EMN
Dimapur, April 15
Persons suffering from disabilities have asked the state government of Nagaland to ensure that the tourism policy of the state does not ignore the needs of the marginalized community.
Members of the Nagaland State Disability Forum, with their advisor Diethono Nakhro, met with the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism C Apok Jamir on Thursday April 14 in Kohima. The forum issued a press release and a copy of a memorandum addressed to the government.
The group apprised the parliamentary secretary of the need to usher in a ‘tourism for all’ policy in Nagaland’s tourism industry, ensure accessibility, besides reviewing and improving existing sites and events in the state. The members emphasized on the annual Hornbill Festival, the forum stated.
“The parliamentary secretary gave a patient hearing and has assured that he will take up the matter with the department on priority,” the group stated.
In the memorandum, the forum stated that tourism was a “major focus in the state today and the industry only set to grow in the coming years.” In view of the fact, the forum sought the government’s attention that the state’s tourism policy has been “completely ignored and neglected leading to the complete exclusion of the disabled population – the aspect of accessibility at the various tourist sites and events.”
“As you are aware, the persons with disabilities equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation act (PWD Act) came into being in India in 1995. This was the country’s first ever legislation that laid the foundation for equal rights of persons with disabilities,” the memorandum stated.
In October 2007, India ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Article 1 encapsulates the overall objective of the Convention which is “to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.”
Since the ratification, the statement stated, the process of getting a stronger disability rights legislation based on the UN Convention has been underway and a new bill is currently awaiting passage by Parliament.
“However, despite the existence of various laws as well as guidelines and court orders that have been notified from time to time to ensure equal rights and full participation of Persons with Disabilities, it must be stated quite bluntly here that the Nagaland Government has consistently failed this section of its citizens through the years,” the memorandum stated.
“According to Census 2011, there are 29,631 people with various disabilities in Nagaland. Even as this is still a conservative estimation, this large section continues to live on the fringes of our society completely deprived of their rights and dignity and facing exclusion and discrimination from society as a whole.”
Tourism
The memorandum said that “accessible tourism” was the ongoing endeavour to ensure tourist destinations, products and services would be made accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. “It encompasses publicly and privately owned tourist locations,” the forum explained.
(The forum stated) The term has been defined by Darcy and Dickson (2009, p34) as (verbatim):
“Accessible tourism enables people with access requirements, including mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access, to function independently and with equity and dignity through the delivery of universally designed tourism products, services and environments. This definition is inclusive of all people including those travelling with children in prams, people with disabilities and seniors.
“Modern society is increasingly aware of the concept of integration of people with disabilities. Issues such as accessibility, design for all, and universal design are featured in the international symposia of bodies such as the European Commission. Steps have been taken to promote guidelines and best practices, and major resources are now dedicated to this field.
“As stated above, tourism is quite rightly a major focus in our state today and the potential of the industry and market is huge. However, it is a matter of concern that the Nagaland Government is excluding a large chunk of the population in its tourism policy. As is evident, even basic accessibility facilities are not available in any of our state’s tourism projects, sites and events.”
“The annual Hornbill Festival has become a significant event in the Nagaland calendar and attracts thousands of tourists every year, both domestic and international, while also enabling the participation of hundreds of local citizens. But as highlighted by members of the Nagaland State Disability Forum last year (2015), even the main Kisama Heritage Village venue is completely inaccessible in terms of the physical environment as well as other aids and facilities.
“Besides violating the rights of the disabled community of the State, most of whom are still unable to participate in a major state-sponsored event even after all these years, the unfriendly environment means that the State is losing out on a new and important market.
“Accessible Tourism, or ‘Tourism for All’, is making travel and tourism destinations, products, and information suitable for all those who have particular accessibility needs, including mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access, and even parents travelling with children.
“Even though accessible tourism is not a new concept, it has only recently been brought to the forefront as tour operators, businesses, and destinations are beginning to take notice to the increasing demand for accessibility – according to the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre in Australia some 88% of people with physical disabilities take a holiday each year. And with disabled American adults alone spending an average of $13.6 billion a year on travel, it goes to show that this is an important market to the tourism industry that should not be overlooked.”
• A ‘Tourism for all’ policy to be put in place in the State Tourism Department
• Accessibility to be reviewed and improved in existing sites and events
• Accessibility at the main venue as well as associated events of the annual Hornbill Festival to be taken up immediately and implemented.
