SU’s Burton Blatt Institute partners with Center for International Rehabilitation to promote disability rights

SU’s Burton Blatt Institute partners with Center for International Rehabilitation to promote disability rightsOctober 02, 2006Jaime Winne Alvarezjlwinne@syr.edu

The Burton Blatt Institute: Centers of Innovation on Disability at Syracuse University (BBI) and the Center for International Rehabilitation (CIR) recently signed an agreement to work together to expand the scope and reach of the International Disability Rights Monitor (IDRM) project. The IDRM project works to advance the use of international law in ensuring that the human rights of people with disabilities are respected and enforced around the globe. This new partnership pairs BBI’s legal expertise and institutional resources with CIR’s program experience and international networks.

“The BBI-CIR partnership is an important effort to further disability rights around the globe. Together, we hope to advance civic, economic and social participation of persons with disabilities everywhere,” says Peter Blanck, University Professor and chair of BBI.

To date, the IDRM project has released four reports and three report cards detailing the condition and treatment of people with disabilities around the world. It has trained more than 60 disability advocates from Latin America, Asia and Europe on data collection, reporting and advocacy.

“The passage this August of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities makes the work of the IDRM project more important than ever. BBI is the premier organization in the field of disability rights in the U.S., and their contribution to the project will be vital,” says Dr. William Kennedy Smith, founder of IDRM.

The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) takes its name from Burton Blatt, a pioneer in humanizing services for people with mental retardation, staunch advocate of Deinstitutionalization, and national leader in special education. BBI works to advance the civic, economic and social participation of persons with disabilities in a global society by fostering public-private dialogue and building the capacity to transform policy, systems and people through inclusive education, the workforce and communities. For more information, visit http://bbi.syr.edu.

The Center for International Rehabilitation (CIR) is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to assist people with disabilities worldwide in achieving their full potential. Its activities span the fields of advocacy, engineering and education. For more information, visit http://www.cirnetwork.org.