Dedicated to the nerve of all People with Disabilities (PWD)
Disability affects more than one billion people worldwide and the latter are regularly and repeatedly affected by the remaining7billions orso-the Abled.The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities includes people with disabilities as those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory [such as hearing or vision] impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. Disability is a societal problem that impactsmanifestly,our economic growth and subtly scans our moral values, level of empathy and sense of prioritization. Available Disability data in Pakistan is somewhat limited and the reliable one is even more limited. It is estimated that at least one in every eight families have a member who suffers from some form of disability.PWD around the world experience significant disadvantages when it comes to health. Their inconveniencies andimpediments multiply in our countryPakistan, due to cultural, financial, geographical and political accessibility. Getting quality health here is more a matter of good luck even for the privileged in all respects rather than a constitutional right.
Education ,however, is our given constitutional right and within our 23 million out-of-school children,18 millionare between the ages of 10 and 16 years. Being a signatory to Agenda 2030, Sustainable Development Goal number 4 about education is also an obligation for the State to fulfil. It also entails that the state has to ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.The disabled amongst these must not be excluded. The question is; does our existing system and structure ensure inclusivity of all in accessing any education facility? Are the mindsets of our policy makers ready to reviewstrategicmatterslike de?nitions and data, policies, service delivery and ?nance, and capacity expansion?
Disability Inclusive Education, one of the deepest dilemmas in development practice, is presently in the attention radar of some technical aid and donor agencies.Hence it is ricocheted in interventions steered by their partner NGOs and other civil society groups. Well informed reflection and realization of the long route to this inclusion however is missing from hurriedly spawned short term projects. No mainstream social and behaviour change communication campaign concentrating on sensitive portrayal of different disabilities in mass media and new age media is in picture. Legislative actions need a careful analysis and public debate. Currently there are 11 laws at national and provincial level ( not uniformly distributed) namely; Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance, 1981,National Policy for Persons with Disabilities, 2002,National Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities, 2006 ,The Accessibility Code of Pakistan, 2006 Special Citizens Act, 2008,Special Citizens (Right to Concessions in Movement) Act, 2009,Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) ratified by Pakistan in 2011,Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Act, Punjab, 2012,Punjab Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015,The Balochistan Persons with Disability Act, 2017 and Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2018. The need for more all-encompassing laws with gender integration in all regions may not be countermanded.
The International Disability Day on December 3,2019 was observed to spread compassion and recognizing the poverties of PWD. Pakistan too remembered this segment of its population, through public, private and voluntary organizations in actual and digital spaces. The day itself does not distinguishbetween mental and physical disabilities but the way it is arrangedby many high profile forums, too often discloses,maladroitnessof the very choreographers.Treating humans with disabilities without displayof one’s ableism is a virtue and skill both.
Disability combined with low socio-economic setting is the worst tragedy that can hit any individual and family here. PWD actually climb the Everest of humiliation, self-disrespect, inaccessibility of many forms
Social exclusion, stigma, isolation and inequalities are not strangers to a majority of PWD.State policies, traditions and cultural practices vary in apathy, harmfulness and toxicity according to human development andineptitudegender inequalities indices ranking of the countries. Being disabled can never be a desirable idea or experience even in the most developed countries. However, one of the worst nightmares in our country is to be disabled.
Disability combined with low socio-economic setting is the worst tragedy that can hit any individual and family here. PWD actually climb the Everest of humiliation, self-disrespect, inaccessibility of many forms , direct and indirect discrimination and what not. Some prominent names with disabilities can be seen as silver bullets in this bleak scenario.However, caveat may be observed in celebrating their success. It may be worthwhile to note the class, glamour and networking aspect.Maybe it is time to raise unpopular questions that may make to whom these may concern at least a little uncomfortable.
Powerful voices and agencies should try assertive conversations and aim should be other than getting sponsorship for conference tourism and selfies with national and international celebrities, movers and shakers. They should get engaged with their strategic allies, collaborators, donors and friends to get resources to build ramps, install voice traffic signals, cameras, broad cast public service messages and similar meaningful simple actions to ensure inclusion, protection, integration and equal participation of PWD. There are no easy and simple solutions to end the ordeals of PWD in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. “Business as usual” strategy involving 5-star hotel based activity will never create any correct understanding onDisability inclusive education or inclusive health care.
Disability Inclusion embodies,understandingof the relationship between the way people function, how they participate in society and making guaranteed everybody has the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life to the best of their abilities and desires.Our parliaments must prioritize PWD with these perspectives. Our governmentsare ought to show responsiveness to the pain and practical problemsofparents (especially single mothers with disabled children) of young children with disabilities and youth with disabilities. Special response mechanisms, to recognize and reduce the vulnerability of women with disabilities as they too are not safe from harassment, rape and assaults as patients and workers are urgently required.PWDshould be the active participants (not passive recipients of any allowance) in viable programmes woven with self-esteem, dignity and equality in health, education and economic sectors. We have enough talented professionals within country who if head hunted and if meritocracy observed can provide technical support where needed. Pakistan has to depart and deviate urgently from patronizing and charity approach towards its PWD. In 2020,some perpetual awakened dreamers in Pakistan, would once again look towards elite activists and NGOs for actual transformative changes in the lives of PWD and political leaders who could work with and not for PWD.
The writer is founded Pakistan’s first co-working and social entrepreneurship enabler space, KafeKaam ,dedicated to culturally and physically disabled women and trans people