PTI's Differently-abled Policy

POLICY PAPER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES‘Everyone has a voice that needs to be heard’

18 March 2013

Policy document prepared by PTI’s Wing of Persons with Disabilities

Policy Presentation for Persons with Disabilities. Prepared by PTI’s Wing for PWDs Strictly Private and Confidential. All rights reserved.

What do disabilities

mean to us?

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Persons with Disabilities (“PWD”s) defined

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“People unable to ensure for themselves,

wholly or partly, the basic necessities of life,

and experience hurdles in integrating

themselves into mainstream society”

Examples:

Visual impairment

Hearing impairment

Physical Impairment

Mentally Challenged/Learning Difficulties

Speech

Social/Behaviour e.g. Autism, Asperger’s


World Health Organisation

15% of world’s population is affected by some kind of disability

2-4% of the world’s population experience significant difficulties in basic functioning


History of disability

in Pakistan

5

1981 Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance

National Policy for Persons with Disabilities (2002)

National Plan of Action (NPA) 2004

Disability Framework Handbook in Pakistan Document 2006

UNCRPD: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“UNCRPD”) and its Optional Protocol was adopted on 13 December 2006 and came into force on 3 May 2008.

Disability Legislations in Pakistan


Challenges Faced by PWDs in Pakistan

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Weak or ineffective implementation of

disability laws

Lack of coordination between Federal and

Provincial government

Decision making positions held by those with

no relevant background

Lack of a broad-based active collaboration for

prevention of disabilities

All special education centers are located in

urban areas whereas 66% of PWDs are in rural

areas.

No law for accessibility of PWDs in public

buildings.

Job quota for employment of PWDs is not being

met.

Lack of integration into society


WHO statistics on PwDs vis-à-vis Pakistan’s census

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WHO estimates:

15% of world’s population affected by some kind of disability

2-4% of the world’s population experience significant difficulties in basic functioning

In Pakistan, PWDs per National Census of 1998 are 2.5% (42% Females and 58% Males).

Physically Disabled

19%

Mentally Challenged

14%

Multiple Disabilities

8.2%

Visually Impaired

8.6%

Hearing Impaired 7.4%

Other disabilities

43.3%

Distribution of Disabilities by type (%)


WHO statistics on PwDs vis-à-vis Pakistan census

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The Census is said to have

covered PWDs with severe

disabilities. (through one

question only)

Disability in urban areas is

34% and in rural areas is

66%

The WHO World Disability Report of 2011 suggests that all

stakeholders including governments, civil society organizations and

disabled people’s organizations take appropriate steps for serving the

PWDs. Pakistan needs to follow this model.


The PTI Vision

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PTI policy mission objectives

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‘All persons will be counted’

Inclusion of all PWDs into mainstream of society and

all walks of life in social, vocational and financial

capacities

PTI will account for, acknowledge, facilitate and

empower all PWDs enabling them to lead

independent and self fulfilling lives

PTI to raise awareness about, and integration of,

PWDs

PTI to work towards the prevention of certain

avoidable disabilities through early diagnosis and

medical treatment .

PTI promises to offer both moral and tangible

support to families of PWDs.


Institutional Framework

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Institutional framework

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Disability Resource Commission for PWDs will be

established at the Federal and Provincial level.

Disability Resource Centers (“DRC”s) to be established

at District level to coordinate with Disability Resource

Commission, Ministries, NGO’s and International

Organisations in the following areas:

Counseling

Documents such as NIC, disability certificates

Research and Training including Vocational

Education

Health issues including Psychological

Job Placement

Family Support Services


Empowering PWDs

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PTI’s commitment to empower PWDs

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Constitutional Empowerment

Legal Empowerment

Social Empowerment

Economic Empowerment

Educational Empowerment


Constitutional and Legal empowerment

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Constitutional Empowerment

•The Government through Act of Parliament will:

- Enact rights of PWDs

- Define Disability under the Law

- Ensure registration of disabilities by issuing

Disability Certificates

Legal Empowerment

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities aims to ensure that PWDs enjoy equal

human rights as others.

PTI will fully endorse the UN Declaration and will

provide needed institutional arrangements.


