In 2015, the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the International Disability & Development Consortium (IDDC), developed the Bridge CRPD-SDGs Training Initiative to support leaders and resource persons of organizations of people with disabilities and allies to advocate for inclusion and realization of all human rights for all persons with disabilities in resource-constrained environments, and facing challenging governance and competing agendas and politics at national and local levels.

The intensive Bridge CRPD-SDGs program focuses on an inclusive and comprehensive understanding of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as well as generating a CRPD perspective on development, in general, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular. As an outcome of the training program, advocates would have stronger skills and knowledge to make the most of both SDGs and the CRPD to ensure realization of all human rights for all persons with disabilities.

The Federation of Ethiopian Associations of Persons with Disabilities (FEAPD), the African Disability Forum (ADF), IDA and its other members, together with IDDC and their members including Humanity and Inclusion (HI), Light for the World, DPOD and others have the pleasure to launch this open call for participation in the Bridge CRPD-SDGs Ethiopian cycle. This cycle is being financially supported by the Health, Education & Livelihood Africa: a Sustainable Inclusion Approach (HELASIA) project of HI and ADF, as well as the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD).

Language
The medium of the training will be English and ability to effectively communicate through other mediums such as sign language or any alternative modes and formats of communication is required. If required, simultaneous translation into Amharic will be facilitated.

Most marginalised groups

The selection of candidates will be an open process based on fair representation of gender, age and different types of disabilities and background such as people from rural and remote areas and ethnic minorities. The selection process is guided by the Bridge CRPD-SDGs Quality Criteria.

Deaf people, persons with deafblindness, persons with intellectual disabilities, persons with psychosocial disabilities, autistic persons, persons with albinism, persons affected by leprosy and persons with disabilities from minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply. All reasonable accommodations required for the full and effective participation of all applicants will be put in place.

Fees
Participation in the Bridge CRPD-SDGs training neither incurs fees to the trainee nor to their organisations. For that reason, each and all Bridge CRPD-SDGs participants commit themselves in reverting back the knowledge and experiences acquired in Bridge to their organisations and networks, as well as to the broader disability movement.

Criteria for application

If you would like to apply, or if you are an organization that would like to propose a candidate, please read through this criteria for application carefully.

• Candidates must be active members of an organization of persons with disabilities (DPO) or a member of a DPO federation that is a member organization of FEAPD or ADF be it at a national, sub-regional or continental level, or any other IDA member, or partner of the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC),
• If you are not a member of the above but are from disability groups who may be underrepresented in the disability movement, such as people with leprosy, deafblindness, psychosocial disabilities or intellectual disabilities, you could also apply and show evidence of being an active member of a group with the view to establishing or linking to a DPO,
• All candidates must show a commitment to learning, exchange, mentor and support other disability activists within their own group and beyond: be this at a local, national or regional level,
• All candidates must have a genuine commitment to working inclusively to strengthen a cross-disability movement, being ready to share and learn about the complexity and diversity of the lived experience of disability,
• Preferably, candidates must have a working awareness of the CRPD and a commitment to learn more about how to apply human rights concepts approach, including using other human rights treaties, and the SDGs to advocate for disability inclusive public policy at national and local levels,
• Candidates must demonstrate experience, interest and aptitude to engage in influencing development processes and public policy, be this at a local, national or regional level,
• Finally, candidates must be able to fully attend both modules and to undertake given assignments (a full missed day disqualifies the participant from completing the Bridge training). This will be a fully residential training, and candidates will also have to respect the COVID-19 related protocols that will be in place for the training.

Application

Interested persons are invited to provide the following documents:

1. A letter of expression of interest stating experience and commitment to the whole process (one page maximum). This could be done via recorded oral or video presentation, including in sign language, not longer than 5 minutes. This can be in English or Amharic.
2. An updated CV, preferably not more than 3 pages.

Please include your gender, date of birth and if you are a person with a disability, your impairment group.

3. A letter of recommendation on letterhead from an organization of persons with disabilities which may be a national, sub-regional or continental DPO, member of the ADF, FEAPD, IDA, IDDC member or others. 

All 3 documents must be submitted by e-mail to the following email address:  bridge_platform@ida-secretariat.org by the end of day July 8^th 2021. 

Further information at www.internationaldisabilityalliance.org/content/bridge-crpd-sdgs-training-initiative