National Conference on Disability
The Chairperson of the NHRC, Dr. Justice A.S. Anand has termed the non-availability of a barrier free environment for the disabled population as a violation of human rights. He was speaking at the National Conference on Disability held on 23 June 2005 in New Delhi. He said State Governments should not cite lack of economic consideration as excuse for not fulfilling the Constitutional guarantees to put such infrastructure in place. He observed that the mindset of the society has to change to give persons with disabilities, their legitimate dues by recognizing, protecting and promoting their human rights. He said the physically and mentally challenged persons in our country continue to face several obstacles in leading their life with dignity despite international and domestic actions taken. Today, he said, "their rights are more a myth than reality" and that disability is still, by and large regarded as a "welfare" issue and has remained as a subject matter laced with discourse of 'favours' and 'entitlements'. He stated that the emphasis of disability policy has remained individualized, rather than rights oriented, making persons with disabilities, the object and not the subject of action.
Justice Anand, in his speech, stressed on the importance of not just helping persons with disabilities to gain skills, knowledge and instruments vital to their participation, but for key functionaries of democracy to know how to, when to and what kind of knowledge to apply to eradicate vicissitudes of injustices resulting in exclusion of persons with disabilities. For this, he said, a dynamic, broad and context specific policy on continuing education in the human rights framework is imperative. Such a policy should target Government functionaries at all levels, particularly those directly involved in the planning, execution and management of public services and goods including information, he said.
Earlier the National Conference on Disability got off to a start with the welcome address being delivered by Shri Nirmal Singh, Secretary General, NHRC. In his address, Shri Nirmal Singh outlined the purpose of the CHRC-NHRC-IGNOU Linkage Project. He stated that NHRC has been promoting human rights literacy and awareness to the best of its capacity. However, NHRC alone cannot achieve the desired results until all institutions including the private bodies and other interested organizations extend their wholehearted support to this cause, he said. For this, he said the media can play a role in highlighting the deficiencies in various public institutions and other places where the disabled find it difficult to use the services and thus force the concerned institutions to adapt to the needs of the disabled.
Statements were also made by Prof. Prabha Chawla, IGNOU and Ms. Kathryn Hamilton, Director General of Employment Equity Policy and Outreach of the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Ms. Hamilton stated how much needs to be done in ensuring that the rights of persons with disabilities and of all the people are protected. She said the CHRC-NHRC-IGNOU Linkage Project had enriched their experience.
The daylong National Conference on Disability was a culmination of the NHRC-NHRC-IGNOU linkage project, which was launched in the year 2003. The Conference consisted of two panel discussions held in two Sessions. The forenoon Session's panel consisted of Major (Retd) H.P.S. Ahluwalia, Former Chairman, Rehabilitation Council of India, Professor Prabha Chawla, IGNOU, Ms. Neerja Shukla, Professor and Head DGSN, NCERT, Shri Jagdev, Member, Bar Council of India and was chaired by Dr. Justice Shivaraj Patil, Member, NHRC. This panel deliberated on 'Human Rights Education and Disability'. Justice Patil observed that the long-term benefits of incorporating human rights perspective in the formal and non-formal programmes of study are immeasurable. A new generation of human rights sensitive practitioners and administrators would certainly play an instrumental role in the further democratization of the society in which human rights of all would certainly be better protected, he said.
The post lunch session saw a discussion on "Systemic Improvements for better protection of Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities". The panel consisted of Smt. Jayati Chandra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri S.K. Rungta, Secretary General, National Federation of the Blind, Shri K.K. Mittal, Joint Secretary, Ministry o f Labour and was chaired by Shri P.C. Sharma, Member, NHRC. Addressing the participants, Shri P.C. Sharma felt that systemic changes can be brought about if existing institutions i.e. educational, social, legal and administrative include in their curriculum subjects relating to the rights of the disabled. He suggested this can perhaps be preceded by formulation of a sound and practical national policy for restoring the rights and dignity of the disabled.
The Conference's deliberations were incorporated in the Recommendations that were presented by Shri Nirmal Singh, Secretary General, NHRC at the end of the day. Prior to this, Ms. Anuradha Mohit, Special Rapporteur, NHRC briefed the participants on the elaboration of the Disability Convention by the UN.
She informed the participants that the UN General Assembly had established an ad hoc Committee for elaboration of a new treaty for the promotion and protection of rights and dignity of persons with disability. The Committee has already held five sessions since August 2002.
The UN Ad-Hoc Committee had invited the National Human Rights Institutions to participate in the treaty elaboration and the Commission held a series of consultations with the representatives of Government, civil society organizations, disabled rights activists and the National Institutions from the Asian and Pacific region. This extensive engagement, she said, has helped the Commission compile a working paper addressing a range of issues vital to the international human rights law and its application in the context of disability.
