India - The One and Only largest democracy in the World is in the process of developing a NEW ACT for people with disabilities in line with the spirit of the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with the meager participation from people with Disabilities. Out of around 28 members in the drafting committee only 6 are people with disabilties, the rest are Government people and few organisations who always praise government for everything even if disabled suffer and very very few raise voice for the issues of disabled persons with passion. The greatest beauty of this meeting is, for whom the ACT is developing, They were kept as silent spectator in the name of obeserver. The committee least bothered to take opinion,sugesstion or comments officially. I am saying the torture suffered by me and 20 disabled people in the name of observer is one of the worst moment in my life. They are speaking and deciding about ME and my community but we are forced to be mute spectator.I request the Government and very much particularly NGOs please here afterwards dont use this quote " NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US" if we really not able to practice it.
My suggestions for effective funciton of committee.
1. Chairperson should be target orientened and dynamic in leading the group. for everything the chairperson should not be at the mercy of Government. Chairperson should strongly communicate to Government and sub group not compromising.
2. more space for the young disabled people to participate - this act should be able to address the issues of disabled people another 15 to 20 years.
3. Disabled community will not forgive the drafting committee member if they try to divide the disability community through 2 or 3 acts " WE ARE ONE AND WE WANT ONE COMPREHENSIVE ACT"
4. Ensuring all the appropriate member attending the meeting at right time.
5.SUB GROUP MEMBER SHOULD WORK HARD BY TAKING MAJORITY OF THE OPINIONS NOT MERELY INFLUENCING THEIR THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCE. 6.OBSERVER SHOULD ALSO GET 5 OR 10 MINUTES TO GIVE COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, CRITICS OR TO GET CLARIFICATION.
7. ENSURE QUALITY OF ACT DONT JUST RUSH
8. ORGANISING SENSITIZATION OR AWARENESS TO THE COMMITTE MEMBERS ON PROGRESSIVE THINKING.
9. MAKE SURE FUND SHOULD BE CONSTRAINTS
10. ENCOURAGE GOVERNMENT REPRESENATATIVES TO PARTICIPATE.
11. FINALLY AND VERY STRONGLY I AM SAYING THE DISABLED PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE COMMITTE SHOULD SPEAK STRONGLY ON RIGHTS BASED. IF THE DRAFT IS NOT UPTO THE MARK THE DISABLED PEOPLE IN THE COMMITTE WILL BE THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE DRG FOUGHT A LOT FOR THE INCLUSIONS OF PWDS.
DONT TAKE THIS MESSAGE AS EMOTION OUTBURST, PLEASE THINK OVER IT, WE HAVE SUFFERED NEARLY 15 YEARS DUE TO THE SEVERE LIMITATION IN 1995 ACT. NOW IS DEATH OR LIFE FOR US.
RAM
