Dimapur, Nov. 3 (EMN): Persons who have disabilities experience myriad difficulties that can be anything from accessibility issues to needing educated mentors for them. Another difficulty, a state official of the Disability establishment has said, is the need to promote sign language in Nagaland.
A seminar about the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2016 for heads of offices in Peren district was conducted on October 29 in the deputy commissioner’s conference hall in Peren.
The government publicity agency the department of Information and Public Relations (IPR) gave updates informing about programme.
The programme was organized by Mission Mode Team (Accessible India Campaign) in collaboration with the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. Deputy Commissioner Sentiwapang Aier presided over the programme.
Speaking at the seminar as its resource person, the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Diethono Nakhro, gave an overview of the Act, status of implementation and the way forward. She said there are 21 specified disabilities in the Act. It contains 17 chapters and 102 sections, the IPR stated.
‘Under the Act all educational institutions funded or recognized by the government shall provide inclusive education to children with disabilities from the age of six to sixteen years,’ the gathering was told. The government is required to take steps for the development of skills and employment such as providing loans, and training and marketing of products.
Likewise, it is required to take measures to provide accessibility in the physical environment, transportation, information and communications including appropriate technologies and systems in both urban and rural areas, special courts are to be designated in each district to handle cases concerning violation of rights of persons with disabilities, the IPR stated.
Nakhro talked about the need to provide educated mentors or teachers who can give proper education to persons with disabilities. She talked also about the conduction and difficulties faced by disabled persons. For instance, she pointed to the importance of accessibility and the need to promote sign language in Nagaland for disabled persons, the IPR stated.
Nakhro said further that disabled persons are the most neglected section in the society. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the right to equality, life with dignity and respect for their own integrity equally with others, the IPR reported.
The secretary and team leader of Mission Mode Team K Libanthung Lotha highlighted its roles and responsibilities. He said it is a nationwide flagship programme of the government of India based on the Act, to achieve universal accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Peren is the fourth district in the state to conduct this campaign which will be continued in other districts too, he said. He mentioned that the Act came into force on April 19 2017. It was passed by both the houses of the Parliament on December 16 2016 replacing the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act of 1995.
The Act was passed to fulfil India's obligation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which India ratified in 2007, Lotha said.
The official said that the district’s officials, nongovernmental organisations and stakeholders there are responsible for educating the people as directed by the Supreme Court of India. They can be agents for successful implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, the updates stated.
During the programme, K Ela, the director of nongovernmental welfare organisation Prodigal's Home in Dimapur, also spoke about the disability scenario in Nagaland, the challenges and opportunities there are.
Also, an advocate at the Kohima Bench of the Guwahati High Court Apila Sangtam highlighted topics about legal directives and implications, the IPR added.
