ISLAMABAD :A new campaign calling on the government of Pakistan to make lasting commitments to people with disabilities has been launched 100 days before the second Global Disability Summit.
The Summit would be held in February 2022 in Norway to address the global needs of people with disabilities, and ensure they are integrated into policies and laws, said a press release.
It is the world’s biggest gathering of people with disabilities, governments, international agencies, charities and business leaders, and is a vital opportunity for governments and organisations everywhere to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
The ‘Equal World’ campaign, run by INGO Sightsavers, along with the Community Based Inclusive Development Network Pakistan (CBIDN), is counting down to the pivotal event and appealing for the government to take advantage of the opportunity by attending and making strong commitments.
Sightsavers’ Country Director Munazza Gillani has said, “We are calling on the government of Pakistan to attend the summit with high-level representation and to make ambitious, properly financed commitments that will result in real change. To achieve this, ministries and their relevant departments must engage with people with disabilities and their representative organisations ahead of and during the summit. We are also calling on the government of Pakistan to ensure the 2022 Census effectively counts people with disabilities.”
National Coordinator (CBIDN), Dr Sarwat Mirza said, “The Global Disability Summit is a huge opportunity for governments like Pakistan to address inequality and promote disability rights. Many people with disabilities around the world face the daily denial of their human rights. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased this inequality, particularly for women and girls with disabilities.”
Abia Akram Chairperson of the National Forum of Women with Disabilities and Member of National Disability Council said “Women’s empowerment is a complex and cross-cutting subject, and no government can achieve it alone.