« accessible tour -Carlos Kaiser | Main | TRAINING REPORT for Leaders' Course on 4 October »
October 19, 2005
from DAWN
The following news is downloaded from DAWN, Pakistan's most widely
circulated English language newspaper.
The Disaster Management Bill 2005 leaves 70 million disabled people
endangered
D.N.I.S. News Network - In what has now become a routine, so far as the
national policies are concerned, the Government of India has forgotten
about its approximately 70 million disabled citizens while framing The
Disaster Management Bill 2005. This unfortunate omission of disability
related concerns have greatly irked the disability sector.
As if in a providential act of a sad warning, the recent South Asian
earthquake has once again revealed vulnerability of the old, young and
disabled people during times of disaster. But these warnings seem to be
going in vain , as the Government and its agencies fail to address the
issue of focus on disability in its disaster management mechanisms and now
the Bill itself.
It is surprising for the disability sector that in the aftermath of the
Asian Tsunami disaster the impact on people with disabilities, both the
immediate and long-term, was emphatically and empirically highlighted,
using research studies, yet the Government has failed to take cognisance
of these inputs and demands.
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People
(N.C.P.E.D.P.) in association with Disabled People's International - India
and Vidya Sagar had launched a campaign to get disability issues included
in the relief and rehabilitation work for the victims of Tsunami. As part
of their efforts to gather facts and information, they visited Andaman &
Nicobar Islands, which has suffered the heaviest loss in India. Following
this a report was produced that clearly highlighted the issues and
problems of people with disabilities.
To read Tsunami report click here
An All Party meeting was convened on 9th January 2005 to discuss the
relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the Tsunami affected
areas and assistance provided to the neighbouring countries in the region
affected by the Tsunami. It is in this meeting that the Government
informed that a Bill would be introduced in the Parliament during the
coming Budget Session for establishing the National Disaster Management
Authority and the Central Legislation on Disaster Management in the
country.
Disasters affect over 56 million people and kill over 5000 people in
India, annually. The annual economic loss on account of disasters is
estimated at 1,884 million dollars.
According to Oxfam, to better the survival chances of people with
disabilities during disasters, and to address their long-term needs call
for:
・An informed debate that is the responsibility of every constituent of
the civil society, especially the media, academicians, activists and other
interest groups.
・A 途eality check by humanitarian agencies to ensure that disability is
an integral part of their disaster response programme.
・Paradigm shift in disability and disaster related policy making, to
endorse the needs and rights of differently abled people.
It is important that the world recognises disaster-affected people not as
just passive victims, but as active survivors. Recognising that
humanitarian assistance is not an act of charity but a survival right of
the affected, may be the first step to break the
poverty-vulnerability-disaster-disability cycle.
Further, the media reports are replete with instances of mental trauma and
alienation that such high magnitude disasters cause not only to
communities but also individuals depending upon their vulnerability. In
addition to those who are disabled before the onset of the disaster many
more become disabled during the disaster.To read Disaster Management Bill
visit on this link http://rajyasabha.nic.in/bills-ls-rs/2005/LV_2005.pdf
Posted by jicafriends at October 19, 2005 12:16 PM