| Wani Roslan |
TWO keynote speeches were delivered during the closing of the open dialogue session of the 10th International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebration held yesterday at the Dewan Di-Gadong of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
Aiko Akiyama from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in her keynote speech underlined that PWD are not merely the object of charity and that they are agents of change as well as social and economic development as available studies indicate that the exclusion of PWD can cost a society one to seven per cent of the GDP.
“We need to understand the real challenges of persons with disabilities on a daily basis. We need to translate the needs to policy and its implementation with an adequate budget. We need to have more accessible buildings, bathrooms, sign language interpreters on TV, assistive devices as well as the participation of PWD in discussions concerning other issues such as women empowerment and community development,” she said.
Aiko Akiyama also urged national and local government, businesses and all sectors in the society to intensify efforts to end discrimination and erase obstacles that prevent PWD from enjoying their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
“Let us work together for equal participation of persons with disabilities in an inclusive and sustainable world that embraces humanity in diversity,” she said.
Akiie Ninomiya from the Asia Pacific Center for Disabilities delivers his keynote speech.
Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports with Aiko Akiyama from the United Nation Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific . – PHOTOS: BAHYIAH BAKIR
Meanwhile, the second key-note speech was delivered by Akiie Ninomiya from the Asia Pacific Center for Disabilities (APCD), who commented on the great efforts done by the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam towards the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on April 11 this year.
He said that with the strong commitment for the effective implementation of the CRPD through the establishment of the National Council on Persons with Disabilities, which will facilitate the implementation of the CRPD in Brunei Darussalam, the APCD is honoured to collaborate with the government to promote and protect the rights of PWD in Brunei Darussalam and other Asean member states.
“APCD, as an international organisation that promotes the empowerment of persons with disabilities and right-based, inclusive and barrier-free society across Asia and the Pacific, has been implementing several projects and activities in line with the principles of the CRPD,” he said.
He then noted four factors for the CRPD to be effectively implemented, namely the clarity of purpose and joint collaboration and partnership between government agencies and non-governmental organisations including disabled people’s organisations and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the CRPD; Information and awareness raising on the CRPD; localising the implementation of the CRPD and monitoring compliance of the CRPD.
“I wish to reiterate that APCD, in partnership with the Government of Brunei Darussalam, will continue to pursue this collaboration in order to achieve our common goals in promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities in the Asean community,” he concluded.
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