Bheriganga (Surkhet), 24 February: Surkhet rights activists have emphasized the implementation of the national policy on persons with disabilities.
This was stated by participants of an interaction program organized by the Intellectual Disability Parents’ Association Nepal in partnership with UNPRPD and UNDP in Birendranagar, Surkhet on Sunday.
Mukundahari Dahal, former president of the Federation of Intellectual Disabilities and advocate, informed about the provisions of the National Policy on Persons with Disabilities 2080 at the program. He said that this policy will contribute to providing access to every sector for persons with disabilities as a whole, and the implementation aspect should be strengthened.
Meanwhile, the participants pointed out that a separate law is needed for persons with disabilities in Karnali Province. Surya Bhattarai, Chief of Kosish Nepal Surkhet, said that the national policy on persons with disabilities alone cannot represent the feelings of everyone and pointed out that the province needs to formulate its own policy. “This policy cannot encompass the feelings of all persons with disabilities in Karnali Province,” he said. Along with its implementation, a separate policy is needed in the province.
Disability rights activist Suresh Khadka said that it is good to have a policy and law and suggested that attention should be paid to its implementation. Ashish Adhikari, President of the Blind Youth Association Surkhet, said that Karnali Province should also ensure free education and participation in every sector while making a policy related to disability. Man Bahadur Karki, Officer of the National Human Rights Commission Karnali Province, said that not all offices in the province have accessible buildings for people with disabilities.
He informed that the National Human Rights Commission has been studying and advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities. Minister for Social Development of the Karnali Province Government, Ghanashyam Bhandari, expressed the commitment that the province government will formulate a separate policy for persons with disabilities. He said that a policy should be formulated to connect persons with disabilities to business and suggested that they now work in conjunction with production. The National Policy on Persons with Disabilities was approved and implemented by the Council of Ministers on 2080 Poush 9.
Policies have been adopted to develop an inclusive and equitable system at all three levels of government in the state through legal arrangements, institutional reforms, and capacity development, and to effectively integrate people with disabilities into society by making physical infrastructure, transportation services, resources, and information technology accessible.
