Minister Sudi emphasizes practical implementation of Act on disability

Kathmandu: Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens Nawal Kishore Sah Sudi called for the practical implementation of the Act on Rights of Persons with Disability (RPWD)-2074 BS. Unveiling a research report at a programme organised by Koshish Nepal today, Minister Sudi also expressed his commitment to amend the local legislations that contradict Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)-2006.

Article 19 of the Convention recognises the rights of all Persons with Disabilities (PWD) to live independently and be included in the community. Sudi reiterated, ‘I pledge to work towards timely revision of the legislations that are inconsistent with Article 19 of the CRPD-2006, the legal framework that restricts people with disability from living independently and being included in the community.’

Furthermore, the Minister vowed to amend those legislations formulated and implemented contrary to the spirit of Article 12 of the same Convention and make them more timely. He also reaffirmed to restore legal capacity by repealing or revising all legal provisions that deny legal capacity to the underrepresented PAW by using indecent words in the legislation and making it a basis for qualification, thereby preventing their participation in socio-economic and public life.

Nepal signed the CRPD-2006 and its Optional Protocol to the Convention 2006 in 2008, and the then legislative assembly ratified it on December 27, 2009. The erstwhile government domesticated this Convention in Nepal by issuing the Act on Rights of Persons with Disability (RPWD)-2074 BS and relevant Regulations, 2077 BS.

These legal frameworks have been enforced to protect and promote the rights of PWD. Minister Sudi, however, said that complaints were rife that the Act and Regulations related to PAW do not address the issues of autism, intellectual disability, psychosocial disability and hearing-impairment disability.

During the programme, an amendment proposal was presented to Minister Sudi, which was prepared after collecting suggestions from PWD from all seven provinces in coordination with the National Indigenous Disabled Women Association and the National Federation of the Deaf Nepal.

RSS