People living with special needs are promoting participation and taking up leadership roles in communities or organizations as part of the 2019 world disability day.
A number PLWD traveled from the districts of Western Highlands Province to commemorate this special day today in Mt Hagen.
They are calling on the government to recognize marginalized groups like them.
Many of the testimonies have shown that these people are able, but have not been included to participate in the society.
A person with sight problems was one of those privileged working for Highlander hotel for more than twenty years.
Another man is a Paralympic athlete, and won two gold medals in the 2015 Pacific Games.
Today at the world disability day celebration, the Physiotherapy Department of the Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority highlighted the need to recognize the rights of people living with special needs.
This department deals closely with this group of people with special needs, and it also needs the support from the health department so that they can help special needs people regain some or all of their abilities.
Social Worker, Peter Nepil rebut that Western Highlands Provincial Government has a sleeping disability policy, which has not been enforced by the government for nearly eight years.
Nepil appealed to the Marape/Steven government to create a directive so District Services Improvement program funds, can cater for the needs for this special group of people.
The call by the people living with special needs to have equal participation in society is not new.
Each year on December 3rd, they come out and call for equal participation and recognition.
They are urging all levels of government to include them in their annual budgets and funding, create job opportunities, learning facilities, resources, and provide support and care to them to feel part of a society.
By Vasinatta Yama, EM TV – Mt Hagen
