Speech Pathology Australia celebrates its 70th anniversary

Speech Pathology Australia celebrated its 70th anniversary today. Currently there are over 9,000 members. I have been honoured to play a role in some of the events highlighted in their history poster (available here).

• 2008 The Association’s journal was re-designed and the new title International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology was launched in recognition of its increasing international standing. 
•  2014 The Australian Senate’s Community Affairs Reference Committee tabled its report into the Prevalence of different types of speech language and communication disorders and speech pathology services in Australia.
•  2019 Having secured non-government organisation accreditation status with the United Nations, the Association co-hosted a side event at the United Nations Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability.

Speech Pathology Australia's social media image

Australians at ASHA in Orlando on SPA's 70th birthday: Sharynne, Tim Kittel (President of SPA), Helen Blake, Sheila Degotardi, Sarah Masso, Michelle Brown

SpeakOUT article about our presentations at the United Nations

Speech Pathology Australia's August edition of SpeakOut has an article about our presentations at the United Nations
https://speechpathologyaustralia.cld.bz/Speak-Out-August-2019-Digital-Edition

Charles Sturt expert advocates at UN for communication rights

The Charles Sturt University media office has just released the following story:
Charles Sturt expert advocates at UN for communication rights
https://news.csu.edu.au/latest-news/charles-sturt-expert-advocates-at-un-for-communication-rights

Meeting with Human Rights Officer for International Disability Alliance, NY

While in New York, I was pleased to meet Lucy Richardson, Human Rights Officer for International Disability Alliance. Lucy was interested in our special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology on communication rights.

Lucy is an alumni of Charles Sturt University, and has an important role supporting the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD and High Level Forums of the United Nations relating to disability.  She was welcoming and inspiring.

Sharynne and Lucy at the International Disability Alliance office in NY

Australian Government events while in New York

The Australian Government was extremely welcoming and helpful while we were in New York. They hosted two events that we attended, as well as supporting our attendance and presentations at the Conference of States Parties at the United Nations.

1. Australian Civil Society Reception with H.E. Ms Gillian Bird Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (Sunday 9th June)
2. Australian delegation debriefing after the Conference of States Parties at the Australian Mission to the UN (Friday 14th June)

Additionally, the Australian Government co-sponsored our Speech Pathology Australia/International Communication Project Side Event.

H.E. Ms Gillian Bird Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations with Speech Pathology Australia delegates at the Civil Society Reception

Australian delegation debriefing at the Australian Mission to the UN

Sharynne with Wagga the Wombassador

Some of the Australian delegation with Mika Kontiainen from DFAT

Images from the UN

It was very special to present at the United Nations in NY. Here are some photos I took while visiting this iconic location.

Speech Pathology Australia at the United Nations

Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) presented three times at the 12th Session of the Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities:

Side Event 
1. People With Communication Disabilities Speak Up For Inclusion and Participation
UN Web TV (90 minutes)
Wednesday, June 12, 2019, 8:15 am – 9:30 am
http://webtv.un.org/watch/people-with-communication-disability-speak-up-for-inclusion-and-participation-how-the-implementation-of-the-crpd-and-the-sdgs-can-support-this-right-cosp12-side-event/6047514452001/

Moderator:

• Derek Munn, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists

Speakers:

• Ms. Gail Mulcair, Chief Executive Officer, Speech Pathology Australia
• Prof Sharynne McLeod, Professor at Charles Sturt University, Australia, and Editor, special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (Communication is a Human Right: Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). 
• Ms. Meredith Allan, President, International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) and Augmentative Communication User
•  Mr. Miles Forma, Disability Advocate and Augmentative Communication User, United States of America 
• Julia McGeown, Global Inclusive Education Specialist, Humanity and Inclusion

Interventions
2. Belinda Hill (SPA vice-president) - Intervention at the Civil Society Forum about the rights of children with disability
UN Web TV @36.00min (3 min)
http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/watch/part-2-civil-society-forum-under-the-auspice-of-the-12th-session-of-the-conference-of-states-parties-to-the-un-crpd-cosp12-side-event/6046685362001/?term= 

