4.1.6 Perspectives
At the beginning, the fight to include people with disabilities was easy, as the technocrats who were responsible for PRSP formulation realised their own omission. For local organisations such as CIARH and FENOPDIH, the process offers the possibility to enforce their internal and external legitimacy. The PRSP can open doors and provide a sound basis for further advocacy and action, but it is a long way from empowering people with disabilities to the extent that they see real changes in their living situation. The planned establishment of the General Direction of Development for persons with disabilities in 2008 will provide a new and interesting framework for the inclusion of a disability dimension into the Honduran PRS. Stronger interest and capacity on the part of DPOs is needed if they are to influence the PRS and lead to concrete results.
More information
This case study is mainly based on information from 2005 provided by Thierry Gontier, former country director of Handicap International in Honduras. In 2007 the information was updated by Sanna Laitamo, technical coordinator of Handicap International Central America.
Bibliography:
Disability and Development Team (2004): Poverty Reduction Strategies: Their Importance for Disability.
Centre for International Rehabilitation (2004): International Disability Right Monitor. Country Report Honduras.
CIARH: http://ciarh.org.hn/
CIARH (2003): Observaciones sobre el informe del primer año de la Estrategia de Reducción de la Probreza. Position paper on Annual Progress Report. (internal document)
Government of Honduras (2002): Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 2001-2015. Tegucigalpa.
ILO (2002): Disability and Poverty Reduction Strategies. How to Ensure That Access of Persons with Disabilities to Decent and Productive Work is Part of the PRSP Process. Geneva, November.
Government of Honduras (2003, 2005 & 2007): Annual Progress Report. Available at: www.worldbank.org/prsp
