Concentration on the abilities and potential of children with disabilities would create benefits for both society as a whole and those children, says a report released by Unicef Bangladesh on Sunday.
“If the society focuses on what the children with disabilities can achieve rather than what they cannot do, both those children and their communities would be benefited,” the report said. The report on Unicef’s “State of the World’s Children 2013: Children with Disabilities” was launched at a function organized by Unicef at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the capital.
Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid, social welfare secretary Suraiya Begum and UNICEF representative to Bangladesh Pascal Villeneuve were present at the launching ceremony.
“Discrimination on the grounds of disability is a form of oppression,” the report says, noting that multiple deprivations lead to even greater exclusion for many children with disabilities.
The report also lays out how societies can include children with disabilities because when they play a full part in the society, everyone benefits. For instance, inclusive education broadens the horizons of all children even as it presents opportunities for children with disabilities to fulfil their ambitions. More efforts to support integration of children with disabilities would help tackle the discrimination that pushes them further into the margins of society, the report said.
Nurul Islam Nahid said the government has taken a move to enact a law to protect the rights of people with disabilities, including children.
“The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2012 will be passed in parliament soon,” he said.
Nahid said the government is committed to ensure the rights of all children, including the physically challenged ones. “Of course, we’ve to work for the children with disabilities and they should be given special care.”
He said Bangladesh is among the first countries who signed the two most significant global documents – the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) – to protect the rights of children.
“Ensuring the rights of the children with disabilities would be a big challenge… we must ensure the rights of the children with disabilities like other children,” the Education Minister said.
Urging all to change the mindset about the children with disabilities, Nahid underscored the need for launching a mass campaign to create awareness about their rights.
Pascal Villeneuve urged the government and other partners to ensure that children with disabilities are a part of the daily lives of their families, communities and societies.
“They must be visible, valued and seen as active participants and contributors, rather than beneficiaries of charity. By working together to make this distinction it will lead to an enormous difference for children living with disabilities,” Villeneuve added.
-With The Independent input
