SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023
Nay Pyi Taw December 3
International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2023 was observed at Myanmar International Convention Centre 2 here this morning, addressed by Chairman of National Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities Vice Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Present were SAC members, Union ministers, senior military officers, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chair, deputy ministers, permanent secretaries, directors general, representatives of international organizations, officials of Myanmar Federation of Persons with Disabilities, persons with disabilities, guests and officials.
The Vice-Senior General said globally, UN is sponsoring the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December every year to raise awareness of the matters relating to persons with disabilities, and as a motivation for supporting their prestige, rights and interest, and with the aim of developing abilities of the persons with disabilities in the Myanmar society, ensuring rights in equal with others, giving due respect to their dignity and performance, the country has been observing the Day since 1994, and the present one is the 30th event.
The UN has adopted the theme “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities” for this year. UN General Assembly laid down 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 to overcome the social, economic and environmental challenges of the world. Of the goals, 1, 4, 8, 10, 11 and 17 are related to the persons with disabilities.
Goal No.1 is to end poverty in all places. People with disabilities are facing hardships in educat[1]ion, employment, healthcare and social protection. They are also facing poverty. Hence, inclusive development strategies must be adopted to end poverty, and their rights, necessaries and performances must be taken into consideration.
An equal opportunity for inclusive and quality education and continuous learning is the aim of Goal No.4. Inclusive education will be set up for students with disabilities to acquire development to the extent of their peformance and to pursue an independent life and to gain access to vocational education and lifelong learning.
“Goal No. 8” aims to provide appropriate employment and achieve economic development. The workforce with the capability to manufacture must consider and provide support to disabled people as a human resource of the country. Eighty-five per[1]cent of disabled people are unemployed but willing to work. Even though they are capable, most of the employers reject them to offer a job. It is therefore learned that those people have difficulties getting a job. For people with disabilities, suitable employment, an unobstructed workplace, equality with other people and access to personal income and benefits must be created. And they must improve their self-confidence and quality in order to make them want to work on their own.
The purpose of “Goal No. 10” is to reduce inequality within the country and among countries. As people with disabilities, they have less rights to participate in society; they still face discrimination today. In the culture and social relations of Myanmar society, there has been respect for elders, respect for peers and help for the weaker. With the mentality of supporting the weak, Myanmar people are encouraging and helping the disabled without throwing them out of the social circle. People with disabilities should be supported not only mentally but also physically to become healthy and strong, and to reach the point of being strong despite being weak. Therefore, it is necessary to educate people about the rights of people with disabilities, and to make them aware of and able to access services for people with disabilitie.
“Goal No. 11” aims to establish urban and residential areas that will lead to inclusive and sus[1]tainable development. Making public vehicles accessible to people with disabilities, and public places and buildings should be made barrier-free. People with disabilities should be able to move around and participate in the same way as others.
“Goal No. 17” is to promote global cooperation in order to achieve the expected goals. It will be necessary to cooperate between governments, and between government and social organizations. Likewise, the participation of disabled people and disability organizations will be required. People with disabilities must be included in decision-making stages and the views and attitudes of people with disabilities must be taken into consideration.
On December 7, 2011, Myanmar joined the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was enacted in 2015, and the Regulations in 2017.
In addition, the “National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” was formed in 2017. In accord with a sustainable and balanced development plan in Myanmar and the ASEAN Strategic Pro[1]cess 2015, the Grand Strategy 5-Year Plan (2022-2027) on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has been enacted and is being implemented.
Under the five-year strategic plan, multiple sectors including health, education, social protection, natural disaster and other emergencies, accessibility have been approved and plans are underway to implement them.
Learning each sector of the strategy, it can be found that they are linked to the sustainable development goals. Therefore, implementation of the five[1]year strategic plan amounts to implementation of the sustainable development goals.
In accordance with the theme of the international days for the disable this year “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for with and by persons with disabilities” and upholding the sustainable development goals of leaving no one behind, everyone is urged to cooperate for the rights of the disable. Then, Vice Chairman (1) of the National Committee for the Disable Union Minister Dr Soe Win reported to the meeting on measures taken for the rights of the disable.
Then, the message of the secretary-general of the united nations and the documentary video of the International Day for the Disable were screened. Then, Vice Chairman (2) of the National Committee for the rights of the Disable U Thein Han Thu spoke words of thanks.
Then, the Vice-Senior General presented prizes to winners of professional level article competition.
Afterward, union ministers General Mya Tun Oo and Admiral Tin Aung San presented prizes to high school level essay competition and the those who won honorary prizes for creating access for travels for the disable.
Then, the disable youths from the School for the Listening Impaired Children and the Schol for the Young Disable performed the Enaung Dance and U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe dance respectively.
Afterward, the Vice-Senior General and attendees posed for documentary photographs and viewed the books, handicraft of the disable and documentary photos and as a separate program, the Vice-Senior General presented cash reward Ks- 1 million to listening impaired children from the School for the listening Impaired Children (Mandalay) who performed the Enaung Dance and Ks- 500,000 for the disable from the Disable Children School (Yangon), who performed U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe dance.