RightsNow! Project Focuses on Disability Rights Implementation

MIUSA’s “RightsNow! Strong Communities through Enforcing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” project is creating change where it matters most: the lives of people with disabilities. This project is developing tools, resources, training, and networks of disability leaders to advance the rights of people with disabilities through effective implementation and enforcement of legislation in six target countries: Armenia, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, and Vietnam.

U.S. Consortium

MIUSA is honored to administer the project with a U.S. consortium of exceptional partners.

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), a disability-led, organization at the forefront of U.S. disability civil rights law and policy,
International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), a global leader in democracy promotion and good governance,
U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD), a disability-led organization committed to advocacy and action to promote the global disability rights agenda.

Project Activities

The U.S. consortium is providing technical assistance to civil society and governments by sharing the U.S. experience on development, implementation and enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other relevant legislation.

Working in partnership with local disabled people’s organizations, the project engages all segments of societies to improve infrastructural and environmental physical accessibility, and to promote equal access to education, employment, information technology, gender-based violence prevention resources, and community-based alternatives to institutionalization, through implementation of national and local law and policy. Major project activities include:

Introductory field visits to all six countries to ascertain current legal frameworks and country priorities.
Disability-led field trainings to bring together Disabled People’s Organization (DPO), government, and civil society leaders to develop collaborative plans for local actions.
Follow on technical assistance to all training participants to implement country-specific action plans.
‘Exploring the U.S. Model’ conference held in Washington D.C. for project country representatives to deepen their understanding of U.S. disability rights and convene with key leaders and government agencies.
Launch of a global online RightsNow! resource center for governments, civil society and DPOs to obtain information, tools and best practices to implement and enforce laws and policies.

For more information, follow MIUSA on Facebook or Twitter. Use the project hashtag #RightsNow. Visit the GlobalDisability Rights Now! Website.