3. Gail Mulcair (SPA CEO) on behalf of Gaenor Dixon (SPA past-president) – Intervention at the at the 6th meeting about the importance of independent advocacy to foster social inclusion and implement the CRPD
UN Web TV @39:00min (3 min)
http://webtv.un.org/search/6th-meeting-12th-session-of-the-conference-of-states-parties-to-the-convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-cosp12-11-13-june-2019/6048377739001/?term=COSP12&sort=date&page=1

Gaenor Dixon, Sharynne McLeod, Belinda Hill, Gail Mulcair

 In addition, we attended a number of Australian Government events:
https://speakingmylanguages.blogspot.com/2019/06/australian-government-events-while-in.html


Link to the International Communication Project information about the event
Link to the Charles Sturt University media release
Link to Speech Pathology Australia media release
Link to the special issue of International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology on communication rights


 

Children with Disabilities Shall Not be Left Behind – Good Practices and Challenges in Inclusive Education

UN Conference of States Parties Side Event: Children with Disabilities Shall Not be Left Behind – Good Practices and Challenges in Inclusive Education
http://webtv.un.org/search/children-with-disabilities-shall-not-be-left-behind-–-good-practices-and-challenges-in-inclusive-education-cosp12-side-event/6047205101001/?term=Disability&sort=date&page=2&fbclid=IwAR1iWET1-XgC9J63ufYsXhmNTW-pQuz__-v1QT9iuU6RAY89I5LoRoKdP_o

Moderator: Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, World Bank
Opening speakers: State secretary Jan-Christian Kolstø, Ministry of Culture, Norway and Nora Eklöf, Youth for Accessibility Network, Sweden
Speakers: Mark Waltham, UNICEF; Regina Mugure Mwangi, Leonard Cheshire, Kenya; Czarinah Mercado, Leonard Cheshire, Philippines; Mia Modig, Equally Unique, Sweden; Magnus Lagercrantz, Agency for Participation, Sweden; Tuomas Tuure, Threshold Association, Finland.

Here is the abstract

In this event we will focus on access to education as a human right, stated in several articles in the UN conventions CRPD and CRC. SDG 4 in Agenda 2030 focuses especially on inclusive education. Government officials and NGO representatives from the Nordic countries, experts from the World bank, UNICEF and young disability rights advocates from Kenya and the Phillippines, present and discuss initiatives for every child's access to education. In the Nordic region, education is universal and free for all. School laws demand that schools provide education to all pupils according to needs and abilities. There are many good examples, but also challenges on how to provide equal conditions for learning.

Presentation at the United Nations in NY

I spoke today at the United Nations.

I spoke for communication rights for all.

I spoke for those who cannot speak up.

I spoke for children and adults with
speech, language and communication needs
(including my parents).

I fulfilled a dream. What an honour.

[Link to the transcript of my speech]

Link to the UN TV recording

Presenters and representatives from Speech Pathology Australia and the International Communication Project

• Link to the UN TV recording  (My presentation commences at 19:30)
• Link to the transcript of my presentation to the United Nations

• Link to the International Communication Project information about the event 

Media releases

• Link to the Charles Sturt University media release
• Link to Speech Pathology Australia media release
• Link to International Communication Project media release

• Link to the special issue of International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology on communication rights 

According to the ASHA Director of Public Relations, the ICP media release was picked up by 160 outlets worldwide and had an audience reach of 73 million.

Standing where many wise and influential people have stood before at the UN

Today I had the humbling experience to stand where so many wise and influential people have stood before: The podium in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations in New York.

