Opportunity for participating in CPABE Pilot Exam and get IAAP's CPABE certification at 50% of the listed fee

Dear Colleagues,

The International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) is  a platform where accessibility professionals from around the world come together to define, promote and improve the accessibility profession through networking, education and certification. 

The IAAP has, over the past year, established a Taskforce of Subject Matter Experts to prepare certification exams for 'Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments (CPABE)' credential, one of the programs that were originally developed under GAATES leadership, identifying the need of this professional recognition to ensure universally designed spaces for a greater global impact. It was transitioned to G3ict and is being led by its division IAAP now.

The CPABE pilot is currently open (September 30 to October 30, 2020). Limited space is available! IAAP is currently seeking pilot participants to fill the remaining spots for these exams.  The participants would be considered early adopters of the program content, already have the necessary skills and experience to pass the exam with little preparation. A DRAFT of the Body of Knowledge is also available to guide registered participants. You may read more about it at the following links:

1. The overview of the CPABE Pilot 

2. Registration for CPABE Pilot 

3. Exam Outline to guide the applicants

Exams are completed online with a proctor of your choosing or one assigned by IAAP at no additional cost. If you, or members of your extended network, champion Universal Design in the built environment, meet the certification criteria and would like to take part in the pilot, participants will help to shape the final outcomes of the program before public launch and earn certification at 50% off the list price.

 

Please register today or contact Ms. Tracey Shipman, IAAP's Program Manager with any questions you may have at email tshipman@accessibilityassociation.org

 

Join Webinar on "A Dialogue on Expectations & Challenges of Persons with Disabilities during Covid19 Crisis organised by NIUA

We are excited to share that National Institute of Urban Affairs is organising a webinar series on "Building Accessible, Safe and Inclusive Cities (BASIIC)" in partnership with DFID (Govt. of UK). As a part of this series, our Executive Director, Mr. TD Dhariyal would be participating in "A Dialogue on Expectation and Challenges of Persons with Disabilities during CoVID-19 Crisis". The webinar is scheduled on 28 July 2020 from 2.30 PM to 4.00 PM.

Other speakers on the panel include Shri Dipendra Manocha, Trustee Saksham Trust, Dr. Shanti Auluck, Chairperson and Founder Muskan The NGO and Ms. Pratistha Deveshwar, a Motivational Speaker.

You are invited to join in. Please register for the event at this LINK

Visit NIUA website to know more about  Project 'BASIIC' supported by DFID.

Sh. Amor Kool speaks at a Webinar on Lighting, Ventilation and Building Envelope Optimisation organised by BIS and Ramco Cement Ltd on 12 Jul 2020

The National Building Code of India 2016 is a comprehensive document of various Indian Standards addressing the most critical and pertinent issues of building construction, varying from Fire and Life safety, structure safety, sustainability or accessibility. 

Informative Banner about the Webinar

We are proud to have two of our directors serving two critical committees in NBC 2016, Accessibility and Sustainability. Mr Subhash Vashishth and Mr. Amor Kool are key members involved in drafting and standards formulation on the said respective aspects of this code of national importance. Both of our directors have reached out to developers, architects, engineers and occupants across India to spread awareness about the topics which are as of now not yet acknowledged but are critical for our future. 

On 12 June 2020,  The Bureau of Indian Standards in partnership with Ramco Cement Limited and Association of Structural and Geotechnical Consultants, organised a web based workshop on 'Sustainability in Buildings and Built Environment as per NBC 2016' where in Mr. Amor Kool was invited to address as the subject expert and a member on the BIS Panel for Sustainability.

The web based workshop began with the inaugural address of the Sh. J. Roy Chowdhury, DDG Standardisation (P&M). Shri Sanjay Pant, Head Civil Engg BIS and Mrs. Madhurima Madhav, Scientist D (Civil Engg), BIS gave an overview of the Sustainability provisions in the NBC 2016.

Sh. Amor Kool speaking 

Mr. Amor Kool, Director -Sustainability, CABE Foundation  spoke on "Lighting, Ventilation and Building Envelope Optimisation" highlighting the importance of designing the built structures post COVID-19 scenario keeping principals of sustainability in mind. He shared pointers through which the design of built environment respects the region and local construction materials. 

"The approach towards sustainability is wholistic, it cannot be categorised and placed under different baskets. It is like in architectural terms, if you miss a centimetre at the start of the line you may loose out a meter at the end of it. Every category is equally important, if orientation is not thought out properly, then not only daylight but ventilation patterns, thickness of walls, quality of glass and many such things have to be re-negotiated." Mr. Kool emphasised.

Q&A Session addressed by experts

He further suggested that if a building is well thought through, the cost of construction should not increase, rather it’ll optimise.  Major takeaways from his talk.  "Everything is linked, every matter in this world, living and non living, thereby, it is critical to have balance. We cannot wait indefinitely to change our designs and the way we perceive our environment if we really want our built environment to be sustainable.” he said.

This was followed by a long Q&A session where Mr. Sanjay Pant, Mr. Amor Kool responded to the queries raised by workshop participants.

On CABE's representation, DEPwD writes to States seeking disaggregated data of Covid- 19 affected persons by disabilities

New Delhi, 30 May 2020

The number of persons infected by Covid- 19 Pandemic is rising each day and we are sure a large number of persons with disabilities would also be affected due to their enhanced vulnerabilities because of dependence on others. However, it is not known whether disaggregated data by disabilities is being compiled and maintained by the concerned authorities.  

