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International Day of Persons with Disabilities falls
on December 3 :
They are also a part of our society
by Indunil Thenuwara
Physical or mental disabilities
could strike any of us at any stage of our lives. Disabilities come in
many forms; some may have visual, hearing or mobility disabilities while
others may have invisible disabilities such as epilepsy, heart
conditions or diabetes; yet others may have learning disabilities or
psychiatric problems.
Over 10 per cent of Sri Lanka's population is said to be disabled.
Some are born disabled while others may become victims later in life due
to accidents, diseases or old age. The decades-old war in Sri Lanka has
rendered many young men in the prime of their lives disabled, confining
them to beds and wheelchairs for the rest of their lives. Disabled
people are very much a part of our lives.
It was to focus on this segment of our society that the International
Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed on December 3 by the
United Nations. The theme for 2009 was 'Making the MDGs inclusive:
Empowerment of Persons with disabilities and their communities around
the world' and focused on the need to include the disabled and their
family members in international development initiatives if the
Millennium Development Goals are to be achieved.
The events related to the day, conducted by the UN, included a panel
discussion and a Disability Film Festival. In Sri Lanka, the main events
were organized by the Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare.
The declaration of a guarantee of equal opportunities for the disabled
to education, accessibility, financial assistance for self-employment
and housing and other benefits was part of the events.
The objective of the special day was to promote understanding of
issues related to disabilities and to get public support so that the
disabled can live a life of dignity with others caring for their rights
and well-being.
The aim is to get the full participation of disabled people in the
social, political, economic and cultural arenas and also to develop
rehabilitation measures for them.
December 3 was proclaimed as the International Day of Disabled
Persons by the UN General Assembly in October 1992, at the conclusion of
the UN Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992). Subsequently, the
Assembly appealed to member states to highlight the observance of the
day to further integrate people with disabilities into society. Years
later, despite all these measures, we find that such people are still
excluded from society in many countries due to negative attitudes. |
