Training Programme for Trainers on the Rights of the Disabled
The Commission organized a major training programme for trainers on the Rights of the Disabled at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore from 5th -10th July 2004. This was organized in collaboration with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) as part of a project to promote the human rights of persons with disabilities. The six-day programme focused on international and national laws and their application to the human rights of persons with disability. 35 persons, including academics from various law schools across the country and NGOs working in the field participated.
Justice Smt. Sujata V Manohar, Member of the Commission who inaugurated the programme on July 5, expressed serious concern over various forms of discrimination, social exclusion and marginalization faced by persons with disabilities which, she said, deprives them of active participation in social life.
She also voiced her concern over malnutrition, forced sterilization, sexual exploitation, the denial of educational and vocational training opportunities, in-accessible public services, institutionalization and other human rights violations faced by persons with disabilities. In particular, she referred in detail to the special problems faced by women with disabilities and called for a greater social sensitivity to their problems, saying that there is a need for empowerment of women with disabilities.
Recalling the provisions of international human rights treaties and the domestic legal provisions, Justice Manohar highlighted the need for a paradigm shift from a welfare-based approach to one based on rights.
The Secretary General of the Commission, Mr. P.S.S. Thomas in his concluding remarks on 10 July, pointed out to the importance attached by the Commission to the issue of protecting the rights of the disabled and in particular to various activities planned under the CHRC-NHRC-IGNOU Linkage Project. Based on the experience gained under this project, he said that the Commission would organize training programmes on certain selected human rights themes employing the same model. The Director, National Law School of India University, Prof. Jaya Govind stated that his University proposed to work further in this area.
Justice Smt. Sujata V Manohar, Member of the Commission who inaugurated the programme on July 5, expressed serious concern over various forms of discrimination, social exclusion and marginalization faced by persons with disabilities which, she said, deprives them of active participation in social life.
She also voiced her concern over malnutrition, forced sterilization, sexual exploitation, the denial of educational and vocational training opportunities, in-accessible public services, institutionalization and other human rights violations faced by persons with disabilities. In particular, she referred in detail to the special problems faced by women with disabilities and called for a greater social sensitivity to their problems, saying that there is a need for empowerment of women with disabilities.
Recalling the provisions of international human rights treaties and the domestic legal provisions, Justice Manohar highlighted the need for a paradigm shift from a welfare-based approach to one based on rights.
The Secretary General of the Commission, Mr. P.S.S. Thomas in his concluding remarks on 10 July, pointed out to the importance attached by the Commission to the issue of protecting the rights of the disabled and in particular to various activities planned under the CHRC-NHRC-IGNOU Linkage Project. Based on the experience gained under this project, he said that the Commission would organize training programmes on certain selected human rights themes employing the same model. The Director, National Law School of India University, Prof. Jaya Govind stated that his University proposed to work further in this area.