Chicago, IL - September 28, 2006 - The Center for International Rehabilitation (CIR) and the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) of Syracuse University signed an agreement today to work together to expand the scope and reach of the International Disability Rights Monitor (IDRM), a project that 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.
The partnership will bring the legal expertise and institutional resources of BBI together with the program experience and international networks of the CIR. Dr. William Kennedy Smith, founder of the IDRM project, said “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 US and their contribution to the project will be vital.”
Dr. Peter Blanck, Chairman of BBI and University Professor at Syracuse, added “The CIR/BBI 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.”
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 and has trained more than 60 disability advocates from Latin America, Asia, and Europe on data collection, reporting, and advocacy.
The Center for International Rehabilitation 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.
The Burton Blatt Institute 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.
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