Seminar on the rights of persons with
disabilities in the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth Secretariat organized a seminar on the rights of persons with disabilities in Commonwealth in coordination with the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, in New Delhi on the 14th January, 2011. Inaugurating the day long seminar, the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mr. Mukul Wasnik said that the Government of India is committed to looking into the issues and concerns of the persons with disabilities. It is also giving thrust to provide accessible and barrier free environment for persons with disabilities through various schemes and programmes. He said that the Government fully supports the need to focus on disability as a rights issue and shift the attitudes in the way people with disability are viewed and treated.
The Minister said that the Government has set up a high level committee of stakeholders to draft a new legislation to replace the existing Persons with Disabilities, PwD, Act. The committee is going about its work in a participative manner and its recommendations are due by the 31st March, 2011. Following the recommendations, a prompt action will be taken to replace the present Act with a new legislation, which would be suitably aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, which is an ex-tremely useful instrument.
Mr. Wasnik said that India has some other legislations which concern persons with disabilities. These include the National Trust Act (for people with development disabilities), the Rehabilitation Council of India Act and the Mental Health Act. Action is also being taken separately to revise these legislations so as to bring them in tune with the UNCRPD.
On the occasion, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC in his presidential address said that the Commission favours not only amendments in the present disability legislation but also mainstream laws, which affect rights of persons with disabilities. He said that the definition of disability should be inclusive and conform to the human rights based model. Justice Balakrishnan said that NHRC has already recommended that the Government make necessary amendments in the PwD Act. He hoped that the new Act would be in harmony with the provisions of UNCRPD.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. P.C. Sharma, Member, NHRC said that "India is amongst the countries which ratified the UNCRPD as early as in 2007 itself. The constitutional, legal and policy environment in India together with progressive interpretation of the legislative enactment on disability have led to offer us a huge advantage for implementing this Convention." However, he said that there is need to explore more to provide assistive tools to the persons with disability covering all aspects of impairment.
Delivering the key note address in the inaugural session of the seminar, Dr. Purna Sen, Head of Human Rights, Commonwealth Secretariat, said that "10% of world population consists of people with disabilities, an estimated total of 650 million; but they constitute 20% of the worlds' poor. Discrimination and marginalisation scar the lives of many who have disabilities…. In short, the humanity of people with disabilities remains fully to be recognized and we have yet to help to create a world where they enjoy dignity."
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Mr. Shuaib Chalklen, UN Special Rapporteur on Disability Commission for Social Development said that one of the key challenges that confront many countries is raising awareness, especially in remote areas and called on Human Rights Commissions to raise awareness on the rights of people with disabilities in society.
NHRC Members, senior officers and representatives from human rights bodies of different Commonwealth countries attended the seminar. The panelists, whose presentations were discussed during the session included Mr. Bankur Azize, Head of Disability Unit, Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare & Reform Institution, Mauritius, Mr. Timothy Cooper, Director, Office for Disability Issues, United Kingdom, Mr. Lawrence Mute, Commissioner, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Ms. Shae Ronald, Manager External Relations, Human Rights Commission, New Zealand, Ms. Sangita Gairola, Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, India, Mr. Earl Witter, Public Defender, Office of the Public Defender, Jamaica and Mr. J.S. Kochher, Joint Secretary, Training Division, National Human Rights Commission of India.
Given below is a summary of the recommendations:
1. Increased ratification of the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
2. Improved role and voice for disabled people in shaping initiatives;
3. Specially addressing areas of employment and education;
4. Strengthening of advocacy network.
Later on NHRC also arranged for the Commonwealth Secretariat to address a press conference on the outcome of the seminar and issues related with disabilities.
The Minister said that the Government has set up a high level committee of stakeholders to draft a new legislation to replace the existing Persons with Disabilities, PwD, Act. The committee is going about its work in a participative manner and its recommendations are due by the 31st March, 2011. Following the recommendations, a prompt action will be taken to replace the present Act with a new legislation, which would be suitably aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, which is an ex-tremely useful instrument.
Mr. Wasnik said that India has some other legislations which concern persons with disabilities. These include the National Trust Act (for people with development disabilities), the Rehabilitation Council of India Act and the Mental Health Act. Action is also being taken separately to revise these legislations so as to bring them in tune with the UNCRPD.
On the occasion, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC in his presidential address said that the Commission favours not only amendments in the present disability legislation but also mainstream laws, which affect rights of persons with disabilities. He said that the definition of disability should be inclusive and conform to the human rights based model. Justice Balakrishnan said that NHRC has already recommended that the Government make necessary amendments in the PwD Act. He hoped that the new Act would be in harmony with the provisions of UNCRPD.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. P.C. Sharma, Member, NHRC said that "India is amongst the countries which ratified the UNCRPD as early as in 2007 itself. The constitutional, legal and policy environment in India together with progressive interpretation of the legislative enactment on disability have led to offer us a huge advantage for implementing this Convention." However, he said that there is need to explore more to provide assistive tools to the persons with disability covering all aspects of impairment.
Delivering the key note address in the inaugural session of the seminar, Dr. Purna Sen, Head of Human Rights, Commonwealth Secretariat, said that "10% of world population consists of people with disabilities, an estimated total of 650 million; but they constitute 20% of the worlds' poor. Discrimination and marginalisation scar the lives of many who have disabilities…. In short, the humanity of people with disabilities remains fully to be recognized and we have yet to help to create a world where they enjoy dignity."
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Mr. Shuaib Chalklen, UN Special Rapporteur on Disability Commission for Social Development said that one of the key challenges that confront many countries is raising awareness, especially in remote areas and called on Human Rights Commissions to raise awareness on the rights of people with disabilities in society.
NHRC Members, senior officers and representatives from human rights bodies of different Commonwealth countries attended the seminar. The panelists, whose presentations were discussed during the session included Mr. Bankur Azize, Head of Disability Unit, Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare & Reform Institution, Mauritius, Mr. Timothy Cooper, Director, Office for Disability Issues, United Kingdom, Mr. Lawrence Mute, Commissioner, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Ms. Shae Ronald, Manager External Relations, Human Rights Commission, New Zealand, Ms. Sangita Gairola, Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, India, Mr. Earl Witter, Public Defender, Office of the Public Defender, Jamaica and Mr. J.S. Kochher, Joint Secretary, Training Division, National Human Rights Commission of India.
Given below is a summary of the recommendations:
1. Increased ratification of the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
2. Improved role and voice for disabled people in shaping initiatives;
3. Specially addressing areas of employment and education;
4. Strengthening of advocacy network.
Later on NHRC also arranged for the Commonwealth Secretariat to address a press conference on the outcome of the seminar and issues related with disabilities.