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Inclusion of disability issues in mainstream policy vital for dev

Speakers tell conference

Staff Correspondent
Speakers at a conference in the city yesterday said inclu-- sion-of disability issues-in the mainstream policy anCVdeveF opment practice is a must for the overall progress in the country.
Persons with disabilities (PWDs) constitute about 10 percent of the total population of the country. They remain almost totally isolated from the social, economic and political mainstream, they added.
They further said the disability issues have been compartmentalised only under the health, welfare and charity ’ package, which should be changed, adding that a rights-based approach is necessary for mainstreaming the issues.
The speakers said this at the conference on 'Reaching the unreachable through
CAHD' organised by Centre for Disability in Development (CDD) in association with Handicap International with
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Camraissibri under the pr-.u ject Proximity services for a full participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life' at the LGED auditorium.
Social Welfare Minister Enamul Haque Mostafa Shaheed said instead of terming them 'burden', the persons with disabilities should be transformed into skilled manpower.
The government doubled the budget for social welfare ministry in the current fiscal, headded.
He called for assistance from organisations working with PWDs to utilise this budget properly and identify the actual number of disabled persons in the country.
AHM Noman Khan, executive director of CDD, said, "We cannot just address disability issues from a few Dhaka--jbaseS Centres with a.medicaL ^pprtjach. Services shtMiUiM)^ delivered to the PWDs living in all the 64,000 villages of the country.
An exhibition of the projects, activities and services delivered by these organisations was also part of the conference. The exhibition showcased 'assistive devices’, including education materials for the blind, custom-made wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs and other devices, produced by CDD for free distribution.
There was also a demonstration of Bangla sign language which was recently compiled by the same organisation.
The organisers informed that they are currently operating a floating rehabilitation
hospital in the country completely free of charge. Four free medical camps for patients with cleft lips are also held.
A "day care centre for thd1 blind deaf children .will be launched in September, they said.
Hassan M Mahamud, country director of Handicap International, said empowering PWDs through inclusion of their issues in development activities, ensuring equal participation and increasing access to opportunity is necessary.
CDD Chairman Sheikh A Halim, Director Nazmul Bari, National Forum of Organisations Working for the Disabled President Khandakar Jahurul Alam, Secretary General Jowaherul Islam Mamun and Action on Disability in Development Country Director Mosharraif Hossain also spoke.