Learning Evaluation of the Disability Rights Fund

The Disability Rights Fund (DRF) is a partnership between funders and the disability community that provides grants and other support for work at country-level towards the realisation of rights affirmed in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. DRF believes that enhancing the participation of persons with disabilities in the realisation of their rights will have an impact on poverty among persons with disabilities.In 2012, DRF conducted its first external evaluation. The evaluation, which was conducted by Universalia, concluded with an overall positive assessment of the Fund's performance, highlighting the Fund's relevance and progress towards its stated results. In 2013, DRF concluded another partnership agreement with DFID of the duration of 3 years. Both as part of the conditions set in this partnership agreement and as DRF being a learning-oriented organization, DRF launched a call for proposals to conduct a learning evaluation, consisting of two interrelated components: the development or adjustment of DRF's tools for data collection, recording, and management; and the mid-term evaluation of DRF grantmaking operations.The Learning Evaluation had the following objectives: i) provide an update on progress made towards the achievement of the output-, outcome- and impact-level results in DRF's logical framework; ii) identify DRF's contributions to results achieved and factors affecting performance; iii) make an overall assessment of DRF's value for money; and iv) provide DRF staff with a clear set of lessons learned to improve current interventions and guide future ones

Disability rights in Africa: towards citizenship approach

This thesis evaluates the status of the rights of persons with disabilities in the African context drawing from international, regional and national perspectives. It assesses the adequacy and effectiveness of the existing legal frameworks in Africa for achieving the full citizenship rights of persons with disabilities. It uses the concept of citizenship to justify and advocate for the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities. The thesis begins by reviewing various theoretical and conceptual models of disability rights and the emergence of anti-discrimination rights and the duty to accommodate in various jurisdictions. It then examines significant developments in international human rights law, culminating in the coming into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I underscore the shift that has occurred away from a biomedical/charity model of disability towards a human rights and citizenship-based paradigm. In the African context, however, this shift has not yet occurred. I argue that the existing regional legal framework in Africa does not provide adequate legal protections and guarantees for safeguarding the human rights of persons with disabilities. The African regional human rights instruments often portray persons with disabilities as recipients of care, assistance and rehabilitation services, replicating the perspective of the individual/bio-medical model. The progress towards a human rights approach to disability rights in Africa has been very slow. I suggest that the African Union should adopt a separate and specific convention or protocol on the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa. At the national level, many African states have disability-related laws that continue to reflect attitudes rooted in the individual/bio-medical model. To date, many African states have not enacted laws that meaningfully respect and protect disability human rights. I argue that states should primarily be responsible for ensuring the full citizenship status of persons with disabilities. I maintain that persons with disabilities should be reasonably accommodated to meet their needs in all circumstances in order to attain this objective. Otherwise, eliminating the exclusion, marginalization and discrimination experienced by persons with disabilities will remain an unfulfilled dream.Cette thèse évalue le statut des droits des personnes handicapées dans le contexte Africain, en puisant dans des perspectives internationales, régionales et nationales. Elle étudie également l'adéquation et l'efficacité des cadres légaux existants actuellement en Afrique pour établir les pleins droits civils des personnes handicapées.La thèse commence par passer en revue plusieurs modèles théoriques et conceptuels des droits des personnes handicapées et l'émergence de droits antidiscriminatoires et du devoir d'accommodation dans plusieurs juridictions. Elle examine ensuite les développements significatifs dans le droit international de la personne, culminant avec l'entrée en vigueur de la Convention relative aux droits des personnes handicapées. À cet égard, je souligne le changement qui s'est opéré en passant d'un modèle biomédical/charité vers un paradigme basé sur les droits des personnes handicapées et la citoyenneté. Dans le contexte Africain, ce changement n'a en revanche pas encore eu lieu. Je soutiens que le cadre légal régional présentement en place en Afrique n'offre pas de protection légale ou de garanties pour la protection des droits des personnes handicapées adéquates. Les instruments régionaux Africains des droits de la personne décrivent souvent les personnes handicapées comme des receveurs d'aide, d'assistance et de services de réhabilitation, reproduisant ainsi la perspective du modèle individuel/biomédical. L'évolution vers une approche des droits de la personne pour les personnes handicapées en Afrique est très lente. Je suggère que l'Union Africaine devrait adopter une convention ou un protocole séparé et spécifique aux droits des personnes handicapées en Afrique. De même, au niveau national, de nombreuses nations Africaines légifèrent des lois sur le handicap qui continuent de refléter des attitudes ancrées dans le modèle individuel/biomédical. Présentement, de nombreux pays Africains n'ont pas adopté de lois qui respectent et protègent de façon significative les droits des personnes handicapées. Je soutiens que les états devraient être principalement responsables d'assurer le plein statut de citoyen des personnes handicapées. Je maintiens que les personnes handicapées devraient être raisonnablement accommodées pour pourvoir à leurs besoins en toutes circonstances pour atteindre cet objectif. Sinon, l'élimination de l'exclusion, de la marginalisation et de la discrimination envers les personnes handicapées restera un rêve inachevé

The eritrean land tenure system from historical and legal perspectives /

A land tenure system is a set of rules which govern social relations between peoples in respect to land. It defines the property rights in land of individuals or groups in a specific locality or society. The property rights, which are in effect bundles of rights, may include the right to use, lease, mortgage, transfer, and so on. The source of these tenurial rules can be either customs or enacted laws. This thesis examines in detail these aspects of land tenure systems in respect to Eritrea, a country situated in the Horn of East Africa. Accordingly, the indigenous systems of land tenure of the country, land reforms introduced by the country's colonizers, and land laws enacted by the country's Government after independence, are discussed and criticized