Dehradun: Uttarakhand State Disability Commissioner Suresh Chand Joshi on Friday stressed the need for collective efforts and frequent regional consultations to stay informed about the progress of disability rights movements in different states. “Service to disabled people is service to God'', he added while speaking in the North India Consultation on the Disability Rights in Dehradun recently.
The consultation, which saw a large number of stakeholders coming together under one roof, had been organized by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment of Disabled People (NCPEDP), along with the Latika Roy Foundation and Disability Rights Advocacy Group (DRAG) here.
In his opening remarks, Arman Ali, Executive Director, NCPEDP said, “Our PM addresses disability in every Mann ki Baat session, and initiatives like the Accessible India campaign are underway. Let's actively utilize it. We've the strongest law for disabled people but implementation rests with the states as it's a state subject. Along with parking it with the centre, states should also proactively implement it.”
Jo Chopra, Executive Director, Latika Roy Foundation and Akeel, Executive Director of DRAG, emphasized the need to come in solidarity to ensure effective implementation of our robust legislation.
The objective of holding the consultation in the Northern region was to discuss disability inclusion and develop a vision for the next five to ten years. It focused on various key areas including education, employment, health, disaster management, accessibility, gender, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Presentations were made by representatives from different states such as Delhi; Haryana; Himachal Pradesh; Punjab; Uttar Pradesh; and Uttarakhand, to provide an overview of the current status of people with disabilities in these thematic areas.
"The purpose of this regional consultation is to provide a platform for discussion and the development of a status quo report regarding the implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act of 2016 in the region," said Arman Ali.
He said that certain regions and districts in India experience a higher concentration of disability prevalence, leading to the disproportionate marginalization of people with disabilities. The northern region of India, in particular, has one of the highest percentages of disability prevalence in the country.
In addition to its high population, the northern part of the country is susceptible to natural disasters, including the recent catastrophe in Joshimath, as well as other recurring incidents in Himalayan areas in recent times. This underscores the importance of being well-prepared to handle relief and rehabilitation efforts in these areas prone to disasters.
Tarun Vijay, former Member of Parliament, noted author, journalist, and social worker, gave a call to society to be more sensitive towards disabled people and everyone should understand their own responsibilities.
The consultation discussed several crucial topics, including challenges of disability-inclusive education, equitable healthcare access, disability certification, information and infrastructure accessibility, employment barriers, inclusion of women with disabilities, promoting disability inclusion across SDGs, and prioritizing disaster management readiness.
The North India Consultation was attended by NGOs from the Northern states, professionals in Disability Rights, State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities, and government representatives. /BI/
