Report Activities of CIL Kathmandu April, 2008

July 16, 2008 ~ 3:29 am | No Comments

Report Activities of CIL Kathmandu April, 2008

General Introduction of Organization:
The Independent Living Centre Kathmandu (CIL-Kathmandu) has emerged as a key strategic player within disability field working to advance the rights, dignity and lives of disabled people in Nepal. CIL Kathmandu has formally been established on 2005 and registered in the District Administration Office of Kathmandu District on 2006 under the Institution registration Act-1977 and affiliated with social welfare council on 2006. From it inception, CIL Kathmandu established principally to support the Persons with severe disabilities considering that persons with disabilities should have the opportunity to be actively involved in daily livings, decision-making processes, policies and programs, including those directly concern issues of PWDs. It has been engaged in advocacy and awareness to promote and protect the rights and dignity of PWDs. CIL Kathmandu has been taking responsibilities of coordinating, and building the capacities of PWDs through the financial and technical support of international development partners and the government. CIL Kathmandu’s works is to ensure the principles and strategies underlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other internationally recognized legal instruments that protect and promote the rights of PWDs. This organization is fighting for the right and dignity of people with disabilities through advocacy, awareness/sensitisation, capacity building, attendant services, IL skills, peer counselling, Human Right Education Training, barrier free campaigns/ events from central to grassroots level.

1. Report on ‘Independent Living Training/Seminar’ in Pokhara
Pokhara- 28th April, 2008
Independent Living Center, Kathmandu has conducted a training/seminar about Independent Living Concept for the Persons with Disabilities at Pokhara. The program was seperated into two sessions i.e. inauguration and learning session.
The inauguration session lasted for two hours. Major political parties such Nepali Congress, CPN (UML), CPN (Maoist) were invited as the chief guests and officials from different government agencies, NGOs, DPOs were invited as the guests. There were 38 persons attending in the program along with 21 PWDs. Ms Anjana K.C. played the role of Master of Ceremony (MC), welcome speech was delivered by Ms Sita K.C. and Mr. Bhojraj Shrestha delivered the speech of importance of the program. The program was chaired by Mr. Hem Bahadur Gurung, the president of NDUP-Nepal.
Legislator Mr. Rajkaji Gurung (Karan) of CPN (Maoist) has made a commitment to ensure the fundamental rights of PWDs in new constitution of Nepal and appreciated the role of PWDs in public movement to end the autocratic rule of the King Gyanendra. Mr. Punya Prasad Poudel, acting secretary of CPN (UML), has said that PWDs should not be behaved as second class citizen by the nation. He further said that they should be brought to mainstream of political, economical and social arena. The representative from Nepali congress was absent in the program. Mr. Sagarmani Parajuli, the representative of District Administratation Office of Kaski said from the chair of guest that government has been managing to issue the disability identity card to identify and catagorize PWDs which helps them to receive certain facilities by the government and other concerned agencies. Mr. Uttam Nagila, the chief of Pokhara Sub-metropolitan said that local goverment has allocated 5 percent budget out of total development cost for the capacity building part of PWDs. He further expressed the belief that this budget would be fruitful to make PWDs contributing member of the society. Mrs Maya Kadayat from DDC Kaski, Mrs Usha Baruwal from Nari Sewa Kendra, Mrs Purna Shrestha from Women Development Office, Kaski; Mr. Sisir Khanal from Kaski Blind Association also delivered the valuable words on the occasion. Mr. Hem Bahadur Gurung expressed the vote of thanks and declared the closing of the inauguration session of the program.
The second and important learning session started with introduction of the participants and the fecilitators. There were 25 participants in the program. Out of 25 , there were 12 women with disabilities and 9 male disabled persons. Mr. Bhojraj Shrestha, Mr. Ganesh K.C. and Mr. Hem Bahadur Gurung were fecilitating the sessions. The session contained the topics about history of IL, concept and practises of IL in national and international level, models of rehabilitation in disability field, defination of disability, principle of IL, activities of IL, barriers faced by PWDs, international laws regarding disability issues and human rights for PWDs. Sessions were conducted through lecture, group discussion and question/answer methods.
All participants actively took part in discussion and interaction of overmentioned topics during the sessions. Lastly, they committed to adopt the independent living concept as the guiding principle to work in disability sector. They were assured independent living concept as the right based approch to be practiced to bring a drastic change in the field of disability.