Also Section 8 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 requires the authorities to take appropriate measures to ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities and the DDMAs are required to maintain record of details of persons with disabilities in the district and take suitable measures to inform such persons of any situations of risk so as to enhance disaster preparedness. Article 31.2 of the UNCRPD also obligates the states parties to disaggregate the information and the data to use it to identify and address the barriers faced by persons with disabilities in exercising their rights. Goal 17.18 of SGDs on data, monitoring and accountability also envisages availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by disability among others.

As per National Disaster Management Plan November 2019, a Handicap International study in 2015 (HI 2015) found that 75% of people with disabilities believe that they are excluded from humanitarian responses to emergencies like natural disasters and conflict. They are often overlooked and excluded in risk reduction and disaster response measures. Persons with disabilities are also at a higher risk than others. 

In light of absence of mechanisms for collating disability disaggregated, CABE sent a representation to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare  on 28 April 2020, seeking consideration of the following: 

i)  The data and information relating to Covid- 19 affected persons (i.e. those infected, quarantined, treated, died, etc.) may be desegregated by disabilities and be made available in the public domain.
ii) The concerned authorities may be advised to ensure that persons with disabilities are included throughout the DRM Cycle.
iii) Specific vulnerabilities of persons with disabilities among the Covid- 19 affected persons should be addressed effectively and with high degree of sensitivity. 
iv) They should not be clubbed with other persons for this purpose. It should be ensured that they are not abandoned after they are released from quarantine facility/ hospital.

The DEPwD, acting on our representation, vide its email dated 30 May 2020, addressed to Principal Secretary / Secretary dealing with empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in all States and Union Territories, has asked them to furnish detailed disaggregated data in respect of persons with disabilities.

Download communications here:

• CABE Foundation's letter No CABEF/Advoc/2020/1 dated 28 April 2020
• Content of the letter/ email sent to all states by DEPwD dated 30 May 2020

CABE Foundation conducts online sessions for M Phil Scholars of NIEPA on 22 & 23 April 2020

During these challenging times of the second nation wide lockdown extended till 03 May 2020, all activities in the field have been brought to a halt, however, the online interactions make it possible to do quite a few things, particularly training of stakeholders.

Sh. Dhariyal addressing NIEPA Scholars online

At the invitation of National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Shri T. D. Dhariyal, Director CABE Foundation, conducted two Sessions for  M.Phil. Scholars studying at the institute on 22 and 23 April 2020.

The interactive sessions focussed  on the issues concerning Inclusive Education of children and adults with disabilities, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and other related Acts such as RTE Act, Commission for Protection of Child Right Act, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act impacting the  Education of children with disabilities (CwDs) . 

The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), (Deemed to be University) established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, is a premier organisation dealing with capacity building and research in policy-making, planning and management of education not only in India but also in South Asia.

In recognition of the pioneering work done by the organisation in the field of educational planning and administration, the Government of India have empowered it to award its own degrees by way of conferring it the status of Deemed to be University in August, 2006. Like any Central University, NIEPA is fully maintained by the Government of India.

Advisory Work in Malaysia by Mr. TD Dhariyal at the invitation of MCCHR and Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation

10 March 2020, New Delhi

Sh. TD Dhariyal making his suggestions

Mr. T. D. Dhariyal, Director, Centre for Accessibility in Built Environment participated as one of the two foreign experts for consultation and guidance to the “Promise 51 Workshop & Consultation to Enhance the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” (PP51) held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 6 – 7 March 2020 at the invitation of  the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism & Human Rights (MCCHR), the Project Law Strike Force.  MCCHR is a body of lawyers for National Expert Consultations and Drafting of Model Laws for Human Rights Reforms in Malaysia.

Mr. Nagase Osamu, Visiting Professor, Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University, Japan was the other international expert invited for this important consultation by Malaysia.

The MCCHR aims to bring about broader pro-human rights changes in society and within the Malaysian law through strategic litigation on selected areas of human rights; freedom of expression & peaceful assembly, right to fair trial, equality and non-discrimination, freedom of religion and protection of human rights defenders. It also provides strategic litigation training workshops to law students, pupils-in-chamber and lawyers on a regular basis.

The Workshop brought together the eminent lawyers, the experts, DPOs and CSOs to discuss cases of violations of the rights of persons with disabilities and to review amendments to the existing law of 2008.

Group Photo of participants on Day 2

Shri Dhariyal strongly suggested to harmonise the Malaysian Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 with UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and gave specific examples from the judgements passed by him as the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Delhi during his tenure that ended on 31st Dec 2019. The audience was quite impressed by the orders and Suo Motu cases taken up by Sh. Dhariyal for enforcement of the India's Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act and raising awareness of the government machinery and other stakeholders to implement the mandate of the law in true spirit.   Various suggestions made by Mr. Dhariyal to harmonise the Malaysian Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 with CRPD was very well received and the audience was quite impressed by his  orders passed during by him while holding the Office of the Court of State Commissioner for Persons With Disabilities, Delhi, that were cited as case studies.

Mr. Dhariyal was earlier invited by Malaysian Council for Rehabilitation to guide them and the Disability Law Reform group and make a presentation and engage in Q and A at a forum to generate an evidence base to support review of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2008 in December 2019.