Dili, 26 May 2011 - Julie Langelier, a 32-year-old new mother, works with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste to improve the lives of children with disabilities. She is stationed in Baucau, a remote district.

Julie works with KATILOSA, a non-governmental organization and four other civil society organizations to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. KATILOSA works closely with government ministries on the prevention and early detection of disabilities, and on education about disabilities. It trains midwives, nurses and health workers and provides community-based rehabilitation.

"Children and adolescents with a disability form a significant part of the population in Timor-Leste," Julie said. "Many people have limited awareness or knowledge of how to meet the special needs of disabled children. There are some families here whose children have been bed-ridden since birth. It is unfortunate that most families have no access to information or public services."

Julie is helping to develop radio programmes that will bring KATILOSA's messages to small rural communities. The programmes were developed with and feature disabled people.

"Traditionally, when we deal with disability, we tended to use a charity approach. We see people with disabilities as beneficiaries of protection and assistance. What KATILOSA is trying to do is to promote a shift of mentality toward a rights-based approach so the people with disability are seen as rights holders," Julie said. "Access to knowledge, health and education isn't a privilege, it's a right. It's about empowerment and raising awareness. It's about people in need and our responsibility as humans to be there for one another."

For more information, please contact:
Raabya Amjad, Public Information Officer, UNMIT at amjad@un.org
Mobile: +670 7326475).