Case stories on capacity development and sustainable results

4 Capacity: ResultsASIA AND THE PACIFIC –The Asia-Pacific DevelopmentCenter on DisabilityContextThe Asia-Pacific Development Center onDisability (ACPD) Project with the supportof Japan International CooperationAgency (JICA), launched in 2002, encouragespeople with disabilities to empowerthemselves by supporting the capacity ofindividuals and organizations to networkand form coalitions for change with localand regional governments, NGOs, andothers. ACPD puts people with disabilitiesat the centre of its work, supportingtheir own efforts to empower themselves.It builds bridges between individuals,ResultsThe Asia-Pacific Development Center onDisability works with people with disabilitiesto develop their capacity to network with localgovernments, NGOs and the private sector, topromote a barrier-free society.In the Philippines, the National Council onDisability Affairs, the United Architects of thePhilippines and the Department of Social Welfarehave led the adoption of a barrier-free approachto socio-economic infrastructure.In Thailand, communities have been empoweredto work with local governments to transform awider range of community facilities and initiativesto make them friendlier to people with disabilities.governments, and the private sector, andaims to promote a barrier-free society thatdoes not discriminate against people withdisabilities.Development resultsResults have been achieved in manycountries, including the Philippines andThailand, where the Asia-Pacific DevelopmentCenter on Disability has helpedto strengthen the relationships betweenpeople with disabilities and central andlocal governments, as well as NGOs andthe private sector.In the Philippines, former participants ofthe APCD training on Non-Handicappingenvironments built a network with theNational Council on Disability affairs andthe United Architects of the Philippines,applying the knowledge acquired in thetraining. The participants subsequentlydeveloped close relations with the Departmentof Social Welfare with support by theAPCD. As a result of this outreach, thesethree organizations led the adoption of abarrier-free approach to socio-economicinfrastructure with other government departmentsand local governments.Former participants of APCD trainingshavealso been empowered to interact withthe private sector and lobby for barrier-freeeconomic infrastructure. For example, one