News
Volume 4 Issue 13 - July 01, 2006
M.S.J.E. comes up with its own proposal for amendments to the Disability Act!
D.N.I.S. News Network - The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
(M.S.J.E.) has suddenly come up with its own proposal for amendments to the
Disability Act, 1995, and in what a clandestine manner! It has posted the
proposed amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act 1995 in a quiet
manner on the Ministrys own website. And some of the proposed amendments
are shocking, to say the least!!
One recalls that in 2005 around the
same time, the Ministry had invited suggestions for the Draft National Policy
for Persons with Disabilities and then came up with its own document without
consultations with concerned people. This time round, on May 26, the Ministry
did the act again. It had invited suggestions from interested individuals
and organisations for amendment in the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities,
Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995. This announcement
was also made solely on its website. But if the Ministrys interest was genuine
regarding such an important move, it should have been widely publicised, to
begin with. While one wonders if the disability sector is even fully aware
of this announcement, the Ministry does a hat trick.
What is more shocking is the fact
that the Ministrys so called proposed amendments have come even before
the July 31 deadline for suggestions
given by the Ministry itself in its invitation! Were far away from that deadline!
Having waited ten long years to even think about amendments to the Act, why
the sudden hurry in putting together a document of such importance? And why
has the Ministry failed to circulate it widely?
In its call for suggestions the Ministry
had vaguely mentioned that the amendments will be carried out in consultation
with the stakeholders. The question is: Who are the stakeholders involved,
and have they been consulted? If yes, then it is definitely not reflected
in the document of the Ministry or anywhere on its website. There is an absolute
lack of transparency in the whole process.
Even
when asked about the call for suggestions from people for amendment to the
Disability Act, leaders in the disability movement had been upset about the
manner in which it had been done. They felt that the process was being rushed.
Many also saw the need for the Government to wait till December to see if
the Disability Convention was ratified by the United Nations (U.N.). Other
rights activists had also wondered about the lack of consultations with the
N.G.O. sector which would have very valid suggestions. Not a single right-based
or other disability N.G.O. has been consulted so far with regard to the amendments.
And
now, the proposed amendments by the Ministry itself, even before the given
deadline for suggestions!! For whose benefit?!
Its high time the disability sector
shrugged away its lethargy and took up the cudgels on its own behalf. It is
up to the sector to nail the Ministry on its stakeholder peg and force the
Government to listen, before it hurriedly makes amendments to an Act that
is all important to millions of disabled people in the country.
To
read the Amendments Proposed to the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 by
the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment please follow the link below:
(External Website)
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