BROTHERHOOD in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), New Delhi is organizing the sixth “We Care Filmfest-2010” from February – May, 2010 in India.  As the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) has entered into force on May 3, 2008, the grand finale of film festival will be held on May 3, 2010 to give away the awards to the best films selected from entries from all over the world.   

Brief about United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability:

PURPOSE
 
The purpose of the Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

As per the Article 8 (Awareness – raising) of the UNCRPD : States Parties should undertake to adopt immediate, effective and appropriate measures:

1. To raise awareness throughout society, including at the family level, regarding persons with disabilities, and to foster respect for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities;
2. To combat stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices relating to persons with disabilities, including those based on sex and age, in all areas of life;
3. To promote awareness of the capabilities and contributions of persons with disabilities.

Measures to this end include:

1. To nurture receptiveness to the rights of persons with disabilities;
2. To promote positive perceptions and greater social awareness towards persons with disabilities;
3. To promote recognition of the skills, merits and abilities of persons with disabilities, and of their contributions to the workplace and the labour market;

b.     Fostering at all levels of the education system, including in all children from an early age, an attitude of respect for the rights of persons with disabilities;

c.     Encouraging all organs of the media to portray persons with disabilities in a manner consistent with the purpose of the present Convention;

d.     Promoting awareness-training programmes regarding persons with disabilities and the rights of persons with disabilities.

We pioneered the organization of film festivals on disability issues in India and are organizing the film festivals to create awareness about disability issues through the medium of films and to foster integration in society by spreading the message of ability. Also, it is aimed at giving a fillip to the rights-based approach where persons with disability are considered persons first.  We also want to remove the myths, misconceptions, prejudices and stereotype about disabled and disability among society by using the medium of films.

The film festival will be organized first in Delhi and will then travel to Mumbai/Pune and Kolkatta.  Films and documentaries received for the film festival will be screened at Delhi, Mumbai/Pune and Kolkatta.  The award ceremony will be held in Delhi on May 3, 2010. 

To promote the We Care Filmfest-2010 we will organize MEDIA AND DISABILITY WORKSHOPS for various prominent institutes of Mass Communications, Journalism and Film making institutes.  We are planning to cover Maharastra, West Bengal,  Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. We will also organize MEDIA AND DISABILITY WORKSHOPS for various institutes of Delhi and NCR.  Students will be sensitized towards UNCRPD and other related issues like the role of media, understanding disability, proper terminology, disability as human rights etc.