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National Day of Persons with Disabilities |12 July 2018

 

 

Minister calls for removal of barriers that hinder people with disabilities

 

The Minister for Family Affairs Mitcy Larue has called for action to create more enabling environments which allow persons with disabilities to discover and live their potentials.

The call comes in the minister’s message on the occasion of the National Day of Persons with Disabilities today, July 12.

The theme for the day is ‘Removing barriers that limit the active participation of persons living with disabilities in society within the boundaries of their abilities’.

The full text of Minister Larue’s message reads:

“The number of persons with disabilities across the globe is steadily on the increase with 10% of the global population being persons with disabilities. It is estimated that approximately 3% of the Seychelles population have some form of disability; a good proportion of which remains in the margins with some unfortunately totally hidden never having experienced the world external to the home environment. Barriers that persons with disabilities face take many forms; physical, attitudinal or systemic.

“International human rights laws including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which Seychelles is a party to since 2009 promotes societies that include all its people and provide standards which its member states must abide by. Recently, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities examined Seychelles’ status of implementation of this Convention. It is clear from the recommendations made by the Committee that efforts must continue and in some areas be intensified if persons with disabilities are to be able to participate actively in society. One particular area which needs focus is accessibility. 

“We cannot continue to marvel in the success of persons with disabilities in other countries who are able to overcome barriers and achieve their dreams. We must also be committed to making the dream of our own citizens with disabilities a reality. My call therefore is for action to create more enabling environments which allow persons with disabilities to discover and live their potentials. This will not happen if we continue to structure systems and the physical environment in ways that ignores needs. Solutions to improve accessibility are plenty. However, such barriers can only be overcome if accompanied by a desire to transform the landscape by all stakeholders.

“On this commemoration of National Day of Persons with Disabilities let us reflect on the services, programmes, activities that we offer and ask ourselves is it accessible? Can persons with all types of disabilities benefit from it? As I get older and my body begins to physically deteriorate will I be able to use these services? If I fall ill and consequently acquire a disability will I be able to attend to my own shopping; to choose the clothes I want, the shoes that fit me right and the food I want to eat? Would I be able to go to the bank, and pay my bills? If the answer to these questions is no; let us make the necessary changes. It is quite easy to allow someone else to take over the responsibility of caring for someone with a disability but is this what that person wants? It is certainly not what the Convention promotes.

“Accessibility is not carrying a wheel chair bound person up flights of stairs to be able to obtain a service, accessibility is not telling a blind person what is written on a document addressed to him or her; accessibility is not taking decisions for a deaf person without him or her having information about the decision. Accessibility must be dignified. It must address needs. And accessibility should certainly not be an afterthought.

“Let us commit as from today to identify barriers, and actively seek to remove them. Whenever new buildings are constructed, new websites launched, new policies and procedures developed, new services set up, or new equipment bought, design choices should be made that do not create barriers for persons with disabilities.  This means taking a proactive approach and incorporating a human rights mindset into all that we do. A lot has been done but we should continue to do more and must continue to put our efforts together for further progress to enhance the lives of persons with disabilities.

“Happy National Day of Persons with Disabilities!”

 

 

 

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