What is Disability? The Social and Human Rights Model

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) entered into force in 2008. It articulated a set of obligations for states parties and signaled a shift from a traditional view of disability (medical treatment and charity) to one that focuses on the rights of persons with disabilities and what society must do to support their inclusion on an equal basis with others. In this community of practice, we will look at the meaning of disability (who is a person with a disability and what does it mean to be disabled). Further questions will explore: what is the right to health care for persons with disabilities? What may be some common barriers that persons with disabilities experience, and what can and should change to ensure persons with disabilities receive the health care they need?

Facilitator Bio

Michael Szporluk has worked in international development for twenty years and has focused on raising awareness about and advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities since 2008. Over the past seven years, he has been an independent consultant. Clients include the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office, UNICEF, International Labor Organization (ILO), the UK’s Independent Commission for Aid Impact, Mercy Corps, City of Portland, and others. He is based in Portland and self-identifies as a person with a disability.

Co-facilitator: Elizabeth Lahti, MD, is the Director of Narrative Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine and co-founded the Northwest Narrative Medicine Collaborative.
In this workshop participants will be asked to read, write, and discuss. If you require an accommodation, please contact NWNMC at nwnmc.pdx@gmail.com.

Event Details

November 17, 2020
6:00-8:00 pm
Online