Promoting the rights of Children with disabilities innocenti digest no

participating – in discussion and decision-making 
concerning their lives is critical. It represents 
a major challenge to prevailing attitudes and 
preconceptions in all countries, one that must be 
addressed through training as well as through wider 
efforts to shift public beliefs and attitudes.
The availability of timely and appropriate information 
and knowledge resources – for persons with 
disabilities, their families, service providers and 
the public – is critical to improve access to quality 
services, increase participation in decision-making 
and create public awareness and demand. Article 
17 of the CRC asserts a child’s right to information 
and material aimed at the promotion of the child’s 
social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical 
and mental health. 
Two innovative examples in the Americas represent 
potential models for adaptation in other countries 
and regions. A National Dissemination Center for 
Children with Disabilities serving the United States 
and related territories provides families, students, 
educators and others with information on topics 
regarding children and youth with disabilities. 
Multiple communication strategies are used in order 
to reach different population groups: direct contact 
through telephone, correspondence and email, 
as well as provision of web-based information 
and resources (including in an audible version). 
Based on this US experience, a similar initiative, 
Entre Amigos, is underway in Brazil. This service 
has similar objectives but has used a different 
development approach, which builds on the 
experience and contacts of more than 20 Brazilian 
partner organizations.
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Just as important as information provided formally 
is the opportunity for informal learning through 
the interaction of children with disabilities with 
their peers. This in turn will allow them to explore, 
develop, learn and form opinions in the same 
way as other children. Unfortunately, policies and 
programmes addressing the specific requirements 
of young persons with disabilities are rare and 
usually limited in scope.
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Children with disabilities 
lack many of the opportunities open to other 
children in areas such as learning, recreation,