In the name of almighty God and presenting the greetings, dear hearers of Campaign for Change of life program the current program has been specified for educational facilities and problems of disabled who are deprived from sight and hearing senses.
To discuss the issue our guests to our studio are Mr.Muhabati program coordinator for disabled in Afghanistan Human Rights Independent Commission, Mr.Sameaulhaq Samie the member of committee of disabled in Handicap international and Mr. Mahdi a member of Rahyab organization.
According to reports there are 450000 deaf and blind disabled in the country, the mentioned number of disabled caused that the ministry of education coordinated its efforts to establish educational centers for them.
Some of the governmental offices had told that a number of 8 educational centers would be established which would facilitate educational environments for the mentioned type of disabled.
We all know that Afghanistan is faced with numerous problems in different fields and we have had always discussions on the lack of plans and fundamental works.
Afghanistan has many disabled comparing to its population but less attention has been paid to this category of our people.
So we have launched this debate to find out how our friends those have responsibility to create facilities for the mentioned category of people.
Question: Mr.Muhabati! As the governmental offices have the responsibility to create educational facilities for all people so what do you think have they not been able the mentioned office to accomplish their responsibility?
Answer: By presenting the greetings, to reply your question I should say that as much as I have information the ministry of education has established some schools for disabled in Kabul, Hirat and Mazar Sharif provinces that unfortunately are not enough.
The efforts of non-governmental organizations are also going on in this regard but considerable development has been seen about. The figures show that a number of 3000-4000 children are under education coverage and utilizing the mentioned schools but looking at the number of disabled these schools are not sufficient.
The governmental offices have the responsibility to provide the facilities for disabled based the provisions of the law, as you know Afghanistan has joined recently with convention of rights of people with disability, the convention insists on the providing of facilities for the disabled and the government has been obliged to be committed for the mentioned instances, put in practice them and prepare report every two years of its activity, so due to this we would like to request the authorities to take decisive steps in giving the rights of disabled and preparing the facilities.
Question: Mr. Muhabati! Why the authorities have not launched efforts in this regard and why the promises are only on the paper?
Answer: Unfortunately mostly the government is unaware of benefits of laws and conventions, the convention of disabled was approved last year by National Assembly and was signed in late 2012 but there are many offices that don’t know about instances of the mentioned convention, what is important for organization is to give awareness to all organs about the instances of the convention so unawareness from law and negligence are the causes that the authorities become unaware of problems of disabled. I think the ministry of Labor and Social Affairs should accept the responsibility to mention the issue of joining of Afghanistan to the international convention that the responsible offices can have access to their duties.
Question: Mr.Muhabati! Does the joining to conventions have obligatory aspect?
Answer: The conventions are being created based on the needs of the countries and are sent to other countries for review and decision whether the country join it or not, it is to mention that convention of people with disability was sent to National Assembly and recently was approved by president Karzai as well, this give obligatory aspect to the convention and every two years the report on its benefits must be given to UN.
Question: How many disabled children have access to education based on the figures that you have?
Answer: In the name of God and presenting the greetings I should say that we don’t have exact figures, but the survey taken place in 2005 by Handicap international shows that 20% of 800000 disabled has the access to education, on the other hand the ministry of education has five schools for disabled who cannot hear including two in Kabul, one in Mazar Sharif, one in Hirat and one in Jalalabad; three schools have been established for disabled of sight in Hirat, Kabul and Mazar Sharif province.
Question: Mr. Mahdi! Are the buildings in Kabul are accessible for blind and deaf disabled?
Answer: Though other buildings are not accessible for disabled but recently the ministry of education has paid much attention about as it has constructed ramps in schools for access the disabled, our office has also has activity for blind disabled in this regard.
Question: How many blind children have access to education in your office?
Answer: A number of 80 blind children get education every year in our office, our educations includes some trainings too as we are trying to make ready the mentioned children for inclusion in other public schools.
Question: Mr.Muhabati! As you know many of disabled don’t have access to their rights in remote areas, what do you think would it not create problems for disabled in future?
Answer: It is really an issue of concern for us and all disabled, but we always try for getting the rights of disabled and their advocacy, for example lack of access of disabled to education in remote areas and provinces put negative affect on their future though some changes have happened recently in field of getting the rights of disabled as establishment of a specified faculty in Education University and establishment Department of Comprehensive Educations in the ministry of education are the activities that have been accomplished for disabled.
Question: Mr. Samie! What are the obstacles for educational services to disabled?
Answer: I think unawareness of governmental organs and community from rights of disabled, lack of proper implementation of the law, lack of security are the factors that create obstacles for organizations that are working for disabled due to which they have lost many opportunities.
Question: Mr. Salami! As you told about inclusion of blind children in public schools, will the facilities be prepared by the ministry of education for them or not?
Answer: Yes other facilities are given by the ministry of education but we have the printing machine of brill writing and print the books of brill writing according curriculum of ministry of education so we would like to request all organs not to spare the facilities that they can provide for disabled.
Question: Mr. Samie! As last question I would like to know that what way you see more effective to solve the problems of sight disabled.
Answer: I think if the government of Afghanistan, ministries of education and higher education implement law of disabled rights and international convention of disabled and move accordingly, the problems would be willy-nilly solved and their life would be improved.
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