Vice Chancellors of important Universities, representatives of UGC, NCERT and apex institutions in the field of disability, senior officials of concerned Ministries in the Government of India, the Planning Commission, State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities, Secretary in charge of the Department of Welfare from all the States/UT, NGOs working in the field of disability and State Human Rights Commissions attended the Conference.
(Full text of the speech of the Hon'ble Chairperson can be viewed on our website www.nhrc.nic.in)
Justice Anand, in his speech, stressed on the importance of not just helping persons with disabilities to gain skills, knowledge and instruments vital to their participation, but for key functionaries of democracy to know how to, when to and what kind of knowledge to apply to eradicate vicissitudes of injustices resulting in exclusion of persons with disabilities. For this, he said, a dynamic, broad and context specific policy on continuing education in the human rights framework is imperative. Such a policy should target Government functionaries at all levels, particularly those directly involved in the planning, execution and management of public services and goods including information, he said.
Earlier the National Conference on Disability got off to a start with the welcome address being delivered by Shri Nirmal Singh, Secretary General, NHRC. In his address, Shri Nirmal Singh outlined the purpose of the CHRC-NHRC-IGNOU Linkage Project. He stated that NHRC has been promoting human rights literacy and awareness to the best of its capacity. However, NHRC alone cannot achieve the desired results until all institutions including the private bodies and other interested organizations extend their wholehearted support to this cause, he said. For this, he said the media can play a role in highlighting the deficiencies in various public institutions and other places where the disabled find it difficult to use the services and thus force the concerned institutions to adapt to the needs of the disabled.
Statements were also made by Prof. Prabha Chawla, IGNOU and Ms. Kathryn Hamilton, Director General of Employment Equity Policy and Outreach of the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Ms. Hamilton stated how much needs to be done in ensuring that the rights of persons with disabilities and of all the people are protected. She said the CHRC-NHRC-IGNOU Linkage Project had enriched their experience.
The daylong National Conference on Disability was a culmination of the NHRC-NHRC-IGNOU linkage project, which was launched in the year 2003. The Conference consisted of two panel discussions held in two Sessions. The forenoon Session's panel consisted of Major (Retd) H.P.S. Ahluwalia, Former Chairman, Rehabilitation Council of India, Professor Prabha Chawla, IGNOU, Ms. Neerja Shukla, Professor and Head DGSN, NCERT, Shri Jagdev, Member, Bar Council of India and was chaired by Dr. Justice Shivaraj Patil, Member, NHRC. This panel deliberated on 'Human Rights Education and Disability'. Justice Patil observed that the long-term benefits of incorporating human rights perspective in the formal and non-formal programmes of study are immeasurable. A new generation of human rights sensitive practitioners and administrators would certainly play an instrumental role in the further democratization of the society in which human rights of all would certainly be better protected, he said.
The post lunch session saw a discussion on "Systemic Improvements for better protection of Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities". The panel consisted of Smt. Jayati Chandra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri S.K. Rungta, Secretary General, National Federation of the Blind, Shri K.K. Mittal, Joint Secretary, Ministry o f Labour and was chaired by Shri P.C. Sharma, Member, NHRC. Addressing the participants, Shri P.C. Sharma felt that systemic changes can be brought about if existing institutions i.e. educational, social, legal and administrative include in their curriculum subjects relating to the rights of the disabled. He suggested this can perhaps be preceded by formulation of a sound and practical national policy for restoring the rights and dignity of the disabled.
The Conference's deliberations were incorporated in the Recommendations that were presented by Shri Nirmal Singh, Secretary General, NHRC at the end of the day. Prior to this, Ms. Anuradha Mohit, Special Rapporteur, NHRC briefed the participants on the elaboration of the Disability Convention by the UN.
She informed the participants that the UN General Assembly had established an ad hoc Committee for elaboration of a new treaty for the promotion and protection of rights and dignity of persons with disability. The Committee has already held five sessions since August 2002.
The UN Ad-Hoc Committee had invited the National Human Rights Institutions to participate in the treaty elaboration and the Commission held a series of consultations with the representatives of Government, civil society organizations, disabled rights activists and the National Institutions from the Asian and Pacific region. This extensive engagement, she said, has helped the Commission compile a working paper addressing a range of issues vital to the international human rights law and its application in the context of disability.
Vice Chancellors of important Universities, representatives of UGC, NCERT and apex institutions in the field of disability, senior officials of concerned Ministries in the Government of India, the Planning Commission, State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities, Secretary in charge of the Department of Welfare from all the States/UT, NGOs working in the field of disability and State Human Rights Commissions attended the Conference.
(Full text of the speech of the Hon'ble Chairperson can be viewed on our website www.nhrc.nic.in)