Promoting inclusion and fairness for children with varying forms of disabilities is a crucial factor in plotting the way forward for a suitable disability framework. At least this is the deduction of the 2013 State of the World’s Children Report.The Report was last week officially launched by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, who underscored that while much has been done in Guyana to address the prevailing challenge, there is still much more to be done.Education Minister Priya ManickchandAccording to the Report, in addressing concerns involving disabled children, it must be ensured that children with disabilities should not be treated or regarded simply as the recipients of charity.“They have the same rights as others – among these, the right to life and to the opportunities that flow from good health care, nutrition and education, the right to express their views and participate in making decisions, and the right to enjoy equal protection under the law,” the Report outlines.Moreover, it highlighted the point, which was supported by the Education Ministry’s Planning Officer Evelyn Hamilton,Cheap Sports Jerseys, that children with disabilities belong at the centre of efforts to build inclusive and equitable societies, not only as beneficiaries, but as agents of change. It is the view of the United Nations Children’s Fund-authored Report, that children are the ones in the better position to comprehend their own needs and evaluate their own response.As such it was noted that in any effort to promote inclusion and fairness, children with disabilities should be able to enlist the support of their families, disabled people’s organisations, parents’ associations and community groups. Additionally, it was amplified that this vulnerable section of the population must be able to count on allies further afield. It was emphasised that Governments, for instance, have the power to help by aligning their policies and programmes with the spirit and stipulations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and other international instruments that address or affect child disability.It was noted, too,NFL Jerseys Cheap, that international partners can provide assistance compatible with the Conventions, even as Corporations and other entities in the private sector seek to advance inclusion, while at the same time attracting the best talent by embracing diversity in hiring.Against this background,Kyle Korver Hawks Jersey, the Report pointed out that the research community is working to improve data collection and analysis.“Their work will help to overcome ignorance and the discrimination that often stems from it. Furthermore, because data help to target interventions and gauge their effects, better collection and analysis helps in ensuring an optimal allocation of resources and services,http://www.airmaxfantasy.us.com/574-New-Balance/,” the Report adds.However, it was asserted that decision-makers need not wait for better data to begin building more inclusive infrastructure and services “as some have already found, inclusion involves and benefits entire communities and its elements can be applied to new projects across the board.”It has therefore been highlighted that all that is needed is for these efforts to remain flexible so that they can be adapted as new data is uncovered.It is expected that before the end of the year,Marlon Humphrey Jersey, the Education Ministry will have in place a working Disability Action Plan. However, Minister Manickchand had last year spoken of that Action Plan which is geared at addressing the needs of children with disabilities, even stressing that it was well on its way to becoming a reality.She was hopeful that it would have been in place since last year, but that ambitious goal had not materialised. The Minister had nevertheless assured that “I can promise you that before my term is up we are going to have an Action Plan in place, with a view to making sure that the needs of our disabled children are met.”This development, she said, will see the Ministry seeking to look at how it can improve its process of teaching as well as to better train teachers and facilitate better remuneration in order to ensure that teachers are encouraged to venture into the area of special needs education.“We want teachers to come into this field,Brad Richards Red Wings Jersey, but we also know that it is harder than being a regular teacher,” the Minister noted, as she highlighted areas the Action Plan is expected to address.These features include issues such as the accessing of several geographical locations for some disabled children and the importance of ensuring that parents do not only understand the importance of sending their children to school, but also ascertaining whether they can afford to send them.“It is a holistic approach in attempting to meet the needs of our disabled children. I can tell you even before we begin that it is an uphill task, simply because of the very attitudes that exist,” the Minister disclosed.She noted that there is a need to ensure that the disabled are offered all services available even as she added that “without that inclusion we cannot develop as rapidly as we deserve…” |