International Declaration of the Special Play and Recreation Rights and Responsibilities of People with Disabilities

GLOBAL VISION PROJECT: Global Vision of Rehabilitation
and Recreation for People with Disabilities in the 21st Century

HUMAN RIGHTS:
D. "International Declaration of the Special Play and Recreation Rights and Responsibilities of People with Disabilities"

Preamble

PLAY AND RECREATION. Play and recreation function universally to provide positive sensations of pleasure that are necessary to human development, health, well being, and healing. The benefits of play are necessary to all infants and children; and, the benefits of recreation are necessary to all youth, adults, and seniors.

Play and recreation's natural healing functions are necessary to every person with disability. Factors related to disability and in society cause obstacles to recreation. Special measures are required to provide recreation for, with, and by people who are ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled. Special recreation contributes fundamentally to treatment, care, and rehabilitation.

EVERY PERSON. Play and recreation are basic to the human rights of all people. Without play and recreation people are denied complete lives and full lives.

People's basic needs include:
*--PHYSICAL: nutrition, shelter, and health; and,
*--CULTURAL: education, recreation and security.

UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES. Since its inception, the United Nations and associated non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have worked to establish within the United Nations those special humanitarian values and principles that address the needs, rights, and aspirations of people who are disabled. These values and principles are expressed in a series of United Nations declarations, covenants, and principles including:

1948, "Universal Declaration of Human Rights,"
1959, "Declaration of the Rights of the Child,"
1971, "Declaration on the Rights of Mentally Retarded Persons,"
1975, "Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons," and
1991, "Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness and
the Improvement of Mental Health Care."

UN DECLARATIONS. These United Nations declarations provide the foundation for the "International Declaration" initiated by Special Recreation for disABLED International.

BRIDGING THE GAP. The "International Declaration" provides the means to extend the spirit of United Nations disability declarations to every clinical setting, care and healing service, and community in the world. The "International Declaration" bridges the gap between United Nations principles of the human right to play and recreation and the actual experience of play and recreation for, with, and by every person with disability -- infant, child, youth, adult, and senior -- everywhere in the world.
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"International Declaration of the Special Play and Recreation
Rights and Responsibilities of People with Disabilities"

PART I. All People with Disability
Have the Right to Play and Recreation

Principle 1 [infant and child play]
Every infant and child who is disabled has the right to play as a natural means of pleasure, growth, development, and healing.

Principle 2 [youth, adult, and senior recreation]
Every youth, adult and senior who is disabled has the right to recreation as a natural means of pleasure, health, well being, and healing.

Principle 3 [highest potential]
People with disability have the right to achieve their highest potential through recreation in the pursuit of happiness and quality of life, self-actualization, and social fulfillment.

Principle 4 [equal opportunity]
People with disability have the right, without prejudice, to equal opportunity to play and recreation, provided by governmental and non-governmental organizations, as do people in society at large.

Principle 5 [typical lifestyle]
People with disability have the same right to a typical play and recreation lifestyle, as do people in society at large.

Principle 6 [consumer options]
People with disability have same right to exercise consumer recreation options, as do people in society at large.

Principle 7 [access]
People with disability have the right to access to all recreation pursuits through elimination of discriminatory restrictions and rules, elimination of architectural and attitudinal barriers, and adaptation of play and recreation activities, equipment and materials.

Principle 8 [community-based rehabilitation and recreation]
People with disability have the right to Community-Based Rehabilitation with Special Recreation and to Community-Based Special Recreation; Special Recreation providing: play and recreation personnel, program and activities, services, equipment, and facilities; play and recreation education and advising; and, play and recreation technology assistive devices and information.

Principle 9 [personal benefits]
People with disability have the right to achieve the personal benefits of recreation including aesthetic, affective, cognitive, creative, physical, and social benefits.

Principle 10 [functional benefits]
People with disability have the right to the functional benefits of play and recreation which provide increased skills for coping, development, functioning, living, and pleasure.

Principle 11 [therapeutic benefits]
People with disability have the right to achieve the therapeutic benefits of the activity-affective therapies.

Principle 12 [rehabilitative benefits]
People with disability have the right to achieve the rehabilitative benefits of play and recreation services in plans for care, education, employment, rehabilitation, and treatment in all rehabilitative settings.

Principle 13 [employment in recreation]
People with disability have the right to employment and to serve as volunteers in recreation service.

Principle 14 [safe play and recreation]
People with disability have the right to safe, healthful, and salutary play and recreation opportunities.

PART II. All People with Disability
Have Responsibility for Play and Recreation

Principle 15 [optimal personal benefits]
People with disability have the responsibility to direct their recreation lifestyles to achieve optimal personal benefits from recreation including aesthetic, affective, cognitive, creative, physical, and social benefits.

Principle 16 [advocacy for recreation]
People with disability have the responsibility to advocate play and recreation for themselves and for other people with disabilities.

Principle 17 [safe play and recreation]
People with disability have the responsibility to pursue safe, healthful, and salutary play and recreation.

Principle 18 [strive for highest potential]
People with disability have the responsibility to strive to achieve their highest potential in the pursuit of happiness and quality of life, self-actualization, and social fulfillment, in and through recreation.
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Public Domain. The "International Declaration of the Special Play and Recreation Rights and Responsibilities of People with Disabilities" is published in the Public Domain, without copyright, by Special Recreation for disABLED International.

Endorsed, Commended. The "International Declaration" has been adopted/endorsed by rehabilitation and recreation organizations. At the "United Nations Millennium 2000 Forum," the Forum's "Disabilities Thematic Issue [group]" commended the Declaration to governments, civil society, and the United Nations.

Use of Declaration. The SRDI serves as Secretariat for activities related to the "International Declaration," for example, keeping records of adoptions, articles, endorsements, papers, and publication. Any person or organization wishing to use the "International Declaration" is encouraged to do so. However, it is requested that SRDI: 1. Be contacted in advance, if possible, 2. Receive attribution, and 3. Receive copies of, or information on, its use.

Special Recreation for disABLED International
[Website Secretariat/Clearinghouse]
Prof. John A. Nesbitt, Ed.D., CTRS, Pres/CEO,
362 Koser Avenue, Iowa City, Iowa 52246-3038 USA.
TELEPHONE 319/337-7578 --- FAX Available on Request
EMAIL john-nesbitt@uiowa.edu --- WEBSITE http://www.jccniowa.org/~recdsabl
N.B.: All communications by EMAIL; All information on WEBSITE, only.

GLOBAL VISION PROJECT: Global Vision of Rehabilitation and
Recreation for People with Disabilities in the 21st Century
A Joint Project by
Disability International Foundation AND
Special Recreation for disABLED International

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