Grad student represents Arab Region at UN

Shatha Abusrour, a graduate student in the School of Public, Nonprofit and Health Administration (SPNHA), contributed to the discussions at the United Nations Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Abusrour, who is blind, is a native of Palestine and represented Disabled People International during the session in June 2015.

She said there is little information about disability in the Arab region and most of the interventions by international agencies do not match actual needs. "Though a lot of money and energy is expended in this region, those resources do not fit with the developmental approach," said Abusrour. "There are some developmental initiatives in the region where persons with disability are not included at all.” 

Abusrour is using her experience attending Grand Valley as a case study for other students. Her findings have already resulted in the purchase of a Braille printer.