Need for upholding rights of PwDs stressed
Source: Chronicle News Service
Tamenglong, January 29 2022:
A day-long
district level meeting on
rights of people with disability
(PwD) was held on
Saturday at District Sport
Association Conference Hall,
Apollo ground, Tamenglong
district HQ.
The meeting was organised
by Human Rights Law
Network (a division of socio-
legal information centre)
in collaboration with
Tamenglong Handicap People's
Association (THPA).
During the meeting, advocates
J Hillson Angam spoke
on "The Rights of Persons
with Disability Act, 2016"
and other legal provisions
and welfare schemes for
disabled persons, and Kalangaipou
Riamei, on labour
welfare schemes.
THPA president Ngankimpou
shared the grievances
faced by differently-abled
people of Tamenglong and
he sought legal intervention
from the HRLN team.
The Covid-19 pandemic
has affected the day-to-day
life of the people, particularly
people with disabilities.
As
a result of it, people with
disabilities face problems
with regard to food security,
healthcare, employment,
support and emotional connection.
The population of
people with disabilities in
Manipur is 58,547 as per 2011
census.
They continue to be
marginalized, discriminated
against, excluded from
participation in society and
ultimately being 'left behind'
in the development agenda
of the country.
The disabled people, particularly
in Tamenglong district
and other rural areas
of Manipur, are one of the
most affected groups due
to lack of adequate facilities
and support systems.
They
are unaware of the schemes
and benefits meant for the
disabled people and are being
deprived of their rights and
entitlement.
Thus, it is essential
to address the chronic
neglect of long-term support
services and empower
people with disabilities to
meaningfully participate in
the decision making process
that affect them.
Keeping this in view, Human
Rights Law Network in
collaboration with Tamenglong
Handicap People's
Association jointly organised
a one day district level
meeting on disability rights
at Tamenglong.
The meeting
concluded with discussions
and identified the areas of
concern pertaining to the
issues of disability rights
with the ultimate objective
of ensuring justice through
legal intervention.