-First Lady tells UN Conference
Persons with disabilities must be empowered to live a life with dignity and respect was the view expressed by Guyana’s First Lady Arya Ali, in her address on June 11 at the 17th Meeting of the Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations headquarters, New York, USA.
According to release from the First Lady’s Office, she reminded the conference that in a world that is truly inclusive and sustainable, “persons with disabilities must be empowered to live a life with dignity and respect; a life where they can realize their potential.”
Mrs Ali brought home the reality of life in developing countries, where the majority of persons with disabilities of working age are unemployed and many children with disabilities do not attend school.
She informed that in order to combat this inequality, Guyana enacted disabilities legislation and adopted a multifaceted approach to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy equal treatment, while focusing on education and empowerment. This strategy, she added, will be guided by Guyana’s adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which has created necessary momentum for removing institutional and attitudinal barriers and promoting the full participation of persons with disabilities in society.
The First Lady went on to explain that a register of persons with disabilities is informing government policies and guiding interventions. She gave the following examples of government’s support for this demographic. Firstly, all persons living with permanent disabilities are eligible to receive monthly financial assistance throughout their lives, with assistive and mobility aids provided free of cost. In addition, specialized support will be provided for children through widespread training of teachers. Secondly, the establishment last year of the Mahaica Disability Complex – a training and empowerment centre which provides vital skills training, and is supported by business grants and interest-free loans. Thirdly, in her capacity as First Lady, she is leading an initiative to establish a business centre to advance financial independence and economic empowerment of persons with disabilities, who will offer a range of products and services to Guyana’s growing consumer market.
The First Lady also pointed out, that in the digital age, where technology holds “unprecedented power to bridge gaps and foster inclusion,” Guyana is placing emphasis on enhancing digital connectivity and using technology to provide learning opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Mrs Ali reminded the conference of the constraints faced by small economies in this pursuit and called for more international financing.
“Developing countries with limited human and financial resources face major challenges in providing necessary support for persons with disabilities. Limited institutional, technological and financial capacities remain barriers in small economies with competing demands. Guyana calls for greater international financing for Disability-Inclusive Development in developing countries”, she urged.
