December 03, 2007	Monday	Ziqa'ad 22, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Dec 2: As the International Day of Disabled Persons is being observed on Monday, Pakistan is yet to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and implement its own policy of 2002 to improve the lot of the physically challenged persons.

The day is observed annually to mobilise public support for the dignity, rights and well-being of the physically challenged persons. This year, the theme of the day is to ensure full and equal rights and participation in society by the special persons.

The United Nations General Assembly in 1982 established the World Programme of Action concerning physically challenged persons and decided to observe the day as an annual feature.

According to the WHO estimates 10 per cent people of the total population are physically challenged in Pakistan. As per a UN report, globally, one in every 10 persons is physically challenged.

Eighty per cent of all the physically challenged people are from rural areas of developing countries and have limited or no access to services they need. Ninety per cent of physically challenged school-age children in developing countries do not attend school.

BHUTTO’S MESSAGE: Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Benazir Bhutto, in her message on the eve of the physically challenged persons day, said the society should be structured in a way that met the needs of all its citizens. She said the day was an occasion to reflect on the problems of special people and set the goals to achieve the same standards as existed in civilised nations.

The former premier commended individuals and associations who were engaged in the task of rehabilitation of physically challenged persons. “No disability is too great to conquer human will.

Examples abound to demonstrate that disabilities have not stood in the way of men and women possessing will and determination. Will can and has conquered all disabilities”.

She called for steps to attend to the special needs of special people and demanded construction of ramps at the entrances of all buildings and elevators/escalators to make all areas of all buildings accessible to the special people and senior citizens.