Ratification Of A Critical Disability Document By Sharizat Tomorrow

Courtesy from PETPOSITIVE

Ratification Of A Critical Disability Document By Sharizat Tomorrow

PETPOSITIVE BARKING NEWS!

The signing of the ratification of the Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities - a legal document by the United Nations that will bring about positive changes for the disabled community by participating governments will take place in Kuala Lumpur at 2pm in the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

It will be signed by the Minister herself Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil.

The ratification of the treaty is the second of three critical steps towards improving of the quality of lives of all disabled Malaysians.

The only disappointment with tomorrow's signing of the document is that we understand that when Malaysia signed the document, it did so with reservations. This means that not everything in the official paper will be followed.

At this point, we are not sure as to what the reservations are.

Petpositive will be there at tomorrow's ratification ceremony.

Below is a statement by us that appeared on Malaysiakini in 2008. Click on our title if you wish to go to the original page.

PET+BLOGSPOT

Friday, May 16, 2008

PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR THE DISABLED MALAYSIA - Malaysiakini

The Malaysian Animal-assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PetPositive) joins hands with all disabled Malaysians and organisations committed to their cause in and outside the country to welcome the coming into force of the Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

MCPXThis landmark treaty which was adopted two years ago was made available for signatures in March of last year. With Ecuador being the 20th nation to ratify the significant agreement last month, the CRPD took effect on May 3.

We are especially thrilled that our nation, Malaysia, has also signed the document in New York last month. By doing so, our government has taken the first all-important step to keep its promise and determination to improve the quality of lives of all Malaysians with disabilities.

However, there are two more significant steps for Malaysia to take with utmost urgency. We have to ratify and then implement the CRPD treaty, seeing to it carefully that the ‘Optional Protocol’ section is accepted without conditions or changes.

The Optional Protocol provides disabled people with a means of redress for individuals or groups who feel that their government has violated the convention and where national remedies have been exhausted.

It is only after this that our disabled citizens can truly, fully and finally enjoy the rights and dignity that our society has long denied them.

The CRPD will finally provide 650 million handicapped people around the globe and in Malaysia what they have been asking all their lives - a chance to go to school, find jobs, get married, raise a family and retire peacefully like everyone else.

PetPositive urges all political parties in both the Barisan Nasional and the Pakatan Rakyat to do everything in their power to make this a reality for disabled Malaysians who have been left out of our mainstream society for far too long.

Here and now is the chance for us all to prove to the world and our society that we really care for our disabled citizens!

The writer is president, the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PetPositive).