In the future, if you wish to make written submissions to any of the so-called Special Procedures (Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts, and Working Groups) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (i.e. Special Rapporteur on Persons with Disabilities, Special Rapporteur on Health, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, etc.), with regard to the situation of autistic people in your country or other human rights violations, you can use this new online portal that provides detailed guidance on how the process works and what information you will need to submit:
Call: Study on right to health /
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, Catalina Devandas-Aguilar, is currently preparing a study on the right of persons with disabilities to the highest attainable standard of health.
The study will be presented at the October 2018 session of the UN General Assembly.
You can download the questionnaire in English, French, or Spanish from this website:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Disability/SRDisabilities/Pages/StandardOHealth.aspx
The Special Rapporteur welcomes inputs from, among others, "organizations of and for persons with disabilities, civil society, [...] scholars, research institutions [...], community movements, and private individuals".
Submissions in English, French, or Spanish should be sent in accessible format (Word) to: sr.disability@ohchr.org
Concise responses are encouraged, inclusive of relevant attachments where available.
Deadline: 30 March 2018
You should indicate if you have any objections with regard to your reply being posted on the OHCHR website.
If you have any input toward a possible submission by Autistic Minority International, please send it as soon as possible to: e.kofmel@autisticminority.org
Autism and witchcraft /
The United Nations recently held its first expert workshop on witchcraft. In 2018, witchcraft is still a popular accusation levelled at people who "don't fit in", particularly in Africa and among African diaspora communities. Thought of as either witches or bewitched, many of these children and adults are more likely on the autistic spectrum.
http://www.afrik-news.com/article17924.html
https://www.youshareproject.com/absence-autism-africa/
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/mar/01/accusations-witchcraft-pattern-child-abuse
WAAD 2018: Autistic women and girls /
The United Nations has announced the theme for this year's UN World Autism Awareness Day, 2 April 2018: "Empowering Women and Girls with Autism"
http://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/
They write: "In November 2017, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution drawing attention to the particular challenges that women and girls with disabilities face in the context of the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The resolution expresses concern that women and girls with disabilities, are subject to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, which limit their enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
"The 2018 World Autism Awareness Day observance at United Nations Headquarters New York will focus on the importance of empowering women and girls with autism and involving them and their representative organizations in policy and decision making to address these challenges.
"Girls with disabilities are less likely to complete primary school and more likely to be marginalized or denied access to education. Women with disabilities have a lower rate of employment than men with disabilities and women without disabilities. Globally, women are more likely to experience physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence than men, and women and girls with disabilities experience gender-based violence at disproportionately higher rates and in unique forms owing to discrimination and stigma based on both gender and disability. As a result of inaccessibility and stereotyping, women and girls with disabilities are persistently confronted with barriers to sexual and reproductive health services and to information on comprehensive sex education, particularly women and girls with intellectual disabilities including autism.
"Through dynamic moderated discussions with experts and advocates, the observance will examine the particular challenges that women and girls with autism face in this context.
"Other key issues to be addressed include challenges and opportunities in fully exercising rights in matters relating to marriage, family and parenthood on an equal basis with others, as underscored in Article 23 of the CRPD and in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders at the United Nations in 2015 (SDG 5.6)."
Events at UN Headquarters in New York will take place only on 5 April (2 April being Easter Monday). Disappointing that once more they chose as a theme something that fits into the larger UN agenda on people with disabilities, rather than something autism-specific. Let's hope autistic women who are invited to speak at the UN will point out areas in which they are affected more or differently than other girls and women with disabilities and/or people with disabilities in general, for example Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) "therapies" that condition autistic girls to become compliant and thus more prone to sexual abuse.
The programme hasn't been announced yet, but if you are planning to be in New York, you can already RSVP.
CONF: Participation in public affairs /
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to develop guidelines on the effective implementation of the right to participate in public affairs, including action-oriented ideas on how to make this right real for autistic persons and other persons with disabilities.
