Global-Report-Living-Colour-dr2-2

Inclusive Communities = Stronger Communities
GLOBAL REPORT ON ARTICLE 19: THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND BE INCLUDED IN THE COMMUNITY
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urgent needs, we are often limited to short term, stop gap
measures which serve only a small number of those who
require support and tend to be focused on protection.
Families would like to be assured that their family member
with an intellectual disabilities is safe, has opportunities to
be included in the community as a contributing member
and that he/she be valued for who they are. They would
like their family member with a disability to have a life like
their brothers and sisters but since they are the main
support in their family member’s life, their greatest fear is
what will happen when they are not around. They know
segregation has led to isolation and exclusion for the
person with a disability and for them as families but they
are tired and they are struggling to develop strategies for
the future.
To be effective in meeting the challenges ahead we must
identify new strategies, shifting from the role of filling
gaps to one that focuses on affecting social change. As
agents of change in our communities, we need to deploy
our limited resources to strategies which will have a lasting
and transformative impact on our communities by:
• Building partnerships with other community
stakeholders (employers, cultural and religious
groups, political parties, colleges and universities,
media etc.)
• Working with governments to ensure mainstream
systems are inclusive (Education, employment,
housing, transportation, justice etc.)
• Strengthening the voice of self-advocates and
families in their call for inclusion in the community
As we contribute to making our communities more
inclusive for people with intellectual disabilities, we help
make them more inclusive of all people who are at risk of
being excluded, and thereby strengthen our communities.
Shifting our priorities to focus on building stronger
communities for all will mean shifting from filling gaps to
building inclusive communities (Table 11) ;