THE National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, chaired by Vice-President U Henry Van Thio, held its second meeting this year yesterday.
Union Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Nay Pyi Taw Council member and departmental heads attended the meeting at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. Those who joined the meeting via videoconferencing were Chief Minister of Kachin State, Deputy Minister for Education, Vice-Chairman of Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, social affairs ministers from regions/states and officials, permanent secretaries, directors-general, chairman of Myanmar Federation of PWDs and its members, associations of PWDs, civil society organizations, representatives of volunteer associations and officials.
The Vice-President discussed the government’s ‘Leaving no one behind’ policy especially during the COVID-19 crisis, taking immediate actions in coordination with the COVID-19 Emergency Response Committee and the Myanmar Federation of PWDs, and development plans for the PWDs in carrying out rehabilitation works in the post-COVID-19.
He also highlighted the importance of disability identification and registration to cover all the persons with various levels of disability and the initiation of human rights and social model techniques in Hlinethaya Township of Yangon Region, Nyaunglebin Township of Bago Region, Hpa-an and Kya-in-Seikkyi townships of Kayin State implemented by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and relevant organizations in regions and states.
He also talked about the courses of training of trainers, registration supervisors in villages and wards, implementation of the Remote Assessment Methodology and the Management Information System in Kayin State, and the works of the technical core group and 9 sub-committees to draft the National Strategic Plan (2020-2025) for the medium term.
The Vice-President also asked for conducting suitable vocational training courses in respective areas for the livelihood of PWDs based on their impairments, cooperation with microfinance institutions in the post-COVID-19, establishment of barrier-free communities in respective regions and states like at Nay Pyi Taw Water Fountain Garden and Myoma Market and simultaneous implementation of the Myanmar Barrier-Free Pilot Project developed by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism in the post COVID-19 period.
He also talked about the need to produce the 2020 annual report of the National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by the committee led by the Deputy Minister for Information to report on activities of the national committee up to December 2019 after it was formed in 2017.
Myanmar will form a team to produce a report on simplified reporting procedure in accordance with the List of Issues by the UN’s Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities on 7 January 2024 which will be one-year ahead to submit the implementation report on recommendations in the concluding observation of the UN committee.
According to the interim census in 2019, there are 6.3 per cent of visually-impaired persons with eyeglasses, 2.4 per cent of hearing-impaired persons with hearing aid, 5.4 per cent with difficulties in walking/climbing steps, 4.4 per cent with difficulties in memory/learning, 1.9 per cent with problems in personal cleaning and taking clothes, and 1.6 per cent with difficulties in communications with others among the population in Myanmar.
Over 87,000 PWDs cast their votes in the 2020 multiparty democracy general elections thanks to the special arrangements and facilities made for them.
The Vice-President concluded his speech with the theme for the 2020 International Day of Persons with Disabilities “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 World”, and urged for the constant implementation of PWD rights in the post-COVID-19 period.
Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye, Vice-Chairman (1) of National Committee and Chairman of Work Committee on PWD rights, reported on organizational matters and progress of works of the national committee and sub-committees.
Vice-Chairman (2) and Chairman of Myanmar Federation of PWDs U Aung Ko Myint, Secretary of National Committee and Deputy Minister for MoSWRR U Soe Aung briefed on the works of their committee.
Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin discussed works of his office on the decisions of 1/2020 the National Committee meeting and submitting the report through simplified reporting procedures to the UN’s Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Participants at the meeting also discussed coordination with associations of PWDs, legal action on crimes against PWDs, facilities for PWDs in prisons, awareness campaigns, training courses, the status of work done on producing the annual report, granting rights for PWDs under the new normal lifestyle, supplying devices for PWDs, relief assistance to the PWDs under the COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan, requirements of health, education and employment opportunities for PWDs and the works of relevant departments.
MNA
(Translated by Aung Khin)
Photo: MNA
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