NHRC writes to Chief Ministers and Central Ministers for the protection of the rights of the disabled
The Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Justice J.S. Verma, has written to the Chief Ministers of all States and to the Central Ministers of the concerned departments of the Government of India for the better protection of the rights of the disabled persons.
In his letter, the Chairperson said that the NHRC has been greatly concerned with the problems of persons with disability. Its endeavour in these areas has been to bring in a paradigm shift in the approach motivated by charity towards the disabled to one based on rights. With this perspective in view, the Commission has recently reviewed the implementation of various legislations/programmes for the disabled both by the Central and the State Governments.
Disability being a rights issue, the Chairperson has said that, the Government needs to bring human rights of the disabled to the center stage of the developmental agenda. However, the Commission has noticed that the implementation of the policies and programmes for the disabled, by the ministries and departments of the Government of India has been inadequate. The Commission has identified some of the priority areas requiring the immediate attention.
While both the Centre and the States have been asked to:
Constitute a task force to frame a national policy and plan for creation of barrier-free infrastructure for the disabled in accordance with the provisions of the Disabilities Act.
Review and amendment of rules and regulations that have discriminatory provisions or lack enabling provisions for the enjoyment of full range of human rights by persons with disabilities.
the States have been specifically asked to:
Formulate ‘State Disability Policy and Plan of Action.’
Carry out vertical integration of schemes of all departments relating to the disabled.
Provide employment opportunities for the disabled in accordance with the provisions of the Disabilities Act.
Carry out capacity building/sensitization programmes for administrators and field functionaries.
Enforce the provisions of Mental Health Act, 1987.
and the Centre has been asked to:
Introduce and rationalize schemes for persons with disabilities.
Develop minimum standards to ensure quality in the services provided by NGOs and government institutions to the disabled.
Rehabilitate disabled child beggars.
Provide social security for women with disabilities.
The Commission has asked the Chief Ministers and the Central Ministers to bestow their personal attention to these issues to ensure that the rights of the disabled recognized in the law are earnestly granted to them without any further avoidable delay.
Besides writing to the Chief Ministers to all the States and the Administrators of Union Territories, the Chairperson’s letters have been addressed to the Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs, Rural Development, Human Resource Development and Science and Technology & Ocean Development, Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation, Social Justice & Empowerment, Civil Aviation, Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Health and Family Welfare and Law and Justice and Ministers of State for Road Transport and Highways and Programme Implementation & Statistics.
In his letter, the Chairperson said that the NHRC has been greatly concerned with the problems of persons with disability. Its endeavour in these areas has been to bring in a paradigm shift in the approach motivated by charity towards the disabled to one based on rights. With this perspective in view, the Commission has recently reviewed the implementation of various legislations/programmes for the disabled both by the Central and the State Governments.
Disability being a rights issue, the Chairperson has said that, the Government needs to bring human rights of the disabled to the center stage of the developmental agenda. However, the Commission has noticed that the implementation of the policies and programmes for the disabled, by the ministries and departments of the Government of India has been inadequate. The Commission has identified some of the priority areas requiring the immediate attention.
While both the Centre and the States have been asked to:
Constitute a task force to frame a national policy and plan for creation of barrier-free infrastructure for the disabled in accordance with the provisions of the Disabilities Act.
Review and amendment of rules and regulations that have discriminatory provisions or lack enabling provisions for the enjoyment of full range of human rights by persons with disabilities.
the States have been specifically asked to:
Formulate ‘State Disability Policy and Plan of Action.’
Carry out vertical integration of schemes of all departments relating to the disabled.
Provide employment opportunities for the disabled in accordance with the provisions of the Disabilities Act.
Carry out capacity building/sensitization programmes for administrators and field functionaries.
Enforce the provisions of Mental Health Act, 1987.
and the Centre has been asked to:
Introduce and rationalize schemes for persons with disabilities.
Develop minimum standards to ensure quality in the services provided by NGOs and government institutions to the disabled.
Rehabilitate disabled child beggars.
Provide social security for women with disabilities.
The Commission has asked the Chief Ministers and the Central Ministers to bestow their personal attention to these issues to ensure that the rights of the disabled recognized in the law are earnestly granted to them without any further avoidable delay.
Besides writing to the Chief Ministers to all the States and the Administrators of Union Territories, the Chairperson’s letters have been addressed to the Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs, Rural Development, Human Resource Development and Science and Technology & Ocean Development, Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation, Social Justice & Empowerment, Civil Aviation, Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Health and Family Welfare and Law and Justice and Ministers of State for Road Transport and Highways and Programme Implementation & Statistics.