Kohima, December 5 (MExN): The Department of Political Science, Kohima College, in collaboration with IQAC, KCK and Educentre, Nagaland organized a virtual programme to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPDs) on the theme ‘Building Back Better: Towards an Inclusive, Accessible and Sustainable Post COVID-19 World by, for and with Persons with Disabilities’ on December 3.
The resource persons were Diethono Nakhro, State Commissioner for Persons with Disability, Government of Nagaland and Ashe H Kiba, General Secretary of Nagaland State Disability Forum.
Speaking on the main theme, Diethono Nakhro divulged how the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the vulnerable communities like the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
She emphasized on the need to raise awareness and mechanisms to address the longstanding inequalities that have been brought to the fore by the pandemic. She added that even under normal circumstances, the vulnerable communities like the PwDs faced numerous challenges due to inaccessible healthcare, education, employment and lack of opportunities to participate in community activities. As such they were more likely to live in poverty, face more violence, neglect and abuse.
While discussing the rights of the PwDs, Nakhro mentioned the provisions on inclusive and free education, free healthcare, rehabilitation and barrier-free access to all medical facilities, skill development schemes, employment opportunities and 4% reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities. Though there was some progress on disability sector in the state of Nagaland, she admitted that Nagaland was far behind many other states in the country in terms of awareness and accessibilities. She, therefore, called for pro-activeness on the part of the state and the society as a whole so as to accelerate targeted measures and actions.
Speaking from her personal experience as a PwD, Ashe Kiba recounted social stigma and discrimination she had encountered due to her ‘disability’. She narrated in details her struggles during school days being at the receiving end of bullying, stigma and exclusion as a result of societal ignorance and lack of awareness.
Ashe maintained that it was very crucial for PwDs to accept and embrace their disabilities, and exhorted the fellow PwDs to accept and love themselves and be visible in the society. She also stated that the PwDs have ‘different abilities’ and, therefore, urged the society to see the abilities of the PwDs beyond their disabilities.
Earlier, the programme was moderated by Razou Luho, Youth Net, Kohima.
In the introductory note, Dr Ketoukhrieü, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, highlighted the main objectives behind the observation of the IDPDs which include: To promote an understanding of disability issues and to mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities; and to increase awareness on the need to integrate persons with disabilities in political, social, economic and cultural aspects of the society.
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