Bill passed by NA will address issues of persons with disabilities: WHO

By Muhammad YaseenPublished On 05 Jan 2023

ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organisation (WHO) believes that a bill recently passed by the National Assembly would address a number of issues of persons with disabilities.

“We hope that the bill would be passed by the Senate of Pakistan with the same interest and will be implemented in letter and spirit,” said WHO’s technical adviser Dr. Maryam Mallick while talking to Dawn.

The “ICT Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2020” has been passed by the National Assembly.

Dr. Mallick said Minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen M. Mazari took a personal interest in getting the bill passed from the house.

“Sindh and Balochistan have also passed similar bills so we hope that soon other provinces would also make legislation so that it would be implemented across the country,” she said.

According to the draft of the bill available with Dawn, the Constitution guarantees the fundamental rights of all citizens, including persons with disabilities, without discrimination. As a party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Pakistan is obliged to ensure and promote the full realization of rights and freedoms for persons with disabilities by taking appropriate legislative, administrative and policy measures.

Keeping in view our national and international commitments, the ICT Rights of Persons with Disability Bill 2020 has been prepared through a consultative process for protection and promotion of rights of people living with disabilities (PLWD).

Pakistan ratified the UN convention in 2011. Earlier, there were only “Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981” which was being used to provide jobs to PLWD. The ordinance was promulgated by Gen Ziaul Haq as his own daughter was disabled.

In 2013, the WHO started efforts for legislation in Pakistan. It held 23 consultations at the national and provincial level in which all stakeholders, including PLWD, were involved.

In 2015, a draft was prepared and handed over to the Ministry of Law and Justice. However, no development was made. Later, when Dr. Mazari became the human rights minister, she tabled the bill in the lower house of parliament and played an active role in its passage.

One of the major recommendations of the bill is that a national council for disabled persons would be established to address their issues.

A representative of the Potohar Mental Health Association (PMHA) Zulqurnain Asghar appreciated the passage of the bill.

“It is one of the major developments in the history of Pakistan as finally a bill is being passed by parliament and we are going to get the benefit of it,” said Mr. Asghar, who is visually impaired.

“I have gone through the draft and it was encouraging to see 13 recommendations of PMHA in the act incorporated by the standing committee on human rights. Those recommendations were related to political participation of persons living with disabilities, equity in education, equality before the law, ease of access and mobility, protection from violent, abusive, intolerant and discriminatory behavior, etc,” he told Dawn.

“There are still some gaps in the bill like the language of the act is gender blind. The definition of disability is outdated not aligned with the UN convention. The council did not mention the criteria of three persons living with disabilities to be part of the council as members. The bill is with the Senate functional standing committee on human rights for a review. It is important to mitigate the remaining gaps in the bill before the completion of the legislative process,” he said.