A/HRC/16/38 role in providing international cooperation, either to States or to intergovernmental organizations and to other civil society organizations, given their specific knowledge and understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the implementation of the Convention. 37. Information provided in the submissions indicates that States have cooperated with and channelled funds through civil society organizations in support of disability projects. Germany, for example, has supported DPOs and their active participation in national poverty reduction strategy plans in Cambodia, Viet Nam and Tanzania. Similarly, the United Kingdom has supported the participation of persons with disabilities to engage with the constitutional reform processes in Nigeria. Norway has also contributed to strengthening DPOs in developing countries. Finland and the World Federation of the Deaf conducted a needs assessment in four countries in order to develop sign language education for children and youth42. 38. Denmark supports disability rights in development cooperation through Danish civil society organizations, such as through the umbrella organization Danish Disabled People’s Organisations - Denmark (DPOD). Among other initiatives, DPOD supported the Africa Disability Decade Programme. Due to these efforts, the work of the Decade Steering Committee in Rwanda led to the development of a national programme in 2009, which aimed at improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities (2010-2019)43. Measures have been adopted in the field of rehabilitation and programmes for persons with sensory disabilities have been put in place, among other steps taken44. Another example of such bilateral aid to strengthen local capacities is the partnership between the Danish Association of Laryngectomees (DLFL) and the disability umbrella organization, the National Federation of the Disabled Nepal (NFDN). The initiative included capacity-building of NFDN volunteers and staff in relation to lobbying and advocacy for Conventionratification in Nepal. Through this cooperation, several members of the Constitutional Assembly were trained as advocates supporting ratification of the Convention, and as a result of these and other factors, Nepal ratified the Convention in May 201045. These international cooperation efforts can make a valuable contribution to strengthening the capacity of DPOs to claim their rights as stipulated by the Convention at the local level. 39. International cooperation between States and civil society organizations occurs at the regional level. An EU co-financed project called Mainstreaming Disability in Development Cooperation, implemented from 2006-2008, brought together 12 European civil society organizations including DPOs46. The projects, implemented by NGOs, DPOs, local entities and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) collected relevant data and created an accessible database. This made it possible to identify the actors in the development cooperation field and evidenced the need for better coordination. The followup to this project is being financed by the EU for the period 2010-2012. The new project is run by 11 partners, among European NGOs and DPOs47 and aims at promoting consistent implementation of the Convention through development cooperation. 42 43 44 45 46 47 See Statement of the Special Rapporteur on Disability at the 45th Session of the Commission on Social Development, at www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/srcsocd45.htm. See submission of Denmark at . www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/disability/docs/study/Denmark.doc See report submitted by the Government of Rwanda for the Universal Periodic Review, at www.minijust.gov.rw/IMG/pdf/Rapport_Human_Right.pdf. See submission of Denmark at . www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/disability/docs/study/Denmark.doc For more information: www.make-development-inclusive.org For more information: www.iddcconsortium.net/joomla/index.php/component/content/article/38news-and-events/361-100629-mdi-proj-launch 13