They will be holding an informal regional consultation for Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Other States (normally meaning Israel, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) at UN headquarters (Palais des Nations) in Geneva, Switzerland, on 9-10 April 2018. It is open to all civil society representatives, but no funding is available.
Register here: https://reg.unog.ch/event/23498/
Deadline: 30 March 2018
CONF: Affordable and decent housing /
In 2014, Autistic Minority International participated in the negotiation of the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing, and as the only disabled persons' organization in the room, we ensured the inclusion of persons with disabilities in this important document.
The responsible Committee on Housing and Land Management of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) now describes itself as working "to promote [...] adequate housing, including for those with special needs and vulnerable population groups [...] This work is based on key United Nations policy documents on housing and urban development, including, Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing" (https://www.unece.org/housing/viennaconference2018).
The Charter is available in many European languages (including English, French, German, Spanish, etc.) here:
https://www.unece.org/housing/charter.html
Geneva UN Charter Centres have already been established in Tallinn, Estonia, and Glasgow, UK.
UNECE and the City of Vienna, Austria, are now organizing the Vienna Conference on Sustainable Housing "Promoting access to affordable and decent housing through the implementation of the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing", on 12-13 April 2018, at the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV, 12 April) and City Hall of Vienna (13 April).
https://www.unece.org/housing/viennaconference2018.html
Rationale: "The Conference will discuss the progress in achieving access to affordable and decent housing for all through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, the New Urban Agenda and the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing by national governments, local authorities and relevant stakeholders."
The conference is open to the participation of NGOs and civil society from the UNECE region (which includes USA, Canada, Israel, and central Asian countries).
Languages: English, German and Russian
Deadline for registration: 4 April 2018
WHO seeks Director of Mental Health /
The World Health Organization is seeking a new Director for its Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.
https://tl-ex.vcdp.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=1800824
The current Director is collaborating closely with controversial US charity Autism Speaks, which seeks to extend its influence globally through what they call the Global Autism Public Health Initiative. As you will know, Autism Speaks is boycotted by most actually autistic persons.
The WHO has accepted at least one million US dollars in funding from Autism Speaks, organized a global autism consultation at WHO headquarters that was jointly hosted by Autism Speaks and included many of their allies, but not a single autistic person, and he's sitting on the Global Action Committee of Autism Speaks.
If these links can be severed, or at least weakened, with the appointment of a new Director that would potentially make it possible to shift the WHO's focus and perception on autism.
So, if you know anyone who might be suitable for this position, and is accepting of autistic persons and would be seeking our input, not just that of non-autistic "experts", and is generally in favour of deinstitutionalization and mental health reform, please forward the job advertisement to them.
Closing date is 15 April 2018.
UN accreditations past and future /
Next week (4-5 February 2014) Autistic Minority International will be participating in a workshop on "The Future of Social Housing: Environmental and Social Challenges and the Way Forward", organized in Geneva by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in cooperation with the European Federation of Public, Cooperative and Social Housing. Any input on social housing issues affecting autistics, and received preferably prior to the workshop, will be greatly appreciated. Contact: geneva@autisticminority.org
Autistic Minority International was also accredited to the following five UN system and related meetings and conferences, all taking place in Geneva: 2013 United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights (2-4 December 2013) and Sixth Session of the Forum on Minority Issues (26-27 November 2013), both under the auspices of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC); Panel Discussions on Minority Issues on occasion of the launching of the OHCHR publication "Promoting and Protecting Minority Rights – A Guide For Advocates", organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (28 November 2013); Third Health Promotion Forum "Building Capacity for Health Promotion: Inter-sectoral Partnerships between Civil Society and Government" of the Alliance for Health Promotion, organized at the World Health Organization in collaboration with the WHO and the University of Geneva (29 November 2013); and Sixth High-level Symposium on Global Health Diplomacy "Health Diplomacy Meets Science Diplomacy", organized by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in cooperation with the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (12 November 2013).
For a regularly updated list of conferences we took part in as well as links to statements we made orally at or submitted in writing to such conferences, please visit: