Bangkok--17 Sep--un High-level UN Meeting Takes Place in Bangkok 19 — 21 September The Asian and Pacific region has made great progress over the past few years in creating an inclusive and barrier-free society for millions of disabled people; butmany challenges remain, according to reports to be presented to a high level regional meeting in Bangkok next week. Out of the world’s 650 million disabled people, nearly two-third -- about 400 million -- lives in Asia-Pacific region. They are often among the poorest of the poor, with limited or little access to education, employment, housing, transportation and health services. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) has initiated two regional decades (1993 — 2002 and 2003 — 2012) ) to promote the basic human rights of disabled people,. A High-level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Midpoint Review of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012, will be convened by UNESCAP from 19 to 21 September. Ministers and high-level officials from over 20 member governments will gather in Bangkok to take stock of the progress made in the past five years and formulate supplementary strategies to reach set targets by 2012. The Biwako Millennium Framework for Action Towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society in Asia and the Pacific, adopted in 2002, serves as the region’s guideline for policy development and action. It encompasses seven priority areas and 21 time-bound targets. According to Midpoint Review documents, various positive developments have taken place in the region. Governments are paying increasing attention to the rights of disabled people and the formulation of disability-sensitive policies. About 20 countries have the rights of disabled people enshrined in their constitutions. At least 14 governments have enacted acomprehensive disability law. Seven governments have a disability-specific anti-discrimination law, including the Republic of Korea which adopted it most recently, in April 2007. At least 21 governments have a national plan of action on disability; among those, 11 have developed it during the last five years. Many governments, however, face challenges in securing sufficient resources to implement and monitor law-enforcement. In addition to actively promoting human rights of the disabled in the region, ESCAP, with the concerted efforts of governments, organizations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders, has also played an instrumental role in the drafting of the first ever Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted by the UnitedNations General Assembly in December 2006. The high level meeting will be inaugurated by Mr. Paiboon Wattanasiritham, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Development and Human Security of Thailand, on Wednesday 19 September at 9:00 at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC). A recital by an award-winning young pianist, Ms. Ubolwan Piakaew, will take place on 19 September at 17:30 in the Reception Hall of the UNCC, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue. Ms. Ubolwan is blind and uses Braille musical scores. For more information about the meeting, please visit http://www.worldenable.net/bmf5/, or contact: Ms. Aiko Akiyama Social Affairs Officer, Emerging Social Issues Division Tel: (+662) 288-2315, e-mail: [email protected] For media coverage of the meeting and the recital, please contact: Ms. Thawadi Pachariyankul United Nations Information Services Tel: (+662) 288 —1861; Fax: (+662) 288-1052 E-mail: [email protected] Headquartered in Bangkok, UNESCAP is the largest of the UN's five Regional Commissions in terms of its membership, population served and area covered. The only inter-governmental forum covering the entire Asia-Pacific region, UNESCAP works to promote economic and social progress. More information on UNESCAP is available from www.unescap.org. United Nations Information Services Bangkok United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand Tel: (+66-2) 288-1866 Fax: (+66-2) 288-1052 E-mail: [email protected]