About the International Disability Rights Monitor

This is the second publication and the first regional report of the International Disability Rights Monitor (IDRM) project. The project represents an ongoing collaboration between the International Disability Network (IDN), Disabled Peoples International (DPI), and many other international and national disability groups. The goals of the IDRM project are to promote the full inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in society and to advance the use of international humanitarian law to ensure that the human rights of persons with disabilities are respected and enforced.

The impetus for the project grew from the reality that policy makers, the human rights community, treaty monitoring bodies, and global leaders have access to very little information about the extent or the nature of the challenges faced by persons with disabilities. The IDRM project addresses this gap by documenting the problems, progress and barriers experienced by people with disabilities in a coordinated, systematic and sustained way.

In 2003, the IDRM published a disability rights compendium that covered a broad range of topics. It included articles examining issues of concern to the disability community, a comparative analysis of disability law in 52 countries around the world, and the results of field trials of the IDRM methodology in El Salvador and Nicaragua. This book marks the first of a series of regional reports that document and assess the condition and treatment of people with disabilities internationally. This Regional Report of the Americas contains reports from 24 countries and a regional report card summarizing the degree to which basic protections for the rights of people with disabilities are in place. The next Regional Report will focus on the Asia Pacific Region and is due to be released in December 2004.

The IDRM research network that is responsible for these reports consists of local and regional researchers drawn primarily from the disability community. The researchers come together for regional training on IDRM data collection methodology then engage in extensive research in their home countries. Researchers consult with both government officials and leaders of civil society in preparing their reports. The research for this report was conducted during the second half of 2003, and each researcher submitted a preliminary report in early 2004. Reports were then edited during April, May, and June before being returned to the researchers for their approval.

While the IDRM strives to be as comprehensive and accurate as possible, disability is a complex issue and presents inherent data collection challenges. Thus, the IDRM welcomes feedback from all sources. Through a cooperative effort, the project aims to create resources that will be of use to all those who wish to promote and protect the human rights of all persons with disabilities.

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