Recommendations and Further Research

Organizations of persons with disabilities in the Arab region and around the world are likely to become increasingly active and prominent. In order to harness that momentum and boost their involvement in implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, more research is needed in the following areas:

• The organizational capacities of DPOs and their ability to monitor implementation of the Convention: In-depth capacity assessments could contribute to a better understanding of their strengths and identify areas that require capacity-building;
• The composition and membership of DPOs and possible exclusion of any groups of persons with disabilities, such as women, rural dwellers, refugees and IDPs: More should be done to boost the representation of women in Arab DPOs and to ensure that they mainstream gender in all areas of their work;
• The work and impact of DPOs on legislative and policy processes: Research is needed on how DPOs work with Governments and on DPO federations. It may be worthwhile to explore any fragmentation in the DPO movement;
• DPO involvement and leadership in developing the disability research agenda: This means assisting Arab DPOs to conduct research and bridging gaps with other concerned parties, including Governments, academic institutions and international organizations. The result would contribute to higher quality research and, more importantly, the empowerment of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in pursuing advocacy and respect for their rights.