The resultant study is to be made available prior to the twenty-second Session of the Human Rights Council, where the interactive debate will focus on the work and employment of persons with disabilities.

In a reaffirmation of the right to participate in political and public life as set out in article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as that of persons with disabilities in article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, this latest resolution also, among others, calls on States to:

o provide persons with disabilities with access to the support they may need to exercise their legal capacity and, at their request, to allow them to be assisted to vote by a person of their choice;

o eliminate physical and communication barriers that impede full participation in political and public life, such as inaccessible polling stations or the lack of election information or materials in accessible formats;

o collect appropriate information, including statistical and research data, to enable the formulation and implementation of policies related to participation in political and public life of persons with disabilities; and

o calls on all relevant actors in the design of products, environments, programmes and services relating to participation in political and public life to pay due attention to universal design, which requires the consideration of the needs of all members of society in order to avoid the need for any subsequent adaptation or specialised design.

A/HRC/19/L.9/Rev.1: Full Text of Resolution:

 English
 French
 Spanish
 Chinese
 Arabic
 Russian

The collection is now organised under the following main headings that correspond broadly to the Community-Based Rehabilitation matrix and the different articles outlined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:

o cross-cutting issues;
o education;
o health and functional rehabilitation;
o humanitarian;
o livelihoods; and
o social inclusion.

History
Source was set up during the years 2000 and 2001, when it combined together the actual collections of Healthlink Worldwide and the then Centre for International Child Health (now the Centre for International Health and Development). An online presence was started to allow global access. Early in 2011 all items were made available electronically. Restructuring since the beginning of 2012 has resulted in the refocusing of the collection into its current format.

To find out more about the range of information available and how to make the best use of this website visit: http://www.asksource.info/

Mrs Tomlinson believes Pacific Leprosy Foundation’s work in Kiribati over the past few years has contributed to this recognition. There are about 100,000 people living in Kiribati where 140 new cases of leprosy were reported last year. Pacific Leprosy Foundation works with the local health ministry. It provides tailored programmes for persons with disabilities due to leprosy. In some cases, it also provides a living allowance, funds for housing, housing improvements and for the education of children of persons affected by leprosy. It also provides funds for income generating projects. The Foundation’s consultant spends up to three months a year in Kiribati.

The Pacific Leprosy Foundation has also been working closely with the WHO in re-establishing leprosy control programmes in The Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.

This prize will be presented during the upcoming 65th World Health Assembly of the WHO, Geneva, 21st – 26th May 2012. 

 
See Pacific Leprosy Foundation’s website: http://www.leprosy.org.nz/

* Established in 2008, the Dr Lee Jong-wook Memorial Prize for Public Health is awarded once a year to reward work that has extended far beyond the call of normal duty.

This report concludes that, in combination with counseling, social skills training may be a way to increase self-esteem of persons affected by leprosy.

For the full paper see: Lepr Rev (2012) 83, 80-92

Read editorial in full: http://www.leprahealthinaction.org/lr/Mar12/1755_Editorial.pdf

Read more in LEPRA Health in Action’s press release.

It notes that although investment in research and development for this area decreased in 2010 due to the global financial crisis (and for the first time since publication of the G-FINDER Report began in 2007), contributions to research and development to create new products for patients in the developing world has continued to be generous and resulted, for example, in the world’s first malaria vaccine. However, the question is whether the drop in funding by the public sector and philanthropists threatens a new generation of lifesaving medicines and vaccines for the world’s poor now at risk.

Funding for research and development into leprosy was documented in this Report more fully than in previous years following the intervention of the ILEP Secretariat. Five of ILEP’s thirteen Members appear in the top twelve funders of leprosy research. 

The G-FINDER full report and other materials can be found at:
http://www.policycures.org/news.html
http://www.policycures.org/projects.html

Extracted leprosy pages

G-FINDER highlights in French:
http://www.policycures.org/downloads/g-finder%20french%20summary%202011.pdf

Contact: g-finder@policycures.org

* Global Funding of Innovation for Neglected Diseases

Between 10th and 14th April 2012 ILEP Member, the Associazione Italiana Amici di Raoul Follereau, supported the launch in Rongo, South Nyanza, of a new leprosy manual produced by the Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Division of the Kenyan Ministry of Health. 

Doctor Herman Weyenga, and Doctor Adalla and his Team at the Busia-Alupe Hospital trained key local staff in the early diagnosis of leprosy, whilst finalising this manual whose full title is National Leprosy Training Curriculum for Health Care Providers. They had had as reference relevant information from the current global leprosy strategy and ILEP Learning Guide One.

It is hoped that this manual will be available in book and digital form by the end of August 2012, with the support of AIFO. Thereafter it will be used for further training sessions in other endemic areas of the country so as to strengthen leprosy control efforts in Kenya. This will help ensure that as many cases as possible of leprosy are diagnosed early, so treatment can begin early and nerve function impairment can be avoided. This is vital as this will help contribute towards the global goal to reduce the number of new cases of leprosy diagnosed with grade two disability to less than one per million population by 2020, as well as the milestone goal of reducing by 35% the number of new cases of leprosy with grade two disability per million population between 2011 and 2015. According to figures reported to the WHO for the Leprosy Update published in 2nd September 2011 issue of the Weekly Epidemiological Record there were 126 new cases of leprosy in 2010, of which 26 with grade two disability at diagnosis.

Reporting to the ILEP Secretariat on this, Tiziana Gidoni, AIFO Representative in Kenya, described the development, drafting and eventual publication of this manual as an example of effective collaboration between the Kadem project and the national strategic plan of the Kenyan Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. 

