COUNTRIES IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA REGION SEEK HELP FROM NEIGHBOURS FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

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LOK SABHA

An Inter-country Meeting on promoting employment opportunities in South-East Asia Region has recommended that the UN Standard Rules on Disability should be used as a common reference point for all countries in absence of uniform legislation. The Meeting called for setting up inter-country forum to promote rights of the people with disabilities. Some of the countries sought help from neighbouring countries for education and training for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

Expressing India’s soliderity with the rehabilitation movement for the disabled, the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya outlined various schemes for empowerment of disabled including reservation of jobs. He said that New Delhi is committed to be "the beacon light for its neighbours".

Several delegations presented country papers highlighting important issues in the disability sector in their respective countries. The presentation by Sri Lanka revealed that 18 percent of the island nation’s one lakh army, rendered permanently disabled due to war and landmine explosions, have been either re-employed in army or sent home with full military salary plus disability pension. The Bhutanese government has taken upon itself the responsibility of educating, training and rehabilitating persons with disabilities as the Himalayan Kingdom has only one NGO. Maldives urged neighbouring countries to help in training its master trainers in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and special education. The country also faces the problem of reaching people spread over about 1400 islands. Nepal specifically sought assistance of NGOs in India for training in areas of physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Maldives, Maynmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand besides India attended the meeting. It was organised recently in New Delhi by the Chief Commissioner of Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in collaboration with the WHO.