GFD Statement on International Day of Persons with Disabilities – 3 December 2019
The President of the Republic of the
Gambia H.E. Adama Barrow, Dr. Isatou Touray the Vice President of the Republic
of the Gambia, Secretary General and the head of civil service, the speaker of
the National Assembly, my fellow Cabinet members, chief of defence staff, the
Gambia Armed Forces, Inspector General Gambia police force, Director Gambia
Immigration Department, Ambassadors and High commissioners of various Embassies
and High commissions in the country, UN country Representative, WHO country
Representative heads and representative of all international organizations and
NGOs in the Gambia, the Gambia Federation of the Disabled and entire disability
family and fellow Gambians, good morning
to you all.
Dear
Gambians as we join the rest of the world to observe the 3rd
December commonly known as World Disability Day. We should know that it is a
very important day in the life of Persons with Disabilities, and we should also
use the day to reflect on challenges they face in the society and how to
address them.
The annual observance of the International Day of
Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations General Assembly
resolution 47/3. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of
disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being
of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to
be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of
political, social, economic and cultural life
Since 1992, the International Day
of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) has been annually observed on 3 December
around the world. The theme for this 2019 IDPD is ‘Promoting the
participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership: taking action
on the 2030 Development Agenda’. The theme focuses on the empowerment of
persons with disabilities for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development
as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which pledges to
‘leave no one behind’ and recognizes disability as a cross-cutting issues, to
be considered in the implementation of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
This 2019 observance of the IDPD
in The Gambia will be intended to be
organized by The Gambia Federation of the Disabled in
collaboration with Department of Social Welfare, United Nation Development
Programme, (UNDP) Article 19 on Tuesday
3 December 2019 in the alternative, subject to the availability of funding and
perhaps, other exceptional circumstances, to this important event, to be
commemorated in January 10th, 2020 The official commemoration of the
event will consists of an official opening,
a panel discussion on new initiatives for
disability inclusion, and a spotlight
event on sport for all for peace and development, at a later date
which will be an opportunity to discuss pertinent issues as powerful enablers
of peace and sustainable development through the empowerment of persons with
disabilities.
UN entities and other
stakeholders are individually and collectively taking action to mainstream
disability and build an inclusive, accessible and sustainable work for all.
Progress has been made at many fronts to advance the inclusion of persons with
disabilities, their rights, well-being and perspectives in the global
agenda. Accessibility – an essential means and the precondition for an
inclusive society and development – continues to gain more visibility and
deliver results through the efforts of the international community. A first
ever Security Council Resolution to protect persons with disabilities in armed
conflict (S/RES/2475(2019), further articulated the important nexus between
disability and peace and security and marked an important step forward for
persons with disabilities who are particularly at risk during conflicts.
Civil society and the private
sector are also taking the lead in supporting the inclusion of persons with
disabilities at the global, regional, national and local action. New and
emerging networks are spearheading the mainstreaming of disability in the
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the SDGs.
In conclusion, duty bearers and
partners wish to appeal to the Government of The Gambia to enact the Persons
with Disabilities Bill – 2019, which was developed since 2012 suffering an
unprecedented delay, and also for the progressive implementation of the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) that was
ratified by the Government of The Gambia in July, 2015 and Sustainable
Development Goals Agenda of 2030.
SDG 4 and article 24 of the
CRPD on education, promotes equal access to all levels of education and
vocational training and calls for the building and upgrading of education
facilities to ensure that they are disability friendly, and to ensure that
learning environments are safe, effective and inclusive for all: SDG 8 and CRPD
article 27 aims to achieve full and productive employment, decent work for all
and equal pay for work of equal value for everyone, including persons with
disabilities: SDG 11 and article 9 of the CRPD mandates member states to
provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport
systems for all, to improve road safety in keeping with the needs of persons
with disabilities, and to provide universal access to safe, inclusive and
accessible green and public spaces, particularly for persons with disabilities:
and SDG 17 where member states are called upon to enhance capacity building
support to developing countries, including least developed countries (LDCs) and
small Island developing states, to significantly increase the availability of high-quality,
timely and reliable data also disaggregated by disability.
Let us reaffirm our commitment and express
solidarity of the international community to make the Sustainable Development
Goals a reality for all by, for and with persons with disabilities.
I thank
you all and wish you a prosperous commemoration of International day of Person
with Disabilities.
By
Magistrate Muhammed Krubally,
Chairman
- GFD
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