Throughout 2018, META members worked actively to advance the promotion of rights and inclusive development, strengthening their leadership role with the conviction that «without action, there will be no rights.»
The following is a review of the key moments of the year:
Intergenerational Dialogues: META talks with activists from the Latin American Blind Union (ULAC)
In January 2018, during the Regional Assembly of the Latin American Blind Union, META youth talked with leaders of the organization, expert activists from the Disability Rights Movement.
Participation in the 8th Summit of the Americas
She also traveled as part of the 12th Regional Coalition for the Rights of Women and Girls with Disabilities. Shebrought with her different recommendations and observations for governments on the most relevant points at a regional level on the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls with disabilities. She also participated in the dialogue between civil society actors and government representatives, and took part in the General Assembly.
See video: https://youtu.be/-CaUVRqd8ws
Online training meetings for young people
The first webinar, called «No one should be left behind», was given by Dr. Elizabeth Lockwood, representative of the Christian Blind Mission International, and focused on the SDGs and Agenda 2030.
The second webinar was on Gender and Disability, and was given by Argentine activist Mercedes Monjaime, a representative of the Profamilia Colombia organization.
The third webinar was given by DafnePlou, a feminist social communicator from APC (Association for Progressive Communications), who discussedonline activism in the media and social networks for youth rights.
The protagonists of the fourth and last webinar of the year were young META members from different countries, who shared the actions they carried out over the past year and discussed their plans for 2019.
The online meetings were well attended by young people from many countries, such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela.
National Meeting of META Uruguay: «Conquering the Inclusive»
During the three-day event, they carried out different learning and discussion activities revolving around three main themes: inclusive education, sexual and reproductive rights, and access to culture, recreation and sports. They were accompanied by authorities from various national institutions, who expressed an interest in working together and committed themselves to META’s work.
See video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x27olcBQ6Dg&t=91s
META Participation in Summer School on Disability and Human Rights in Galway, Ireland
The event brought together more than 200 activists and academics from around the world to think together and share experiences on the intersection between human rights and disability, as a tool for social change. With the support of theNational University of Ireland, Galway and the Open Society Foundations, Natalia Farías, Sergio Meresman and Agustina Fazio were invited to present META’s experience. Natalia, an activist with META Uruguay since its inception, brought the voice of young people to this event of international importance, transmitting her own experience of participation and development.
In addition, during the week there was an exhibition and prizes for posters showing some of the projects of the participating activists. Natalia, Sergio and Agustina presented a billboard of the Decímelo a Mí project, which included Augmented Reality technology and had a strong impact on participants. META’s work impressed the international community, as an outstanding example of activism and empowerment of young people in pursuit of their rights.
National Meeting of META Argentina in Córdoba
The meeting also had the support of different organizations interested in working together with META.
See video: https://youtu.be/sPrgmD9AlhI?list=PLNHKcx0kTwwr3WNgzHHJvvOUNNq4yJZEQ
Participation in the Youth Now! Camp organized by UNFPA
Two young people were selected to represent META: Daniela Gordon from META Costa Rica, and Tomás Cabrera from META Uruguay, who in the end was unable to attend due to health reasons. During the Camp, topics such as adultcentrism, investment in Adolescence and Youth, Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Gender Equality, Rights at Risk, Socio-Political Incidence, International and Shared Agendas, Communication and Cyberactivism were discussed. As a representative of META, and as the only young person with a disability to participate, Dani Gordon brought the voice of young people with disabilities. In addition to the Camp, she participated in the Civil Society Forum and the Third Session of the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
«Recognize-Us» Project
The theme «How do you see yourself? How do you see things? How do you see us?» guided the sharing and creation of artistic products and the drafting of a brief final declaration.
Regional Forum on «Ensuring Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health for Women in Situations of High Vulnerability»
During the Forum, Daniela gave a presentation in the panel on «Barriers to the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights of adolescents living with disabilities and LGBTI people», which had a strong impact on the audience, who were made aware of the lack of mention of people with disabilities in the Consensus of Montevideo.
See video: https://youtu.be/itnbfQTGGME
META grows in the Dominican Republic
Workshops with young deaf people in Uruguay
Very interesting experiences and questions arose, such as «Who do we talk to about this if our family doesn’t speak Sign Language?” It was a very positive experience for the young deaf people, their families and other workshop participants.
See video: https://youtu.be/hV0YvEui2d0?list=PLNHKcx0kTwwr3WNgzHHJvvOUNNq4yJZEQ
Meeting of the Regional Network for Inclusive Education in Argentina
They presented the work carried out within the framework of the Mandela Project, promoted by iiDi, UNICEF, and the Council for Initial and Primary Education (CEIP) in Uruguay, to promote Inclusive Education. In addition to sharing their experiences, they reflected on the prospects for Inclusive Education in Latin America, among other strategies and policies of the Regional Network.
Presentation of the UNFPA Global Study on Youth with Disabilities
Present at the launch were several members of META Argentina, and Natalia Farías from Uruguay, who participated in one of the panels where presentations were made. In the afternoon, META coordinated other activities, such as workshop proposals where participants were invited to think in groups about themes for future work, priorities within the field of gender-based violence and SRRs, and intervention strategies.
Second International Symposium on Inclusive Education in Buenos Aires
In Buenos Aires, they participated in the Second International Symposium on Inclusive Education, where they made a presentation based on their own experiences in formal education and on their work as workshop members of the Mandela Network of inclusive schools and day care centers project in Uruguay.
Mandela Network of Inclusive Schools and Day Care Centers
For the second consecutive year, a Children’s Congress was held in October, attended by children representing all the schools in the Network. Also present were the leaders of the workshops who worked in the schools throughout the year. At the Congress, more than 220 children from 17 of the country’s departments met to reflect together on inclusion. Their teachers and family representatives also met together. In the afternoon, the children held a plenary session to vote on their proposals and to draw up a Proclamation on Inclusive Education.
International Seminar on Sexual and Reproductive Rights, HIV and Persons with Disabilities
During the event, they were part of a youth workshop in which a series of messages were drawn up for families, schools, governments and young people in general. In addition, a Declaration on the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Young People with Disabilities was adopted. META Brazil is expected to be created in 2019, as many young participants in the Seminar were interested in joining the Network.
Meeting of young people from Pro-familia Colombia
In addition, young women who belong to META took part in a workshop where they talked about their lives, goals and current projects. META Colombia is expected to be created in 2019, with the joint support of the iiDi and Profamilia.
First Regional Youth Dialogue in Chile
Previously, the young participants had exchanged opinions on the social networks on different topics: Participation, Education, Violence, Gender and Identity. Once in Chile, they worked on a Declaration, which they then presented to the authorities in ECLAC. From META, Sofia brought the disability perspective to the five topics under discussion, which was very well received and was reflected in the final declaration.In addition, Sofia was invited to give a presentation on youth participation during one of the panels in ECLAC.
Creation of the META group in Nicaragua
In November, they held a training on Sexual and Reproductive Rights and on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, led by Sergio Meresman, and also participated in the last webinar organized by META. For 2019 they plan to continue their training and generate exchanges with other META groups in the Central American region.
Creation of the Luis Hernan Cambronero Youth Empowerment and Participation Fund