DIMAPUR: State commissioner for persons with disabilities Diethono Nakhro said that most of the disability laws have not been implemented by the states, including Nagaland, in India till date.
“We have to be honest that there have been huge neglects in the disability sector,” Nakhro said while addressing an awareness programme on persons with disabilities in the conference hall of Mokokchung deputy commissioner’s office in Nagaland on Friday (July 28).
Supported by the state commissioner’s office for persons with disabilities Nagaland, the programme was organised by the Mokokchung district administration and Mokokchung District Disabled Forum.
Emphasising on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, Nakhro said everybody seems to know what disability is but many are not aware about what need to be done.
She lamented that all the governments have failed to address the disability issues as they should. However, she said it is not only the responsibility of the government alone but the entire society has a responsibility towards the disabled community.
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“The church is so central to our lives. Therefore, it has a huge role to play to in helping the people with disability to participate in life of society,” Nakhro said.
Citing how differently-abled people participate in the celebrations of different festivals in our society, she stressed that tribal bodies/civil societies too have a huge role to play to include them in every walk of life.
“Pity is not the thing they need but equal opportunities are what they want,” Nakhro added.
Mokokchung deputy commissioner Thsuvisie Phoji also spoke at the programme.Aside from Jharkhand, Assam and Nagaland in India, the EAE has been implemented in six sub-Saharan countries in Africa – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Nigeria.