#DrawDisability

Art is used here as a narrative tool for social change. To raise awareness of the fact that, in principle, all children have the same right to education, #DrawDisability encouraged children and young people to become active global citizens, giving them the opportunity to express their thoughts through a creative form of expression (the art of drawing) to speak out about disability and inclusion. The title of the project is purposely a hashtag to maximise the virality of the awareness raising campaign, which uses social media and online tools for engagement.

On February 6 2015, A World at School hosted a Google+ Hangout to present the #DrawDisability Guidelines for Teachers (click here to access them in English in PDF format) and to share ideas about how to promote the inclusion of children and youth with disabilities within educational environments. Teachers were asked, with the help of the guidelines, to explore the definition of disability and several important issues related to disability and to present a set of activities for the students to educate them about disability. The students were also invited to share their understanding of disability by drawing how they see persons with disability in their communities. Teachers were be asked to raise particular awareness on "invisible disabilities" and to help their students find creative ways to represent the whole spectrum of disabilities, impairments, and conditions. Drawings could portray their understanding and feelings towards disability and related issues, such as accessibility, inclusion, and discrimination.

All drawings were uploaded to the #DrawDisability website, and the general public were invited to share the photos on social networks using the hashtag #DrawDisability. Early submissions by April 1 2015 were highly encouraged, as selected drawings were showcased at the World Education Forum (WEF) in May 2015 in Incheon, South Korea, and the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP-CRPD) in June 2015 in New York, United States (US). The deadline for all submissions was July 15 2015, after which date, the general public was invited to vote their favourite drawings online. There were almost 3,000 submissions from 50 countries worldwide. In order to maintain the geographical representation of the campaign, at least one drawing per country was been included in the final selection. The 60 most voted drawings by the public were shortlisted, and a designated jury then selected the 30 best drawings for feature (in 2 categories: ages 6-11 and 12-17) on a dedicated section of the #DrawDisability website, as well as in a final exhibition at the UN Headquarters in New York (US) on December 3 2015 to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

In addition, #DrawDisability held various forums, both online and in person. On March 19 2015, A World at School hosted a new Google+ Hangout session to discuss the role of "Art as Tool for Inclusion". The panel was composed of: Dr. Tom Shakespeare (United Kingdom), senior lecturer, researcher, disability advocate, writer, and artist; Maria Omare (Kenya), advocate for the rights of persons with disability working in Kibera; Ry Sedrick Bolodo (Philippines), visual artist who has experience working with children with and without disabilities in the grassroots communities; and Rolando Jr Villamero (Philippines), GEFI/GLOBI/YAG representative. On November 10 2015, another Google+ Hangout session was held called "#DrawDisability: Reflections on Successes and Impacts". The panel was composed of: Rolando Jr Villamero, GEFI/GLOBI/YAG representative; Debra Ruh, a mother of a child with Down Syndrome and an advocate and leader in disability, inclusion, and accessibility; Diane Richler, former President of Inclusion International and a Senior Fellow to Joseph P. Kennedy Fellowship Program on International Policy; and Cheryl Perera, Canadian member of GEFI-YAG. On December 3 2015, GEFI, GLOBI, and YAG hosted a Round Table Discussion at the UN Headquarters titled "Leave No One Behind: Continuing Conversations on Inclusive Education". Stakeholders engaged in an interactive discussion on the different issues and barriers learners with disabilities face in exercising their fundamental right to access quality education. After the discussion, participants visited the #DrawDisability art installation.

Children, Youth, Education, Rights

Organisers explain that every person regardless of language, ethnicity, gender, faith, or ability has rights as clearly inscribed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) further sets forth a distinct set of rights for every child. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) ensures that every person with a disability fully enjoys access to basic services such as education and health care as well as equal opportunities to decent jobs and civic participation. While the CRPD provides the normative framework for PWD to advance their rights, organisers say that there are 58 million children who do not have access to education.