Call to bring physically challenged persons under social safety net
Social
Welfare Minister Enamul Haque Mostafa Shahid has expressed the opinion
that the physically challenged persons should be included in the
government's social safety programme.
Laws relating to physically challenged people are insufficient and
for this reason social approaches toward them should be changed, he
observed.
He made the observation while addressing a seminar as
the chief guest organised by the Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallyan Somity
(BPKS) titled "UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities" in the city Thursday, reports BSS.
Founder and Executive Director of BPKS Abdus Sattar Dulal presided over the seminar.
The
minister said this segment of population should be provided with
services as golden citizens of the country. "The bright side of the
physically challenged people should be highlighted, not their gloomy
parts," he added.
Besides, the speakers in their addresses stressed the need for
detailed data about physically challenged persons. UN convention in
this connection should also be discussed in the All Party Parliamentary
Group (APPG), they observed.
Representatives from 30 ministries, non-government organisations
(NGOs), different leading development organisations, European
Commission, Australian High Commission, political parties, physically
challenged people's organisations, civil society, international donor
agencies and print and electronic media were present at the seminar.
Australian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Justin Lee, President of
Bangladesh Economic Association Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad and First
Counsellor at the Delegation of the European Commission Jean-Jacques
Lauture addressed the seminar as special guests.
Source: The Financial Express, 30 October, 2009: for More, please visit: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/search_index.php?page=detail_news&news_id=82992
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Persons With Disabilities Special database in next census: Minister
The
government is planning to make a special database of persons with
disabilities according to different natures of disability and gender in
the next census to be held in 2011, Minister for Social Welfare Enamul
Haque Mostafa Shahid said yesterday.
In the national ID cards,
the persons with disability will be regarded as Golden Citizens and
they will get an increased coverage of social security protection
scheme, he also said.
He was speaking at a seminar on 'UN
Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disability' organised by
Bangladesh Protibandhi Kalyan Samity (BPKS) at Bangabandhu
International Conference Centre in the city.
The minister said
the government is committed to bringing every child with disability to
school. Stern actions will be taken against any school that refuses to
admit children with disability.
Speakers at the seminar said
according to the last census held in 2001 there are about 15 million
persons with disability in the country. However, the actual number is
much higher. They also added another 56 million people with age related
disability to the total number.
They said although disability
is a major social and economic phenomenon in Bangladesh, there is very
little reliable data available on this issue, especially in the absence
of a comprehensive national survey on persons with disabilities.
Qazi
Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, president of Bangladesh Economic Association, said
it is a must to know the actual number of disabled persons to include
them in the mainstream of the country's socio-economic development.
Without appropriate statistics it will not be possible to address their needs, he added.
Advocate
Salma Ali, executive director of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers
Association, stressed ensuring the rights of women and children with
disability.
She said it is still not possible to implement
different terms of the UN convention in the legal system, as they are
not yet incorporated into the domestic law.
Abdus Sattar
Dulal, executive director of BPKS, pointed out that the Ministry of
Social Welfare is not solely responsible for disability related issues.
Welfare and charity cannot be the solution to disability.
Promoting rights-based approach incorporating disability related development plans under all ministries is necessary, he added.
The
speakers also underscored the need for implementing the UN convention
adding that the persons with disability should also have access to
decision making.
Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh
Justin Lee, Prof Mahmuda Islam of Dhaka University, Jean-Jacques
Lauture, first counsellor at the Delegation of the European Commission,
Jonathan Foret, chief, PSID Worldwide, BPKS, and Gazi Mohammad Nurul
Kabir, managing director of Jatiya Protibandhi Unnayan Foundation, also
spoke.
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Source: The Daily Star, date 30 October, 2009. For more please visit:
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=111902
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