Persons with disabilities deserve better attention in budget
UNB
Though there is no specific figure about the persons with disabilities in the country, inadequate budgetary allocation is depriving them of their basic rights forcing them compromise in every step of their lives, reports UNB. Initiatives taken so far for the allocation for their education, health services and communication services friendly for the persons with disabilities are very inadequate. Such scenario came up in a recent research analysis book on budget titled National Budget 2016-2017: In Quest of Peoples Participation published ahead of the upcoming national budget. Parliamentary Caucus on National Planning and Budget, Centre on Budget and Policy, University of Dhaka and Democratic Budget Movement jointly brought out the research publication containing some key areas.
These three bodies urged the government to come up with a concept paper like budget thoughts for persons with disabilities reflecting demand of those persons and how their requirement can be fulfilled with better attention to them. Every year, the government takes up new projects for the development of persons with disabilities, but there is no required budget allocation for their development, the research analysis read. For example, the paper mentioned, there is no allocation for implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act, 2013. It refers to any person who is physically, psychologically, and/or mentally not functioning properly due to social/environmental barriers. Any person who cannot take part actively in society is considered to be disabled. Persons with disabilities have rights equal to all citizens, including fundamental basic human rights.
Through their research, the three organisations showed that the actual numbers of persons with disabilities are yet to be specified despite there have been five censuses in the country so far.
