President of the Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities (DAPD) Michael Murphy has said ratification of the United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities is long overdue.
The DAPD is undertaking a public education campaign that it says will increase awareness of the UN convention. The association will also seek support from Dominicans to push government’s approval of the convention.
Participation of people with disabilities in public and political life is one of the provisions under the convention and that must be recognized, Murphy said on a radio program Tuesday.
“Some people think that when you are living with a disability that excludes you completely from participating in public life. This is not true. We want access to our parliament,” he pointed out.
Murphy stated little consideration will be given to persons with disabilities without ratification of the convention; but, he admitted it will take time to be fully implemented.
The convention also covers access to the physical environment, a usual campaign of the DAPD.
Fair treatment to women and children with disabilities, is also a feature of the convention. “This sector of the population, I think they are more prone to be discriminated against than any other sector of the population,” Murphy added.
First they have to define what a disability is. Then provision has to be made. The society has to be sensitized as to how to work with persons with disabilities. The prejudice and stereotypes has to be eradicated. Is that a possibilities. There needs to be a law to protect persons with a disability and not all disabilities are visible. I hope that this is a step in the right direction.