KATHMANDU, DEC 03 –

Representatives of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Nepal have called for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD).

Marking the International Day of Persons with Disability on Friday with the theme “Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and Beyond,” they demanded formulation of national policies as per the convention’s principles. “The implementation of the UNCRPD can begin with ensuring the rights of PWDs in the new constitution which will open doors for the formulation of new policies and regulations,” said Birendra Raj Pokhrel, President of the National Federation of the Disabled-Nepal (NFDN).

The UNCRPD was adopted in December 2006 and covers areas such as accessibility, personal mobility, health, education, employment, habilitation and rehabilitation, participation in political life, and equality and non-discrimination of the PWDs. Nepal is one of the member countries that has ratified the convention and is obliged to introduce measures that promote the rights of the PWDs by following the measures including anti-discrimination legislation, eliminating laws and practices that discriminate disabled people and considering them when adopting new policies and programmes.

The main reason for the lack of implementation of the UNCRPD and the existing national policies pertaining to the PWDs are said to be unstable governments, ignorance on part of the PWDs, lack of experts in the field, policy makers’ apathy and the lack of monitoring of incentives. “We have been trying our best to ensure the rights of the PWDs in the new constitution,” said lawmaker Indra Maya Gurung.

Source: The Kathmandu Post – 03.12.2010