10 Dec

WITH only 10 years left before 2030, the last year for the Sustainable Development Goals which include the right of persons with disabilities, we must do more to make sure that PWDs in our country stand on their own. 

To ensure that no PWD is left behind in their rights guaranteed by the law, we need to continue to review the law on rights of people with disabilities. 

All stake holders and regional authorities should be sensitive to address disability challenges in the financial support processes and job opportunities for persons with disabilities which make up 4.6 per cent of the country's population. It means that we all should embark on building the capacity of PWDs to enable them to develop life-skills, self-esteem and an understanding of their rights.

Given that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) constitute one of the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in Myanmar, we have adopted a commitment that PWDs are not left behind in response to the COVID-19 crisis and post-COVID-19.

Regarding the rights of PWDS, one of the significant achievements is that the Union Government is drawing the mid-term 2020-2025 plan of the National Strategy which includes the rights of PWDs. Hence, the Technical Core Group and nine sub committees are urged to finalize the draft this month.

To provide PWDs with adequate provisions and assistance to ensure that they can hold their own in every situation, a K3 billion fund has been established to create job opportunities and to improve their livelihoods. All stake holders need to work with microfinance institutions in post-COVID-19 period. 

To support that plan, we need to prepare a national level meeting focusing on creating job opportunities for PWDs in the post-COVID-19 period

Meanwhile, our national development activities should promote non-discrimination and equal opportunities for PWDs to participate in every facet of life — civil, political, economic, social and cultural. 

Hence, we would like to call on relevant civil society organizations, particularly the media, to play a major role in raising awareness and changing attitudes towards physically challenged people 

We hope that all hands from the different sectors would be on deck to provide an enabling environment for the PWDs. Only then, will our country be in synergy with the global vision of development and be able to build a just society devoid of discrimination.