26 Aug
400 Million Disabled People with Mostly Untapped Consumer Power Live in the Asia-Pacific Region
As the Asian and Pacific region struggles to sustain its dynamism in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the estimated 400 million disabled persons living in the region are emerging as a force for change, including for their still mostly untapped consumer power. The potential for the business sector to embrace the rights and concerns of persons with disabilities was a key focus of a regional meeting on South-to-South Cooperation on Disability held on 19 and 20 August at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Over 60 participants, including senior officials from 10 ASEAN countries, representatives of the business sector and disabled people’s organizations explored ways in which business development plans and employment practices could become more inclusive, recognizing that persons with disabilities are generally an untapped consumer market.
The Meeting was organized by ESCAP and the Asia-Pacific Development Centre on Disability (APCD), in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
It reviewed the implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action — a regional plan for a barrier-free and rights-based society for persons with disabilities, in particular concerning community-based inclusive development. It discussed the feasibility of an ASEAN mechanism to facilitate the movement of persons with disabilities. “We are focusing on the ASEAN subregion to develop a mechanism to enhance legislation and policies related to equal opportunities and inclusive development for persons with disabilities”, commented Tanin Kraivixien, President, APDC Foundation. He continued: “But this Meeting is epoch-making since the business sector has also been invited to promote socially inclusive business development”.
UNESCAP press release 20 August 2010
