Change our life ! Change our society!

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Change our life !Change our society!

• Chun Chieh Lin
• New vitality Independent Living Center, Republic
  of China (Taiwan)

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Republic of China (Taiwan)

• Area 36,000km²
• Total population23,000,000
• Population of PWDs 1,100,000 4.7
• House92.96
• Residential institutions7

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• In 1970s, bureaucratic government controlled the
  media. There was not freedom of speech.
  Disability was considered as private issue.
  Hence, PWDs were treated as if the burden of
  family and society. There were institutions for
  blind persons which were established in the era
  of Japanese occupation and also those for
  children with disabilities run by churches.
  Traditionally, disabilities were assumed as a
  result of sin in the previous life. However,
  since Christian considered PWDs were children of
  God, the number of Christian institutions was
  increased. Church-family-expert established many
  organizations for PWDs.
• In 1971, Republic of China (Taiwan) withdrew from
  the United Nations. Its participation into
  international activities became difficult. This
  limited the available information on PWDs.
• In 1980, disability welfare law was enacted.
  There were movements for improvement of
  accessibilities or protesting rejection of PWDs
  enrollment to universities and employment as
  civil servant. These movements, however, were
  mainly for persons with mild disabilities
  organized by family and experts.
• In 1992, the government permitted immigration of
  foreign workers (from South East Asia, especially
  form Philippines and Indonesia). PWDs employed
  these workers by self payment, about 600 900
  USD per month, as 24 hour and live-in care
  attendants. The government neglected its
  responsibility on personal assistance.
• In 1997, Handicapped Welfare Act was amended as
  People with Disabilities Protection Act.
  Discriminative term Handicapped was no longer
  used.
• In 2007, People with Disabilities Rights
  Protection Act was newly established. PWDs could
  use public transportation in half-price, and
  domestic flight in free. (New Vitality
  Independent Living Center, Taipei, was
  established.)
• In 2008, the national pension system started.
  Persons with severe disabilities who cannot work
  have about 120 USD per month. (Average salary of
  university graduate is about 800 USD per month.)
• In 2011, the government introduced ICF
  (International Classification of Functioning,
  Disability and Health). It also introduced
  articles on independent living and support
  services.
• In 2012, the system of independent living was
  started!

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Medical treatment in Japan
Self-IntroductionI was born in 1980
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• I lived in community with family. However, I was
  segregated from society in several occasions.
• Even segregated, I tried to be like a person
  without disability.

I joined Duskin Leadership Training .
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2006 The First IL Seminar in Republic of China
(Taiwan)

• This is the first independent living seminar
  organized with initiative of PWDs.
• 100 people participated.
• We invited Japanese persons with severe
  disabilities with PAs for lectures on IL
  movements and services.
• There were many media coverage of the seminar.
• Preparation group of IL Center was launched.

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Provision of service Home visit / IL program /
Peer supportSocial movement Lectures on IL
philosophy at schools and organizations /
Accessibility / Negotiation with government on PA
service / Advocacy / Workshop
The center was established in 2007. We received
the fund support from Japan. In 2008, we started
PA service and IL program with fund from the
community chest. In 2009, the fund for PA service
stopped. In 2011, the fund for IL program
stopped. In 2012, the system of the government
started.
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Provision of PA Service and IL Program

• PWDs who were segregated in a house for long
  years.
• PWDs who were segregated from the society and
  contained in institutions for long years.
• PWDs who were segregated from the society even
  though they lived in community.
• 20, 30, 40 years.

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Lets play together!
Lets go to movie theater!
Courage
Energy
Lets get on board!
Possibility
We change the society!
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Seminar / Workshop / Training

• 2006 Republic of China (Taiwan) -Japan
  Independent Living Seminar
• 2006 Independent Living Workshop
• 2007 Workshop for Human Rights and Abuse
  Prevention
• 2008 International IL Seminar
• Republic of China (Taiwan)-Japan
  Forum
• on Independent Living of PWDs
• 2010 Peer-counseling Workshop
• Republic of China (Taiwan)-Japan IL Seminar
• 2011 Republic of China (Taiwan)-Japan Disability
  Leadership Training
• Republic of China (Taiwan)-Japan Personal
  Assistant Training

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• Publication 4 books and 2 videos

Media Coverage
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Asia Try

• 2007 Asia try in Korea
• 2009 Asia try in Republic of China (Taiwan)
• 2011 Asia try in Mongol

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Overseas Training Programs

• 1. Training for PWDs
• 2. Training for PAs
• 3. Training for CIL staffs

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Fellowship
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Power of PWDs
Participation into Policy-making
Nothing about us,without us!!
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• 1. Negotiation for the right of PWD to board an
  airplane without attendant.
• 2. Demand for accessible transportation
• 3. Awareness raising on PWDs needs at public
  spaces and events.
• 4. Demand for the rights of PWDs to participate
  into government meetings.
• 5. Demand for PA service for independent living
  of persons with severe disabilities in community.
• 6. Demand for personal assistance at working
  places.

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Present Situation

• 1. The article 50 of People with Disabilities
  Rights Protection Act says services for
  independent living must be provided.
• 2. Under this article, Chinese government
  budgeted 7,000,000USD for nation wide independent
  living pilot project which started on July 11.
• 3. This project has programs of PA service and
  peer-support.
• 4. Persons with the most severe disabilities,
  however, can only receive 60 hours of PA service
  per month. (Home help service provides 90 hours)
• 5. Project programs are not enough PWD centered
  yet.

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Challenges

• 1. Many people still believe the issues of PWDs
  are responsibility of family.
• 2. Difficulty of PWDs in transition from
  segregated life to participation into the
  movements.
• 3. Participation of persons without disabilities
  into the movements is still small.
• 4. Power of experts and families is strong.
• 5. Awareness of Chinese society to the human
  rights is weak.

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New IL Center was established in Kaohsiung this
March!
There are several preparation groups Tainan,
Taichung, Chiayi
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• 2007-2010
• Dissemination of the philosophy of independent
  living
• Empowerment of PWDs by introducing IL services
• 2011-2015
• PWDs social participation and influence to
  policy-making
• Establish national association of IL centers!

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