Sharynne standing at the podium in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations in New York

Some of the presenters that we listened to during the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD this week included

• Secretary-General of UN: António Guterres 
• President of UN: María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés 
• Senior Advisor: Ana Maria Menéndez
• Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Catalina Devandas Aguilar

Final Australian Government briefing before heading to the United Nations in NY

Today we had our final briefing with the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Government (Mika Kontiainen, DFAT and George Sotiropoulos, DSS) before departing for the United Nations Conference of States Parties 12.

We met the new Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Ben Gauntlett via teleconference. He will be attending COSP12.

The Australian Government will support 12 Civil Society events during the UN meetings, including the one by Speech Pathology Australia/International Communication Project.

We were encouraged to remember that attendance at COSP is about encouraging and influencing governments about the global implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons of Disabilities (download here) and we are there to represent the views and rights of people with disabilities.

Relevant Twitter hashtags and handles: #COSP12 #UNCOSP #CRPD #COSP12Aus
International Communication Project member associations at COSP12: @SpeechPathAus @IcommunicationP @RCSLT @ASHAWeb
#SpeakUp4CommRights
Australian delegation: @SharynneMcLeod @GailMSpa @SPAPresident @TheraBees @JessMcLeod4

Preparation for the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons

It is not long until we will be attending the United Nations 12th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons (CRPD) on 10-13 June 2019 at the UN Headquarters, New York.

The International Communication Project will be presenting a side event during the Conference. Our presentation is titled: "People with Communication Disability Speak Up for Inclusion and Participation: How the Implementation of the CRPD and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) can Support this Right". Our side event will be held on Wednesday 12th June 8:15 am - 9:30 am and live streamed throughout the world. The speakers are: Gail Mulcair (CEO, Speech Pathology AUstralia), Sharynne McLeod (Charles Sturt University), Meredith Allan, and Miles Forma, chaired by Derek Munn (RCSLT) (see concept note). The event will be sponsored by the Australian Government.

We have been working towards this event for a long time.

• In 2016 I approached Prof Kirrie Ballard, the Editor of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology about publishing a special issue of the journal to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2018. 
• In 2017 Gail Mulcair and I met with the International Communication Project in Los Angeles to discuss the possibility of presenting at the UN.
• In 2018, the special issue of IJSLP was published to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (table of contents) and events were held around Australia and the world to promote the event (Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Bathurst, Albury, Malta, USA) and special webpages were set up to focus on the event:
• SPA - https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SpeakUp
• ICP - https://internationalcommunicationproject.com/70th-anniversary-universal-declaration-human-rights/
• ASHA - https://blog.asha.org/2018/08/27/speak-up-for-communication-rights-speakup4commrights/
• In 2018, Speech Pathology Australia and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists gained NGO  accreditation status with the United Nations, allowing them to attend the Conference of States Parties and apply to present a side event in 2019.
• We are having regular meetings with the International Communication Project and Australian Government (DFAT, DSS) and the Australian Human Rights Commission to prepare for the event.

Planning for our presentation to the United Nations Conference of States Parties (CoSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons

This morning the International Communication Project met via teleconference (Australia, UK, US) to prepare our presentation to the United Nations 12th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons (CRPD) on 10-13 June 2019 at the UN Headquarters, New York. Our presentation is titled: "People with Communication Disability Speak Up for Inclusion and Participation: How the Implementation of the CRPD and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) can Support this Right" and will be held on Wednesday 12th June 8:15 am - 9:30 am.
Details are here: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/conference-of-states-parties-to-the-convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-2/cosp12.html

Planning to attend the Conference of States Parties (CoSP) at the United Nations

In June I will be attending the Conference of States Parties (CoSP) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations in New York. Last Wednesday I attended the Pre-CoSP event at the Australian Human Rights Commission in Sydney to gain an understanding of the roles of government, civil society and National Human Rights Institutes at CoSP. We also began planning logistics and activities for CoSP. It was great to meet others from Australia who will be attending this important meeting in New York.

Attendees at the Pre-CoSP event

Robert Strike from CID created an Easy Read guide for attending CoSP