Include The Disabled In All Development Efforts - UN Sec-Gen

December 03, 2008 18:41 PM

Include The Disabled In All Development Efforts - UN Sec-Gen
By: Ramjit

By Muin Abdul MajidDUBAI, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- United Nations (UN) secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has urged governments and all stakeholders to ensure the disabled and their organisations are an integral part of all development processes.

"In this way, we can promote integration and pave the way for a better future for all people in society," he said in his message to mark International Day Of Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday.

According to Ban, the UN General Assembly had stressed that to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), those with disabilities must be included in all processes.

"With 80 per cent of the disabled -- more than 400 million people -- living in poor countries, we need to do much more to break the cycle of poverty and disability," he said.

Ban said this year's celebration came just a week before the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the UN was commemorating both under the theme, 'Dignity and Justice for All of Us'.

"We have much to celebrate this year. The entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in May was a turning point."

When the first Conference of the Parties convened in October, participants immediately began considering how the Convention can serve as a tool to achieve the MDGs."

This progress has been made possible, thanks to the active participation and leadership of persons with disabilities, by ensuring that they have access to -- and are included in -- all aspects of our work," said the head of the world body.

Noting that the UN remained committed to this approach, Ban said the renovation of the UN headquarters complex would bring its facilities up to the latest standards of accessibility.

"These advances are long overdue," he added.

BERNAMA