2. Report on ‘Independent Living Training/Seminar’ in Nepalgunj
Kohalpur- 30th April, 2008
CIL Kathmandu has organized workshop/ training on Independent Living Concept for the Persons with Disabilities at Nepalgunj on 30th April, 2008 with the collaboration of Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. The program was hosted by Handicapped New Life Center, Banke. The main purpose of the program is to promote and strengthen the IL concept for the persons with disabilities in this region. The workshop/ training were inaugurated by the Constitution Assembly member from the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Mr. Sarbadev Ojha. Representatives from the major political parties officials from different government agencies, NGOs, Social workers etc were invited as the guests. Chief Guest Mr. Sarbadev Ojha shared his opinion that coming Constitution Assembly should address the issues of Persons with Disabilities. He committed that he will take major role to address the issues a a prior in the constitution assembly. He said that members for the constitution assembly is not him/herself enought to do all this work. Disability community should fight until the achievements. He further said that they should be brought to mainstream of political, economical and social arena. He noted that it is the state responsibility to gurantee the fundamental rights, human rights as well as social, economical and physical rights for the PWDs. Other guests put their opinions during the ceremony .
There were 98 persons attending in the inaguration program including the Persons with Disabilities. Mr Parek Bahadur Shahi played the role of Master of Ceremony, welcome speech was delivered by Mr T.N.Sedai and Mr. Krishna Gautam delivered the speech of importance of the program. The program was chaired by Mr. Madan Man Rokaye the president of Handicapped New Life Center Banke.
The second session started with introduction of the participants and the fecilitators. There were 35 participants in the program. Mr. Krishna Gautam and Mr. Parek Bahadur Shahi were fecilitating the sessions. The session contained the topics about history of IL, concept and practises of IL in national and international level, models of rehabilitation in disability field, defination of disability, principle of IL, activities of IL, barriers faced by PWDs, international laws regarding disability issues and human rights for PWDs. Sessions were conducted through lecture, group discussion and question/answer methods. All participants actively took part in discussion and interaction of overmentioned topics during the sessions. They were assured independent living concept as the right based approch to be practiced to bring a drastic change in the field of disability.

3. Barrier free Campaign
(1) Kathmandu, – International Airport.
As the part of barrier free campaign CIL Kathmandu organized barrier-free campaign programs on the International airport and world heritage site of Kathamndu Darbar Square. The campaign programs were organized by CIL Katmandu. There were 16 Persons with Disabilities attending the program. The programs were co-ordinate by Mr. Tek Bahadur Gurung. The main aim of the campaign is to appeal the management committee to make the internationa airport disabled friendly.
Mr. Bhoj Raj Shrestha clarified the difficulties and problems faced by national and international guests due to the inaccessible infrastrecture at International Airport area. He mentioned that the only one International Airport which is also related to the national prestige to the international community should build according to the international values and norms. Persons with Disabilities are facing the difficulties due to lack of crane up to aeroplane, accessible lifts, slopes, accessible toilets, and many other physicla infrastrecture. He demand the management team to re-construct and re-build the International Airport.
Mr Teak Bhadur Gurung requested to provide the disabled services in proper manner, should make the airport disabled friendly and especial pass for disabled people and their helper according to their disability with in airport while using services. Mr. Gurung repeated that the Persons with Disabilities will continue such kinds of campaign untill the achievents.
The general Manager of international Airport accepted all the issues positively and promised to start the urgent step to improve the barrier free environment with in airport. Showing the positive attitude towards the disabled issues he said that if any disabled people informed on time the airport administration would arrange especial support for national and international disabled guests. If disabled friend faced any difficulties at that time, he advised to meet him directly. Finally he said that if any disabled friends are being unable to use the facilities due to inaccessible environment the airport administration would take step to improve it. He committed for the Persons with Disabilities that he will change the infrastrecture as soon as possible and all the PWDs will get feeling of it.

(2) Kathmandu, Kathmandu Darbar Square
The Barrier Free campaign was organized on the World Heritage site of Kathmandu Darbar square. Although the world heritage site is the prime attraction to the national as well as international guests, there is not even a single disabled friendly public toilet with in this area. This world heritage has not any kind of support provisions for the PWDs and even for the elderly people. Considering this as a issue CIL Kathmandu organized the campaign in this area. The issues were raised effectively with present of world heritage conservation and improvement officer. The campaign met the world heritage conservation and improvement officer and demand him to build the accessible toilets, make provisions to give direct services for the PWDs to observe the historical material available in the area.
Officer took this issue as a prior and committed to build the accessible toilets, ramps, slopes and will make specific policy to give direct services for the persons with disabilities. He said that this all will do in upcoming budget. He also suggested to CIL to organizing this kind of programs with co-ordination of local people for its effectiveness.The barrier free campaign is one the big successful programs to make disabled friendly environments.
CIL Katmandu believes that ?Good designs enable and bad design disabled?. This kind of programs has helped a lot to sensitize the issues of disability and to improve the environment. Analyzing and realizing its effectiveness of such kind of campaigning, CIL Katmandu now thinking to organize at least two programs with in one month in future. We hope the encouragement and support form our national and international friends who believe in social justice and equality in future.

