India's Parliament will soon become disabled friendly

India's Parliament will soon become disabled friendly, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said Wednesday. 'I have given instructions to the parliament secretariat to make the house disabled-friendly and barrier free soon. I have also asked the parliament to purchase things made by the disabled people for use in the house,' Kumar said during an interaction with women journalists here. Activists working for disabled people have been demanding for long to make the house accessible to the physically challenged. India is home to 60 million disabled people. Of them, 48 percent are visually impaired, 28 percent are movement impaired, 14 percent are mentally disabled and 10 percent are hearing and speech impaired, according to 'People with Disabilities in India: From Commitments to Outcomes,' a report prepared by World Bank in collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 'Making the historic Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) accessible to persons with disabilities will go a long way to help the disabled population get access to public space without any barriers,' K.R. Rajendra, regional representative of Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD), told IANS. 'Leave alone the old buildings, even the newly constructed ones do not have any provisions for the disabled,' said Javed Abidi, president of the Disabled Rights Group and secretary of the Commonwealth Disability Forum. 'The parliament building is a heritage site for all Indians and if it is turned into a disabled friendly zone, then we can hope that rest of the buildings and public spaces in India will turn accessible to the disabled,' Abidi told IANS. The parliament house is a circular building designed by British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker in 1912. The rights activists said besides making the entire parliament building a barrier free zone for the disabled, there should be reserved parking and drop-off area for their vehicles, within 20 metres of its entrance. The area should be marked with symbols and a system should be put in place to ensure that others do not use the reserved parking space, activists say. 'An information board carrying details of these facilities must be set up at the entrance to the building itself, with appropriate signposts installed at various points inside the parliament house to help physically challenged visitors,' said Rajendra. Introduction of Braille symbols, first hand help, ramps, railings, lifts and accessible toilets are the other provisions which the activists believe should be put at parliament house to make it a disabled friendly zone.

Village for persons with disabilities

MANILA – Gawad Kalinga (GK) has officially launched The Village of Hope in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija. But unlike many other GK villages across the country, this new village is exclusively made for Persons with Disabilities.

The Village of Hope, considered the first and only village dedicated to people with disabilities, is a two-hectare lot in the capital of Nueva Ecija.

The lot was donated by the provincial governor, Aurelio Umali. Seeing the progress of the GK village in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija, Umali asked help from GK for the construction of this special community.

What was once a dream is now becoming a reality as several stakeholders signed the Memorandum of Agreement for the construction of the village.

Among those who signed and attended the groundbreaking event are Umali and his wife Cong. Czarina Umali, GK President Tony Meloto, Cabanatuan Bishop Sofronio Bancud, several local officials, and representatives from the disabled sector.

"These people will tell us, these people will teach us, these people will inspire us. Because they have been doing this for many years now. It's about time they get the limelight, it's about time they get the headlight, it's about time their stories be heard,” said Umali.

The governor also mentioned that livelihood projects will be organized within the community so that the residents will no longer need to go to the main city to work.

He added that the houses will be customized depending on the needs of the disabled residents.

Equal opportunity

GK President Tony Meloto hopes the project will be a model village not just in Nueva Ecija but in different parts of the country.

"Sana po maging magandang halimbawa sa iba't ibang probinsiya na sana they can design a village where even those with disabilities can live with dignity and they can live productive lives,” said Meloto.

Rodolfo Mendoza, president of the Nueva Ecija Association of Persons with Disability, expressed gratitude for the construction of the village.

With this special project, he said the confidence of his members can be elevated now that they are being given an equal opportunity by the public.

"Kasama na kami sa sociedad. I am thankful na marami kami leaders from the national level na iniiba na namin pananaw ng tao with us. Ayaw namin kami'y kaawaan but to be the partner of the government,” said Mendoza.

“Malaking tulong magagawa namin and given a chance, mapatunayan namin na we can also make it,” he declared.

Nilane Legaspi, who was born with physical deformities and is one of the beneficiaries, also expressed her gratitude for the project.

She just has one message for people without disabilities: "Sana maging pantay-pantay lahat, mag-respetuhan. Kung meron sila nakitang may kapansanan, tulungan nila... bigyan nila ng pagkakataon na mabuhay nang malaya."

Sri Lanka to Ratify UNCRPD

International Campaign Coordinator Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD) UK, Gopal Mitra wants the Government to ratify the United Nation Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) to protect rights and give due recognition to disabled people in society .

He said that Sri Lanka became a signatory to the Convention in 2007 but has not ratified it by incorporating it in the local legal system. If Sri Lanka ratifies the convention it will help to build the image of the country internationally.

Mitra speaking to the media said that the ratification of the Convention will help to protect the rights of disabled people, they are a force to be reckoned with as they consist 10 percent of the global population.

He said that LCD is playing an important role in urging the Government to ratify this convention in the SAARC region. India and Bangladesh are the only two countries that have ratified the Convention from among 66 other countries. At present 140 countries are signatories to the Convention, he said.

LCD Resource Center (LCDRC) Legal Consultant M.H.P Gunaratne said the UN Convention was set up to protect the rights of the disabled and their inherent dignity. "Its ratification will help us to obtain foreign assistance," he said.

He said that though Sri Lanka signed the Convention in 2007 it has not approved the incorporation of this Convention into its legal system. They also conducted several campaigns under the leadership of young persons with disabilities in Sri Lanka to ratify the UNCRPD including the Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake.

Gunaratne said that Sri Lanka accounts for 5-6 percent of its population with impairment and disabilities. Majority of them live in rural areas and constitute one of the most excluded and poor sections of the society.

Attitudinal,institutional and environmental barriers have prevented them from accessing, basic human rights such as education, health care livelihoods, social security, participation and rehabilitation services.