Press Release
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Subject: Disability Rights Leader elected President of World Body
The 90 country governing assembly of
Rehabilitation International, meeting at the organization's quadrennial World
Congress, has elected Mr.
Mr. Frieden, a disability rights advocate,
is Senior Vice President at TIRR (The Institute for Rehabilitation and
Research) in
RI is a federation of 200 national and
international organizations and agencies in 90 countries working for the
rehabilitation of people with disabilities, and for the equalization of
opportunities for persons with disabilities and their families within society.
The organization, founded in 1922, is one of only five disability-focused
non-governmental organizations in the world to have consultative status with
the UN.
Mr. Frieden will meet with government and
organization officials and with heads of state in countries around the globe
during his four year term as president. He aims to work in harmony with
international human rights groups and other disability organizations to secure
the adoption of a UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities. He
also wants to expand the reach of RI by including more representation from poor
and developing countries. Mr. Frieden is only the second person with a severe
disability to be selected for the presidency.
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About Rehabilitation International:
http://www.rehab-international.org/