Economic empowerment

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Income generation skills shall be developed through

Vocational Training Centers and Programs

Financing options will be created and made available

to ensure financial inclusion of PWDs

Economic Empowerment Program will have:

- Employment Quota for PWDs;

- Disable Resource Commissions and Centers-DRCs

- Micro-Finance Institutions

- Supportive Fiscal and Regulatory environment


Social empowerment

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Buildings to provide accessible facilities and services

Special wing of volunteers - “Friends of Special

Persons”

Disability awareness and inclusion campaigns

Prioritize participation of PWDs in physical fitness

and sporting activities/events


Education empowerment

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Primary and secondary education

Inclusion in mainstream schools

Special Education Schools

Disability Resource Centers

Responsibilities of Boards of Education

Encouragement of private sectors schools

Higher education

Institutional level:

Disability cell within the higher education

commission

Disability office at every university

Regulatory Measures:

Equal opportunities to PWDs

Penalizing universities that do not fulfill their

responsibility


Developing Human Resources

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Developing a pool of experts for better

provision of disability related services

Introducing a new academic discipline of

disability studies

Including relevant components on disability

related issues in degrees and training

programs

Sensitising and training Government

employees on how to interact and deal with

PWDs


General Disability programs

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General Disability Programs

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Education and Vocational Training

Integrate PWDs into mainstream of society

Duty Free import of Equipment for PWD institutions

Concessional health care services with specific

provisions for those most vulnerable.

Medical treatment, treatment of Mentally Challenged

Persons in deserving families.

Volunteer assistance to support and train the poor

families having PWDs

Subsidized fares in public transport on road, rail and

air on production of PWD Cards.

Public offices, will be sensitized to the special needs of

PWDs


General Disability Programs (cont.)

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Awards for PWDs with extra-ordinary achievements

Facilities for PWD at Social & recreational services,

parks and zoos etc

Volunteer Support and Sign Language

Interpreters at public places like Courts, Hospitals,

Schools, Railways, PIA etc. for PWD

Legal support for affected PWD’s against

discrimination

Department of Tourism will include specifically

assisted and subsidized tourism programs for

PWDs.

International forum representation to PWD

representative facilitation


Disability Specific

Programs

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Disability specific programs

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Alongside General Programs, PTI will initiate

Disability Specific Programs for following

persons to address their issues:

Persons with Hearing Impairment

Persons with Physical Impairment

Persons with visually Impairment

Persons with Intellectual disabilities

Details of these programs are available in the

main Policy


Programs for the Hearing Impaired

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Hearing Aids

Audiometric Testing

Sign Language News Casts, Sign Language

Dictionary and Interpreters

Increase public awareness on the capabilities of

hearing impaired people

Driving License Program for Deaf

Provision of Assistive Listening & Communicating

devices like TDDs


Programs for the Physically Handicapped

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Proper accessibility in all public buildings by law

Proper design accessibility of footpaths by law

Support of equipment for improving quality of life

and mobility

Special parking spots near entrances

Accessible toilets for wheel chair users


Programs for the Visually Impaired

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Easier access to special software and reading

devices

Simplified Payment plans

Biometric operation of Bank Accounts

Talking books and software development in English

and local languages

White cane culture, support equipment and trained

dogs

Vocational training programs to increase and

promote productivity and independance


Programs for the Mentally/Socially Challenged

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Early screening diagnostic training and facilities training

Research & Development for addressing conditions such as

“Autism” and “Asperger’s

Assessment of home, schooling and family needs

Volunteer Assistance Program for the families

Rehabilitation Center, a minimum of one at each district

level

Occupational and physiotherapy facilities at DRCs

Raising social awareness about social impairment and

conditions such as Asperger’s, Autism, Dyslexia


Emergent Initiatives

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Emergent Initiatives

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Preference to PWD’s in poverty alleviation programs

Access to public places (PWD friendly)

Government websites to have PWD friendly features

(accessible text, sign language videos, large print,

recordings etc.)

PWDs representation in mainstream of society and

Parliament

Budgetary allocations as line item in National and

Provincial Budgets.

Implement policy measures on Employment Quota

Educating society to requirements of PWDs

(Academia. Professionals etc.)

Scholarships for PWDs seeking higher education


PTI’s promise to PWDs and Pakistan

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An Inclusive, barrier free

and rights based society

for all

PTI and PWDs resolve to fulfill the

dream of Father of the Nation and make

Pakistan a Model State for its own

people and for the World.

Dr. Sabreena Razaq Nasir Dar Muhammad Atif Sheikh Habib-Ur-Rehman Amir Arif Shafiq Ur Rahman Aqil Sajjad Ayaz Ahmad Ghazanfar Shah

Irfan Mumtaz Suleman Arshad Dr. Israr Shah Anam Naqvi Mir Jamal Asif Amin Farooqui Mazhar Moghal Ashfaq Gujjar

Cover Design: The layout has been specificallydesigned by Mr. Asif Amin Faruqi, a hearing impaired person.

PTI’s Wing for Persons with DisabilitiesTeam for developing policy for Persons with

Disabilities

Team LeaderZaigham Mahmood Rizvi

Team Members


THANK YOU