Right Honorable President’s Message on the Occasion of the 25th International Day of Persons with Disabilities

I would like to express my heartfelt good wishes to the disabled brothers and sisters, their guardians, and philanthropists involved in this sector with humanitarian spirit on the occasion of the 25th International Day of the Persons with Disabilities, which is being celebrated with the main slogan– “Achieving 17 goals for the future we want.”

The government of Nepal has adopted the policy of including the disabled people in the mainstream of development and making them independent from the perspective of safeguarding their fundamental rights, not merely from the point of view of showing them love and kindness. Likewise, the initiatives are being taken to adopt the laws concerning the disability and implement the United Nations Protocol concerning the rights of the disabled people to foster an ambience for them to live with respect and dignity. In the similar manner, the government of Nepal has been implementing community-based rehabilitation programs across the country since the past years to increase the easy access of the disabled people to resources and services, to develop their capabilities, and to provide them opportunities of employment by availing education and healthcare services at the local level.

We all have a common duty to help the disabled people to make them capable of enjoying the basic human rights, rehabilitate them in the family and society and empower them with education, healthcare, livelihood, sports, entertainment, and social inclusion.

I express my heartfelt good wishes that may this special day bring an added strength and inspiration to the disabled people, the organizations and institutions active in this field, the guardian communities of the disabled people, the civil society, and the partners of development including all the concerning stake holders.

Thank you!

Saturday3December 2016