sectoral collaboration to implement the Incheon Strategy.

Thomas Ng Wai Mun, Personal motto: Substance over style. Aspiration: Focus on employment and business opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Ronnel A. Del Rio, Personal motto: Smile, make best efforts for God's glory ... count my blessings! Aspiration: Endeavor to promote sustained, local-level economic empowerment of persons with disabilities.

Atif Sheikh, Personal motto: Barrier-free opportunities for freedom from poverty. Aspiration: Represent people with disabilities in decision making.

Shudarson Subedi, Personal motto: DPO effectiveness is essential for achieving a disability-inclusive and rights-based society. Aspiration: Promote disability-inclusive local resource mobilization and utilization.

Oyunbaatar Tseden, Personal motto: Let's build a disability-inclusive society! Aspiration: Support persons with disabilities in upholding and protecting human rights.

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