Action guidelines

A. For Persons with Disability

· They must motivate themselves. Our inner self is our first asset.

· They must not limit themselves to purely vocational training. They must also demand education in the broader sense to enable them to undertake research and analysis.

· If they are organised as a cooperative, they must rely largely on their own efforts to build institutional structures that are democratic, transparent and fully accountable to the members.

· If they are organised as individual enterprises, they must take advantage of public and private institutions that offer management courses.

· They must fight against prejudice and discrimination when it comes to training in business management and the professions.

· They must refuse to be treated as empty bottles to be filled through the "top-down" approach; they must insist on the participatory approaches to building capacity.

· MWDs (Men with Disabilities) must ensure that WWDs are fully integrated in their programmes (and in their homes) as equal partners.

· They must not isolate themselves from the rest of civil society; they must join forces with other organs of civil society to influence policy and the socio-economic environment.

· Those PWDs who have attained success in their enterprises should encourage and help others with development efforts.

· The parents of children with disabilities should be actively involved in development enterprises.

B. For the Government

· The government must create the enabling and institutional environment to help strengthen the individual capabilities of PWDs. (Also see Ch. 4)

· It must take affirmative action to enable PWDs to have access to public institutions of higher education as well as vocational training.

· Since most PWDs work as groups or as cooperatives, it is important that the government provide adequate cooperative training to them, including extension and monitoring facilities.

· The government must formulate policies to cater for the needs of parents of children with disabilities.

C. For IGOs and NGOs working with PWDs

· They must not limit themselves to providing finance only; they must also support capacity building programmes.

· They must involve the PWDs in development projects using the participatory approach.

· (NGOs) which have had experience in working with groups and cooperatives must write up manuals based on these experiences so as to help strengthen cooperative institutional capacity.

· They could play a positive role in addressing specific concerns of women and children with disabilities and caters of people with severe disabilities.

Same Areas for Further Discussion

Why is it important for PWDs to acquire broader conceptual, analytical and research skills, as well as vocational skills?

Is it true that cooperative institutional building is more difficult than capitalist-based enterprises? If so, why, and how can cooperative structures be strengthened?

How do you ensure that women's participation in IGPs is truly empowering?

Who lights the candle that empowers the people?