Govt committed to protect rights of persons with disability: Dr. Shireen Mazari

Islamabad :Lively performances, melodious songs and colorful tableaus by persons with disability (PWD) touched the heart of everyone present at the vibrant event organised by the Ministry of Human Rights (MoHR) to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) on Tuesday.

It was no doubt a happy day for PWDs as large number of boys and girls from different schools and institutes for PWD, representatives of diplomatic community, government and civil society joined the event. Students from public schools in Islamabad also joined them in their joy.

The event was held by Directorate General of Special Education, Ministry of Human Rights, in collaboration with the EU’s Huqooq e Pakistan Project of MoHR, and other partner organizations working with persons with disabilities such as Sightsavers, Chef International, Cbm and Deaf Talk. Performers at the event belonged to various institutions under Directorate General of Special Education. The event was well attended with over 500 participants.

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed across the globe, including Pakistan, December 3 to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society, and to increase awareness about persons with disabilities belonging to political, social, economic and cultural spheres of life.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Promoting the Participation of Persons with Disabilities and their Leadership: Taking Action on the 2030 Development Agenda.” The theme focuses on the empowerment of persons with disabilities for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which pledges to ‘leave no one behind’ and recognizes disability as a cross-cutting issues, to be considered in the implementation of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.”

Chief guest, Dr. Shireen Mazari in her key note address said that the government is committed to protect the rights of persons with disability in Pakistan. “Prime Minister Imran Khan in his first Cabinet meeting instructed to arrange for accessibility of PWDs. Soon Ministry will survey to check the implimention of his instructions. Moreover, public universities, Capital Development Authority and the State Bank have been requested to facilitate the needs of differently-abled persons including subsidies for education, special access for public buildings, and ATM facilities for the visually impaired,” she said while promising to lobby for speci seats for PWDS in colleges and universities. Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan Anne Marchal said that the EU is fully committed to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and take stronger measures to ensure their inclusion in society and their equal participation in the labour.