From: Secretariat - NCPEDP [mailto:secretar...@ncpedp.org]
Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010 4:08 PM
To: Secretariat - NCPEDP
Subject: From Javed Abidi
Dear Friends,
I am writing to you with a feeling of excitement and nervousness, and at the
same time with a firm resolve and faith in the movement of 70 million disabled
people of the nation.
Yet again, the disability movement in India is bracing itself to face its
moment of reckoning. We are faced with not one but multiple challenges.
It has been 14 years since the Disability Act of 1995 was enacted. Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) stubbornly continues to harp on
'amendments'. The sector's demand for a new law, truly reflecting the letter
and spirit of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (UNCRPD), is getting stronger with each passing day.
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and
Disabled Rights Group (DRG) have been gradually broadbasing this discussion
through National and Zonal level consultations.
The movement has picked up. MSJE can no longer be indifferent to our voice and
more importantly, our sentiments.
Another issue that is staring at our face is the upcoming Union Budget. We have
to ensure that our concerns are not once again relegated to the backburner like
the last year.
The third issue that needs our immediate attention is Census 2011. In exactly a
year from now, the process of enumeration will start. We all remember that it
was after a prolonged struggle that a question on disability was included in
Census 2001 at the last moment and with dismal results.
The work that lies ahead of us is to ensure that the disabled population is
properly reflected in the Census results this time.
Information is power. It can lead to self-advocacy and empowerment. We, at
NCPEDP, have always believed in sharing information to mobilize opinion of the
sector on issues that concern all of us.
However, as much as we would want to reach each and every disabled person and
all others who care, our reach and resources are limited.
Cyberspace has now given us a powerful medium to take our voices to a much
greater audience and in no time at all. I have recently started using 3 pretty
interesting media: Twitter (@javed_abidi), blog
(http://javedabidi.blogspot.com/) and Facebook! My endeavour is and will be to
give regular updates on issues concerning people with disabilities. If need be,
and as much as humanly possible, on a daily basis.
I urge upon you, as stakeholders of the Indian disability movement, to make an
effort to give these accounts a look and follow them as frequently as possible.
I do hope that you are already following our fortnightly Disability News and
Information Service (DNIS). You must visit www.dnis.org<http://www.dnis.org/>
on the 1st and 15th of every month (and at any time thereafter). It is a free
service and very easy to access. Now, you can register yourself also and if you
do so, you will get an E-mail Alert every time a fresh issue is uploaded.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Javed Abidi
Honorary Director, NCPEDP
5. 2. 2010
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP)
A -77, South Extension Part II
New Delhi - 110 049, India
Tel.: 91-11-26265647 / 26265648
Telefax:011-26265649
Websites: www.ncpedp.org<http://www.ncpedp.org/> and
www.dnis.org<http://www.dnis.org/>
For accurate and up to date information on disability news and happenings,
register free at www.dnis.org<http://www.dnis.org/>
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