For information please contact:
Tiziana Gidoni, AIFO Representative: aifokenya@gmail.com

There will be a Pre-Congress Workshop on CBR and Intellectual Disabilities, 24th – 25th November. Participants will be allowed to share information and experience about good practices related to including persons with intellectual disabilities in CBR settings. The final session will look at ways forward to improve the quality of support from CBR programmes to children with intellectual disabilities.

The Post-Congress Workshop, 29th – 30th November, will explore areas that have been taboo in CBR activities. The first day will focus on the right to social relationships, intimacy and sexuality and the second day will be devoted to issues surrounding freedom from abuse and violence.

For more information about the Pre- and Post Congress Workshops:
http://www.aifo.it/english/resources/announcements/2012/cbr_congress_workshops.htm

For the website of the First World Congress on CBR:
http://www.cbrglobal.org/index.php

For information about submission of abstracts by 30th June 2012:
http://www.cbrglobal.org/abstract.php

It offers new ways of improving public health in poor countries, with research as the basis and driver for policies. One option suggests the establishment of a new indicator that uses the impact of disease as a measurement of social and economic development.

For more information and to download the chapters:
http://www.who.int/tdr/stewardship/global_report/en/ 

This questionnaire will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and is available on-line at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/dialepstudy. It would be appreciated if you could provide your input by 7^th May 2012. In case of a limited internet connection an off-line version of the questionnaire is available in the link at the bottom of this page.

You are encouraged to complete the questionnaire and to pass the link on to appropriate health-care workers, professionals and representatives of patient organisations active in the field of either leprosy or diabetes. With as many responses as possible the aim is to achieve a large sample and a broad perspective of the opinions on this topic worldwide.

Contact information:

E-mails:

w.d.bruin@leprastichting.nl and e.dijkkamp@leprastichting.nl

Address:

Leprastichting / Netherlands Leprosy Relief (NLR)

Postbus / P.O. Box 95005

1090 HA Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Office telephone number:
+31 20 595 05 00

Off-line Version of DiaLep Questionnaire

Press Release

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Nicolette Dawson at LEPRA Health in Action on 01206216732 / 07747013454 or email nicoletted@leprahealthinaction.org

Twitter: @LEPRA_HinA

ILEP

8th October 2012, ILEP Technical Commission Teleconference, Skype
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk 

9th - 10th October 2012, ILEP Co-operation Meetings & Bilateral Discussions, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

11th October 2012, 14th Meeting of the ILEP Board, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

22nd March 2013, 15th Meeting of the ILEP Board, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

25th March 2013, Meeting of the ILEP Action Group on Fundraising & Communications, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

9th - 10th October 2013, ILEP Co-operation Meetings & Bilateral Discussions, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

11th October 2013, 16th Meeting of the ILEP Board, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

28th March 2014, 17th Meeting of the ILEP Board, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

10th October 2014, 18th Meeting of the ILEP Board, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

27th March 2015, 19th Meeting of the ILEP Board, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

9th October 2015, 20th Meeting of the ILEP Board, London, UK
Contact: ILEP ilep@ilep.org.uk

ILEP REPS

10th - 11th April 2012, Meeting of ILEP Representatives in Brazil, Goiâna, Brazil
Contact: Mr Duane Hinders duaneh@oi.com.br

7th - 8th August 2012, Meeting of ILEP Representatives in India, Chennai, India
Contact: Dr Mohammed Arif nlrinda@airtelmail.in

21st - 22nd November, Meeting of ILEP Representatives in India, Delhi, India
Contact: Dr Mohammed Arif nlrindia@airtelmail.in

INTERNATIONAL

22nd - 24th May 2012, International Disability and Development Consortium General Assembly,
Lyon, France
Contact: Ms Pia Würzer Pia.Würzer@iddcconsortium.net

Three days tbc in week commencing 16th September 2013, 18th International Leprosy Congress, Brussels, Belgium
Contact: Dr Marcus Virmond mvirmond@ilsl.br

LOCAL/REGIONAL 

18th - 19th April 2012, NLEP Consultant's Meeting, India
Contact: Dr Mohammed Arif nlrindia@airtelmail.in  

3rd - 4th May 2012, SLO's Meeting (Southern Region), India
Contact: Dr Mohammed Arif nlrindia@airtelmail.in

25th - 27th June 2012, Regional NTD Stakeholders' Consultation Meeting, Accra, Ghana 
Contact: Dr Landry Bidé bidel@afro.who.int

28th - 30th June 2012, Annual NTD Programme Managers' Meeting, Accra, Ghana
Contact: Dr Landry Bidé bidel@afro.who.int

28th - 30th August 2012, WHO SEARO Leprosy Programme Managers' Meeting, venue tbc
Contact: Dr Sumana Barua baruas@SEARO.WHO.INT

SPECIAL EVENTS

2003-2012, Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities

2005-2015, United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 

20th November 2012, Universal Children's Day

1st December 2012, World AIDS Day

3rd December 2012, International Day of Persons with Disabilities

10th December 2012, International Human Rights Day

27th January 2013, 60th World Leprosy Day

BEYOND LEPROSY

13th - 17th November 2012, 43rd Union World Conference on Lung Health, Kuala Lumpur  
Contact: http://www.theunion.org/component/option,com_conference/Itemid,91/id_conf,97/task,showConf/ 

See ALM press release: http://www.leprosy.org/news/2012-03-13.php