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Differently-able students singing the National Anthem in Kohima on Monday. [/caption]
Governor announces INR. 1 lakh for differently-able students excelling in their respective field
Our Correspondent
Kohima, Dec. 3 (EMN): To empower the differently-able persons (DAP) around the world, and to help break down barriers, the United Nations has set aside Dec. 3 as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Basing on this year’s theme: ‘empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality,’ Nagaland observed the occasion at the Highland Park in Kohima on Dec. 3.
The event was organised by the Nagaland Parents’ Association for the Disabled (Napad) in collaboration with the department of Social Welfare and the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA).
In reference to the DAP, Nagaland Governor PB Acharya, who was the special guest of the day, said it is the foremost duty of every able person to lend a helping hand where care is most required. “There is a need to create awareness and broader perception of disability issues looking beyond our limited view of disability and mobilise support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities,” he said.
The needs of
divyang (Hindi for differently-able persons) should be addressed adequately by fostering collaborative action in key areas like healthcare, education, social services, and employment, he remarked; and assured to work out a plan on ways to address the issues faced by them. During the event, the governor also announced INR 1 lakh award to the differently-able children who excel in their respective field.
Lamenting the society’s ‘negative impression’ of persons with disabilities (PwD), the governor urged the people to change their outlook towards the disabled community. In fact, society should consider them as “equals having rights rather than relegate them to merely subjects of charity,” he added.
All over the world it is usually the mothers or sisters taking care of the PwD, while male members are hardly involved, he remarked. “It is the bounden duty of all to take care of them and strengthen them,” the governor said. He went on to acknowledge the ‘mothers and sisters for taking the challenge of nursing their children, particularly, the differently-able members in the family.’
Dr. Joyce Angami, advisor to Napad, in her keynote address highlighted the importance of the day. The main objective of the celebration was to create awareness on the unique challenges of the differently-able persons; and to ensure inclusiveness, equality, and empowerment to all.
“We need support, infrastructure and human resources,” Angami said and urged people to extend help to the commissioner of the PwD. She pointed out that having these facilities will help the DAP community to be at par with other states as well as meet their needs.
She also emphasised on the requirement of a vocational training centre exclusively for the PwD. Further, she encouraged the differently-able children to celebrate the day and show their unique abilities to the rest of the world.
State commissioner for disabilities, Dr. Atha Vizol gave an overview on the statistical data of DAP. According to the 2011 census, a total of 29,631 DAP was recorded in the state placing it at 1.75% of the total population. In India, the DAP population was recorded from 5 to 8%.
Some of the non-governmental organisations in the state have taken initiatives to alleviate stigmas and to ensure self-reliance for future survival of the DAP. Also, the state government has declared to reserved job opportunities to the DAP from 3 to 5% in 2012, he added.
The commissioner raised concerns at the lack of support from the society particularly, the church. He said: “Christians and churches cannot neglect the fact that every person is created in the image of God and is equally important.”
Mezivolü Therieh, member secretary of NSLSA expressed gratitude at the adoption of the Disability Act 2016 by the state government recently and added it is in the process of implementation. The law will cover the ‘whole spectrum of disability,’ she added.
Director of the department of Social Welfare, Merang Aier said that the support needed to be given to the DAP is lacking in Nagaland and urged the people to contributes towards achieving more goals for them. He said that the department provides financial assistance to 1,625 totally blind persons out of 13,000. Out of 8000 DAP who deserve scholarships, the department provides to only 208.
He pointed out that there were only eight types of disability identified in the People with Disability (PWD) Act of 1996. However, the PWD Act 2016 has added more types to it and has come up to 21, he said. The present Act of 2016 ensures to provide opportunities, rights, and entitlements to the DAP, according to Aier.
“If each of us can sponsor a disable person, than the 20 lakh population of the state can easily be taken care of, because the disable person is only a handful in the state,” he said.
