New Delhi, April 6: Issues affecting disabled individuals and their communities are set to take centre stage as the 9th world assembly of Disabled People’s International (DPI) kicks off here on April 11.
India is hosting the upcoming edition of the conference, which is held once every four years and gathers all DPI members together to discuss and share information about critical issues affecting disabled individuals and their communities, make proposals, and assess various empowerment models.
Stating that disabled people in economically backward countries face issues such as accessibility and dignified living Javed Abidi, Global Chair, DPI says, “80 per cent of people with disabilities are concentrated in underdeveloped and developing countries (global south). However, the decision making powers are concentrated in the north. The problems of the south need customized solutions and sustained effort.”
“Hence, a re-look at the structure of the policy making is needed. It is widely known that poverty and disability are interlinked,” says Abidi, a well-known name in the disability sector in the country.
This year the focus of the meet is on ‘Building Human Capital: Realizing SDGs for Persons with Disabilities’.
The meet comes when the world is commemorating 10 years of the adoption of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which has been ratified by 162 States, which represent 84 pecent of United Nations members.
In 2015, the World Bank estimated that 20 per cent of the world’s poorest people are disabled, and tend to be regarded in their own communities as the most disadvantaged.
In 2015 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the the 2030 Sustainable Development agenda, which includes disability in 7 of the 169 agreed upon targets for international development such as access to water, sanitation, maternal and child health.
Disabled People’s International is a global network of national organisations or assemblies of disabled people.
Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada it has a presence in over 150 countries through its Member National Assemblies spanning across seven regions.
