The Kingston Accord 2004

The Kingston Accord

Resolutions from the Caribbean Ministerial Conference On Disability, May 11, 2004, Kingston, Jamaica, W.I.

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers with responsibility for disability issues in respective territories agreed on the following resolutions at the First Caribbean Ministerial Meeting on Disability convened in Kingston, Jamaica, May 2004:

We are deeply concerned that despite the efforts of government bodies and other organizations, persons with disabilities still encounter discrimination and many obstacles to the enjoyment of their fundamental human rights and freedoms marks this.

We reaffirm that every Caribbean citizen has the same human, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

We recognize the importance of the United Nations Standard Rules for the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities as a framework for national and regional policies and programmes.

We fully support the current initiative to further strengthen the Standard Rules by the adoption of a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities.

We hereby agree to:

promote the development of CARICOM model disability policy and legislation;
develop a common frame-work for national and regional data collection;
implement policies for the integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society;
create an enabling environment for the empowerment of persons with disabilities to reach their full potential;
improve the quality of life of all persons with disabilities through access to health, education, preventative and rehabilitation services, income security, communications, sports, recreational and cultural opportunities;
share best practices in facilitating quality services for persons with disabilities in the Caribbean ;
forge stronger partnership between governments and NGO’s in the region in the development of policies and implementation of programmes for persons with disabilities;
develop and promote policies to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to employment in both the public and private sector;
promote regional cooperation for the expansion of micro-business opportunities for persons with disabilities;
implement special measures for the protection of persons with disabilities from sexual abuse and risk of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS infection;
promote mechanism for communication and collaboration among agencies working with and for persons with disabilities in the region
develop regional capacity to produce adaptive aids for persons with disabilities and also provide duty free concessions (or subsidies where appropriate) where these are imported
promote the development of regional assessment, education and training centres and increased collaboration for sharing training resources
promote the training of the relevant professionals in the various areas of special needs to the highest levels so as to enhance the services to all persons with disabilities,
develop affordable and accessible housing for persons with disabilities
promote gender sensitive approach to disability issues in the region
to promote greater access to land, air and sea transportation for persons with disabilities

We further agree to:

a) develop a Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities for adoption at CARICOM Heads of Government Summit by June 2005

b) convene a meeting of CARICOM ministers with responsibility for persons with disabilities once every two years

c) recommend to our respective government the naming of special envoys for disability issues in all the countries of the region

d) recommend to the CARICOM Secretariat the naming of a Special Rapporteur for disability issues in the region to monitor progress in the implementation of policies and programmes for persons with disabilities.

We also agree that all the above proposals will be submitted to our respective governments within one month for ratification.