4. The negligence of major political parties to includes disability in Constitutional Assembly.
Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and Maoists the major political parties who believed themselves as the representative of grass root level people, showed the sympathy at first but could not hold their promise at the end. None of them could prove themselves serious to the disability issues. This is the big drama played by major parties about the issues of selecting the disabled representative for making the new constitution for new Nepal. Although drama is short but the lesson to be learned by the disabled leader is long and question to be answered by the major political party who are claming to make new Nepal is big!
We know, right and contribution are two side of a coin. So, let’s start first about our contribution from 18 days civil movement. At time when even so called normal people could not dare to come out in road against King ruled government; disabled people started strike on the road. Physically we are weak, but we showed enough brave against crude security. Our friends were arrested. We did not care hunger nor did we care dry throat! It was regular routine for us to participate on every event. Because we always believe only in open sky of democracy social justices is possible. We played our role as the conscious citizen of the country BUT when time has arrived to claim our own right, the major political parties are trying to exclude disability sector systematically in the process of making the new constitution. We showed the consciousness of first class citizen but in turn they behave as second class citizen. We rode the other obstacles but we are on the way to defeating on most dangerous obstacle i.e ATTITUDE! Which is just guided by traditionally rotted intuitional approached to see the disability issues. In the view of the most of political parties’, disability issues are just the term related to the rehabilitation, services, institution and pensions. For them all disabled people are just patients who need life long care at institutions. Social inclusion and equal participation are only good topics to discuss in seminars and workshop! And our political rights may be good joke for them. The exclusion of disabled person in making constitution is the great evidence of this.
But now CIL Katmandu think it is time to ask major political party-What create a new Nepal? Is it achieved by felling pity towards people who are poor and oppressed or by poor and oppressed people recognizing their own strength to solve their own problems? What is our vision for New Nepal and the society in which we all are dreaming to live? Is it one in which the fittest, the strongest, those with the strongest self-interest, increase and rest merely survive? Where anybody who is ‘different’ is excluded and where there is worship of uniformity? Or is it a society in which diversity is welcomed and individuals are each valued for what they are? Sooner or latter disability community would ask the same question to the entire political leader in some occasion.
Although the major political parties excluded minority community -Nepal communist party (United) has really shown big heart and gave big social message having the great sense of inclusion by selecting deaf and transsexual into the constitution assembly by PR method. At the time of neglecting the disabled people by major political parties the representation of one deaf person named Mr. Raghav Bir Joshi has became focal point and hope of twenty million disabled people. Mr. Raghav is going to be the first deaf Member of Parliament in Asia. But could he deserve to raise the issues of all type of disability?
CIL Katmandu does not believe only that raising the question to every issue would be the part of our responsibility. It said that when we point a finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing at you! So, it is also time to review our strategies and learn from lesions from the incident.
Where is the strength of our more than 300 DPOs who claim themselves agent of change? Where is our so called disabled leader? What are we doing and how are we doing? Isn’t it right time to review our strategy? If we even could not able to participate to write our own constitution is there any weight to bark about to sign the UN treaty? This is only small list of question to ourselves which in turn ask same questions by our next generation to every one of us.
The negligence of major political parties to include disabled people in constitutional assembly is the symbol that how hard our future path for social justices and equality to change the traditionally rotted institutionalize mind of society. It is also the good opportunity to review the strategy of disability movement in Nepal. The umbrella organization like NFDN and its leader are still in great confusion that 7 hours hunger strike ended with 7 glass juices with 7 minutes sweet words of Parchand could make a path for CA?! If it would be true he would already have selected disabled as they had already promised. The path is not as easy as it look. CIL Katmandu believes that there is no choice to create diplomatic pressure as well as movement with the help of all the member organization. For this the leadership should show the courageous to invite all members’ organizations to join hand on hand for struggle not to lose the historic chance to write our right in constitution. CIL Katmandu believes in unity. For us the old slogan, ‘Nothing about us without us’ is just valid today as when it was first coined.

5. Advocacy
CIL Kathmandu is making regular advocacy to the various national and international agencies to protect and to promote the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Nepal. It also making regular action to achieve the goals of organization too.
i) OHCHR: CIL Kathmandu, according to the action plan of organization, made regular contacts with the representatives of OHCHR-Nepal. CIL Kathmandu is requesting OHCHR to address the issues of PWDs in national and international wide. It also requesting to support in the translation of HUMAN RIGHT, Yes ! Manual tool kit in Nepali language. OHCHR is very much positive towards it.

ii) Government of Nepal: CIL Kathmandu is making regular meetings with the staffs of National Planning Commission, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, Ministry of Finance and other agencies to make the policy and programs on Independent Living Concept. CIL Kathmandu is demanding them to allocate the national and local budgets for the welfare of PWDs and the budget to promote the IL concept in nationwide.

iii) Political Parties: CIL Kathmandu is making regular advocacy with the political parties to address the issues of PWDs in prior. It is demanding them for the representation of PWDs in Constitution Assembly and assure the fundamental rights as well as human rights of PWDs in CA.