State chief minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday expressed his commitment to supporting persons with disabilities (PwDs) and pledged an amount of Rs. 1 crore from the corpus fund to sustain an annual event dedicated to PwDs with the aim to encourage their empowerment and contribution to society.
Speaking at the “Disability Pride Fair”, which was organized to commemorate the “International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)” on the theme “United in Action and achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) for, with and by Persons with Disabilities” at the Heritage Bamboo Hall, Kisama, the chief minster announced that he proposed a committee led by the chief secretary to reassess and enhance support for PWDs in education, vocational training, and societal integration.
In addition to the rehabilitation centre in Dimapur designed to assist PwDs, he said two additional rehabilitation centres were being established in the districts of Mon and Tuensang. Rio also highlighted the importance of reaching out to PwDs, establishing more rehabilitation centres and involving the community in promoting their well-being.
Despite limited resources, the chief minister said the state needed to thoroughly reassess the situation and find ways to provide assistance that enhances the self-worth of PwDs enabling them to not only improve their own lives but also contribute meaningfully to society.
In her speech, the state commissioner for persons with disability, Diethono Nakhro, urged the state government to make the Hornbill Festival more accessible for PwDs, especially considering that Disability Day falls on December 3, coinciding with the annual Hornbill Festival.
Without the commitment and support from the government, she said it would have been impossible to bring about the desired change that could have transformed the lives of thousands of PwDs in the state.
Nakhro pointed out that as per Census 2011, there were 29,631 persons with disabilities in Nagaland constituting about 1.5% of total population.
She stated that many children with disabilities still faced barriers to accessing classrooms and receiving adequate education due to the highly inaccessible nature of the education system. She said that many adults with disabilities were also compelled to lead dependent lives.
Acknowledging positive strides made in the disability sector in recent years, she, however, pointed out that despite accomplishments, there was much work ahead particularly in providing essential disability services—an area where the disabled community continued to face challenges and hardships.
Secretary social welfare, Martha R. Ritse, said that securing the rights of PwDs would bring world closer to realizing the core values and principles of the United Nations Charter.
Ritse stated that “Disability Pride Fair” served as an inclusive platform to acknowledge the unwavering determination of individuals with disabilities and to actively promote their inclusion in society.
She highlighted that the fair, rather than perpetuating stereotypes, focused on the abilities and contributions of individuals with disabilities.
Ritse encouraged people to actively participate in creating awareness about disability issues, challenging societal norms, and advocating for the active inclusion of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of life.
Earlier, Chumbeni Ovung from Tabitha Enabling Centre delivered the welcome address.
At the programme, three visually-impaired girls—Gracyly, Sonali and Wangdai—presented a special song; P. Daihe Kape, a differently-abled person shared his journey and Mhonchumo Shitoi, a visually-impaired, presented a guitar and harmonica piece.
A video on Disability Awareness by Dreamz Unlimited was also released during the programme. As part of the Disability Pride Fair, stalls were set up to showcase and sell products and artworks created by PwDs as well as disability forums and institutions.