First lady calls for measures to ensure equal opportunities for people with disabilities

Samina Arif Alvi, the wife of President Arif Alvi, on Saturday stressed the need for taking collaborative measures for ensuring the provision of inclusive opportunities to disabled persons in all the sectors of life, particularly health - both mental and physical - education and employment.

The first lady was addressing a seminar titled ‘Harmony of Gifts, Special Children, Special Possibilities’ jointly organised by The Circle - Caring for Children and the Arts Council of Pakistan.

She pointed out the scarcity of facilities for special persons in the country and urged the government and private sector to work vigorously to enable the disabled persons to play active and productive roles in society.

To bring a positive change in behaviour towards persons with disabilities, she said we should transform the public mindset and attitude through the inclusion of special children in all spheres of life. She stressed the importance of media playing an important role in creating awareness and removing stigma associated with mental health in particular. She lauded the lead taken by the Mir Khalil ur Rahman Foundation, Geo and the Jang group.

The first lady was of the view that the amalgamation of children with disabilities in general institutions would help others understand them and their special needs. Specialised teachers and trainers were required to educate and train children with disabilities, she remarked.

Besides promulgation of laws for the assistance of differently-abled people, she said the government had reserved special quotas for such persons in public sector jobs and NADRA had also made a special process to make the issuance of CNICs easier to them.

Referring to the mass awareness campaign on breast cancer and its positive outcomes, she observed that the stigma attached to breast cancer was breaking and the situation was ameliorating as now more women in the first and second stages of the disease were coming to doctors for treatment.

The seminar was also addressed by Sadaf Mateen, CEO of The Circle, Umair Ahmad, CEO NOWPDP and Dr Rabeeka, Senior faculty of AKU. Sadaf Mateen spoke at length of the value of early detection and the role of parents as co-therapists. She stressed the importance of training and mentioned that The Circle invited a renowned trainer from Austria every year. One window operation was also important so that parents of children with Autism, speech and language impairment as well those needing occupational therapy could be provided therapy at the same place. She spoke passionately of the plight of parents and treating these children was a labour of love. Omair Ahmad of NOWPDP explained the various initiatives that had been taken helping people with disabilities and mainstreaming them. Dr Rabeeka of AKU spoke to the various types of disorders and how they should be dealt with.

Participants agreed that the number of psychologists and psychiatrists in the country was also far less than their requirement.

The First Lady mentioned the government project, the Hamraz helpline, for providing consultation and guidance about mental health issues while another helpline was operational under the Zainab Alert aimed at child protection, the first lady said that there should be a single helpline so that any citizen could contact it in time of need without any difficulty.

Samina appreciated the Sindh government for establishing a centre for autism in Karachi and also lauded The Circle and other organisations working for the welfare and empowerment of persons with disabilities in the country.

Sindh Minister of Information, and Arts Council of Pakistan President Muhammad Ahmed Shah emphasised the need for addressing social issues that affected minority communities.

Shah, who has been actively engaged in programmes for special children for the past 16 years, highlighted the necessity to implement ramps for the convenience of individuals with special needs.

He pointed out that our mindset, which was influenced by the Western media, needed to first embrace our own culture. "The government of Sindh has undertaken significant initiatives for special individuals," Shah acknowledged.

"We must change our mindset before anything else," the information minister said as he stressed the importance of introspection within society.

He also highlighted disparities, mentioning how privileged children received proper health care and education, while the underprivileged remained deprived of these facilities.

He also underscored the importance of aligning the thinking of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with local cultural values, advocating for a holistic approach to their engagement. Acknowledging the progress made in Sindh for the welfare of special people, Shah drew attention to the disproportionate impact of the caste system on the vulnerable groups.

Group Managing Director Jang Group, Shahrukh Hasan, spoke of the ability of media to create awareness and remove stigma. He said the ability of the media to change mindsets and behaviour, to build a positive narrative or correct a misperception or a myth needed to be used to inform people about red flags associated with mental health and convert friends and family into informed crusaders against mental health. He said the media should play a positive role in this regard as it could change mindset and behaviour by creating awareness, building bridges and removing stigma.

Later, the first lady presented mementoes to the CEO of NOWPDP Omair Ahmed, CEO of The Circle Sadaf Mateen, child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Rabeeka Aftab and others in recognition of their services for differently-abled persons.

The seminar also included a panel discussion in which renowned experts spoke of the value of collaborative care. Farhan Bashir Jan, herself a person with disability, gave a motivational speech about the need for hope, confidence and the strength that comes from family and friends and belief and resilience. The widely attended seminar concluded with a renewed commitment to creating an inclusive society that values and supports the unique needs of every individual, regardless of their abilities or background.