Meira writes to ministers to ensure rights to disabled

New Delhi, Jun 13 (UNI) Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar has requested all the Union Ministers to ensure that persons with disabilities could exercise all the rights due to them.

In a letter to the Ministers, Ms Kumar referred to the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and suggested them to implement these through their subordinate offices, and autonomous organisations.

These provisions are concerned with Article 9 (Dealing with accessibility), 21 (Freedom of Expression and Opinion, and Access to Information) and 27 (Work and Employment).

Regarding other important articles, Ministries of Civil Aviation, Railways, and Shipping, Road Transport and Highways have been requested to take action on Article 20 (dealing with personal mobility).

Ministries of Human Resource Development, Health and Family Welfare, and Women and Child Development have been requested to implement the provisions of Articles 24 (Education), 25 (Health) and 6 and 7 (Women and Children with Disabilities), respectively. India signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on March 30, 2007, the day it opened for signature.

India was also among the first countries to ratify it on October 1, 2007. The Convention has come into force from May 3, 2008.

The purpose of the Convention is 'to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity'.

Article 3 of the Convention enumerates the eight guiding principles and Article 4 lays down the general obligations.

Ms Kumar had earlier written to all the Chief Ministers, on the day the Convention came into effect, to take suitable action by state Governments and local bodies.

UNI NAZ SBC BD1915