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Rights issues for women with disabilities absent in law

Speakers tell discussion

Staff Correspondent
Speakers at a discussion on the occasion of the International Women's Day said the rights issues of the women with disabilities are absent in both the Bangladesh Disability Welfare Act 2001 and the National Policy for People with Disabilities 1995.
Prevention of Women and Child Repression Act 2000, amended in 2003, also has no provision to fight discrimination against die women with disabilities, who remain one of the most vulnerable groups in the society.
National Forum of Organisations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) organised the discussion at tire TSC road island on the Dhaka University campus yesterday. A 12-point demand aiming to end all discriminations against the women with disabilities was announced at the programme.
Activists working with the disabilities at the programme also called for immediate revision of the existing laws and policies for the persons with disabilities.
The 12-point demand also includes establishment of one-stop service in police stations and hospitals, establishing special schools, increasing residential facilities at educational institutions, quota in
employment, disabled people friendly transport system and other infrastructures, and announcement of a national day exclusively for the women with disabilities.
Rights activist Mahua Paul, a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 said, "Women in general face discrimination in society, but women with disabilities remain marginalised of the marginalised."
"They remain in a cycle of discrimination. Firstly, as women, then as disabled persons and they also remain poverty stricken largely because of their condition", she added.
Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique speaking as the chief guest on the occasion said. “Women with disabilities have the ability to rise above all the odds and step ahead. All they need is proper opportunity’ and support."
While Ferdous Akhter, general secretary of the Association for the Hearing and Speech Impaired Persons, said. "Facili-
ties in education for the women with disabilities is very little. But education is the best way to include them in the mainstream.”
The programme concluded with a cultural function performed by members of various organisations working for the people with disabilities.
Rasheda K Chowdhury, former adviser to a caretaker government, Jahurul Alam, president of the NFOWD, Farida Yasmin, senior vice-president, Women with Disability Thematic Group of the NFOWD, Nazran Yasmin Hira. programme officer of Manusher Jonno Foundation, Rabeya Sultana, sector head of rights and social justice sector of ActionAid Bangladesh, among others, were present on the occasion.