News
Volume 8 Issue 5 - March 01, 2011
Consultations or sham? Committee drafting new disability law makes a mockery of the process
Speakers at the Dehradun Consultation
In Madhya Pradesh, the State Coordinator went ahead with the Consultation as early as February 15. This was done even without getting the latest draft of the new law translated into Hindi. Instead, participants were given Hindi translations of the old version of the law! Genuine stakeholders were not invited.
In Gujarat, the State Coordinator, Dr. Bhushan Punani, who is also a Member of the Committee, tried to pull a fast one. Only the Executive Summary of the draft was translated into Gujarati. This was sent to Disability Advocacy Group (D.A.G.) the evening before the supposed Consultation on February 19. It was only when D.A.G. raised hell at the Consultation that the organisers agreed to translate the entire draft into Gujarati and have another Consultation on March 5!
What has been most surprising is the hurry that the Committee showed to finish the Consultations despite strict instructions from the Minister that no one should be left behind! If the Minister himself extended the deadline, then what was the rush on the part of the Committee to go ahead with the Consultations in a haphazard manner?
It was only after continued pressure from D.R.G. that the Delhi and N.C.R. Consultation earlier scheduled for February 19 got postponed. Similarly, the combined Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab Consultation was also postponed to March 2 and 3.
Interestingly, no efforts were made by the organisers to get in touch with genuine disabled peoples organisations and disability activists in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. It was D.R.G. which alerted its partners in those States to be proactive and get in touch with the organisers on their own.
Participants at the Dehradun Consultation
Punjabi translation was not done as the Committee did not have 65,000 rupees to do so! In Uttar Pradesh, the truly credible disabled leaders were sidelined as was done in Orissa.
In Maharashtra too, it was only after several exchanges with the organisers there that D.R.G. was able to get the Consultation postponed.
Even in certain progressive States with prominent disability sector leaders who jumped on to the Consultation bandwagon, translations were a question mark. Even where translations took place, they were not available in accessible formats like in Unicode, Sign Language, Braille or talking books. The Hindi translation was converted into Unicode by Civil Society.
Nobody knows what is happening in the North East, Kerala, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, etc. One can only hope against hope that the people who were soaking in self importance on being given the huge honour of facilitating these Consultations did not botch up the whole process. But that will be wishful thinking.
While Mr. Minister did not want a single person to be left out, the way things are going, it seems almost a huge chunk of the genuine stakeholders will be left unheard!
(External Website)
DNIS is produced and managed by:
National Centre for
Promotion of Employment
for Disabled People
Screening Guidelines to be followed by CISF Security Staff for Passengers with Disabilities at Indian Airports
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill
Mental Health Care Bill
CRPD Monitoring Report
National Policy
20 Stories of Change(book)
Nominations open for NCPEDP- Mphasis Universal Design Awards 2016.
- List of Awardees 2015 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (2.7 MB)
- List of Awardees 2014 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (1 MB)
- List of Awardees 2013 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (1.44 MB)
- List of Awardees 2012 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (804 KB)
- List of Awardees 2011 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (864 KB)
- List of Awardees 2010 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (623 KB)
Press Release
SHELL HELEN KELLER AWARDS
NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Awardees 2013
Features
Interview
News
- Union Budget made no special mention of disability!
- Rail Budget offers special concessions for disabled people
- ‘Govt should withdraw 5% service tax levied on healthcare’
- Consultations or sham? Committee drafting new disability law makes a mockery of the process
- Mixed reports on Census 2011, apprehensions rife on disability being undercounted
- Abidi invited to a prestigious Seminar in Oslo
- M.S.J.E. doesn’t consider disabled doctors fit for teaching jobs
- People with hearing impairment can also drive: Delhi High Court
- Germany’s Finance Minister, a wheelchair user, is an inspiration for many!
- Karnataka cricket body indifferent towards disabled spectators
Additional Links
Disability News and Information Service is produced and managed by:
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (External Website)
C-43, South Extension, Part
- II,
New Delhi
110 049, India
Tel: 91-11-26265647, 26265648
Fax: 91-11-26265649
E-mail: secretariat@ncpedp.org
Website:
www.ncpedp.org (External Website)