Australia's aid for people with disability has been highlighted at global summit in South Korea. Held in conjunction with the Winter Special Olympics at which five Australian athletes are competing, the Summit was the first of its kind focusing solely on people with intellectual disabilities.
Aung San Suu Kyi gave the keynote address, noting that more than 80 per cent of people with disability in Myanmar are unemployed and begging on the streets.
She stressed that people with disability are more likely to live in poverty, excluded from education and health care and separated from society: 'People with disabilities want opportunities, not charity. Getting to participate is an important step on the road to enjoying all human rights'.
The Summit, entitled Ending the Cycle of Poverty and Exclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities took place in the South Korean city of PyeongChang and was attended by many influential policy makers and world leaders including the Prime Minister of South Korea, Mr Kim Hwang-Sik and Mrs Joyce Banda, President of Malawi.
Senator McLucas praises AusAID's Development for All strategy
Australia was represented by Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas who presented AusAID's Development for All (Towards a disability-inclusive Australian aid program 2009-2014).
Senator McLucas told an audience that Australians, 'recognise that aid will be most effective, and achieve poverty reduction, if it reaches and benefits people with disability'. She discussed findings from the mid-term review of the Development for All and praised the inclusive nature of work on the report which included input from people with disability and their families.
Australian support through our aid program has contributed to increased access for people with disability in a range of areas including education, employment, health services and law and justice in the countries in which we work.
Development-through-Sport
Senator McLucas also discussed how Australia's approach to the planning and delivery of Development-through-Sport Assistance can be a model for other countries.
Last year, Australia committed an additional $2 million over four years to use sport as a vehicle to improve the quality of life of people with disability in the Pacific. AusAID is currently working on its Development-through-Sport Strategy which will guide Australia's current and future investments.
Senator McLucas noted that sport can is one of the most effective ways of increasing participation in the community.
'The Special Olympics is testament to this … that sport can highlight people's abilities: that disability is no barrier to achieving,' she said.