The disabled
are marginalized
which gives rise to discrimination that cannot be condoned under any circumstances
UNICEF’s “State of the World’s Children’s Report-2013” highlights the
fact that about one-third of the school-going children have one or other
form of disability. This is indeed disturbing because those with
disabilities are more likely to suffer from discrimination in most
sectors of life. They mostly face many challenges as society tends to
stigmatize and also stereotype them. This happens in public services
like transport. This makes it essential, as per the report, to shift
focus on the abilities of children with disabilities as they tend to be
vulnerable. In this task, the government has a crucial role to play in
enhancing their lifestyle by, among other things, guaranteeing equal
rights for such children. This is lacking in Nepal as equal
opportunities to them are more often denied, particularly in the
educational institutions making their access to education more difficult
and illiteracy becomes their fate. The services that they are entitled
to do not exist or are severely limited. That leaves their lot in a
hostile terrain making their life difficult.
The other disheartening picture is that the disabled children are more likely to be denied access to health care to the degree required by them. As of now, the plight of disabled children is immeasurable so much so that they are more prone to abuse, exploitation and even neglect. We cannot just sit back and allow this to happen. What the society tends to forget is that many of the disabled children have immense potential and it is very unfortunate that they cannot develop it in spite of their ability to do so. Many barriers confront the children with disabilities and they are hard put to cope with them. Their impairments should not deny them equal opportunities as is being done now. For its part, Nepal has signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2009. Therefore, the government is obliged to see that this is being implemented. Sadly this is not the situation in Nepal. It is not only the government that is responsible for seeing that the disabled enjoy equal rights but also that the private sector and other stakeholders have a moral obligation towards disabled people.
Since they lack official recognition, the disabled children are denied social services. As this is a matter of survival the issue should be taken up seriously without further delay. The disabled are marginalized which gives rise to discrimination that cannot be condoned under any circumstances. So it is high time that serious efforts towards ending these discriminations were made with the active involvement of the general public and, importantly, the decision-makers who have a major role to play. Especially those in school education and heath sectors should take the lead in this regard. We need to support those families with disabled children if they are unable to do so considering that the cost of education for them is high. Thus, the government should become more serious about implementing the provisions of the convention it has signed. It is high time that these challenges were confronted head on for the sake of the children with various disabilities on humanitarian grounds as well.
Embrace restraint
It came as the rudest of shocks to learn that the police had lathi-charged the kamalaris protesting with a sit-in at the southern gate of Singhadurbar. It would have been a right gesture of the police had the protesters indulged in violence or vandalism. It was a mere peaceful sit-in programme to demand an impartial probe into the killing of two kamalaris. The protesting kamalaris have some genuine demands like vocational training schemes for them, identity cards and the like. In fact, the kamalaris were emancipated in 2000, the practice continues in the country as regards selling young girls to rich houses for money or such reasons.
It is very crucial that their rights should be recognised. Moreover, the brutal police action has to be condemned. It is true that the police have the duty to maintain law and order but peaceful protests of people have to be respected. If the police had restrained themselves and gone for persuasion, the situation would not have been one of violence in which some protestors were seriously injured. The police ought to be taught that force should be used as the last resort.
The other disheartening picture is that the disabled children are more likely to be denied access to health care to the degree required by them. As of now, the plight of disabled children is immeasurable so much so that they are more prone to abuse, exploitation and even neglect. We cannot just sit back and allow this to happen. What the society tends to forget is that many of the disabled children have immense potential and it is very unfortunate that they cannot develop it in spite of their ability to do so. Many barriers confront the children with disabilities and they are hard put to cope with them. Their impairments should not deny them equal opportunities as is being done now. For its part, Nepal has signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2009. Therefore, the government is obliged to see that this is being implemented. Sadly this is not the situation in Nepal. It is not only the government that is responsible for seeing that the disabled enjoy equal rights but also that the private sector and other stakeholders have a moral obligation towards disabled people.
Since they lack official recognition, the disabled children are denied social services. As this is a matter of survival the issue should be taken up seriously without further delay. The disabled are marginalized which gives rise to discrimination that cannot be condoned under any circumstances. So it is high time that serious efforts towards ending these discriminations were made with the active involvement of the general public and, importantly, the decision-makers who have a major role to play. Especially those in school education and heath sectors should take the lead in this regard. We need to support those families with disabled children if they are unable to do so considering that the cost of education for them is high. Thus, the government should become more serious about implementing the provisions of the convention it has signed. It is high time that these challenges were confronted head on for the sake of the children with various disabilities on humanitarian grounds as well.
Embrace restraint
It came as the rudest of shocks to learn that the police had lathi-charged the kamalaris protesting with a sit-in at the southern gate of Singhadurbar. It would have been a right gesture of the police had the protesters indulged in violence or vandalism. It was a mere peaceful sit-in programme to demand an impartial probe into the killing of two kamalaris. The protesting kamalaris have some genuine demands like vocational training schemes for them, identity cards and the like. In fact, the kamalaris were emancipated in 2000, the practice continues in the country as regards selling young girls to rich houses for money or such reasons.
It is very crucial that their rights should be recognised. Moreover, the brutal police action has to be condemned. It is true that the police have the duty to maintain law and order but peaceful protests of people have to be respected. If the police had restrained themselves and gone for persuasion, the situation would not have been one of violence in which some protestors were seriously injured. The police ought to be taught that force should be used as the last resort.
Source : The Himalayan , 3rd June 2013
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