Rights of PWDs: VSG addresses National Committee’s meeting

The National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) held its meeting (2/2022) at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement in Nay Pyi Taw on Tuesday afternoon with an address by Chairman of the Committee Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.

In his address, the Vice-Senior General said that there are procedures to be carried out for the development of the lives of the PWDs in the post COVID-19 period. Measures are being taken including adoption of the national strategy (2022- 2027) on the rights of the PWDs, categorization of disabilities, registration of the PWDs, 3 billion Kyats fund to provide to the PWDs and relevant organizations and formation of 9 sub-committees. He added that planning must be carried out to cover the entire country since there are 330 townships in Myanmar.

The Vice Senior General also pointed out that the Ministry of Immigration and Population and the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement will cooperate for Person with Disability Registration in collecting 2024 population census.

He also stressed the needs on the systematic use of 3 billion kyats capital fund for the disability rights, plans to disburse the fund to small scale financial institutions for increasing the finance and to use the increasing fund for the education, health, social sectors and the interests of people with disabilities, drawing plans for participating the disabled in the vocational trainings opened by the Ministry of Border Affairs, the Ministry of Cooperatives and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Science and Technology to live independently and with dignity, job opportunities for disabled and uplifting fitness and health sector of people with disabilities.

Later, Vice Chairperson of the National Committee Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. ThetThetKhine reported on the disability rights and improvement for their socio-economic life. Later, Secretary of the National Committee Deputy Minister U Aung TunKhine reported implementations on the decisions of the meeting (1/2022).

Union Minister U KoKoHlaing, Deputy Ministers and concerned officials reported on sector-wise implementations on the rights of people with disabilities. Deputy Minister U AungTunKhine then reported the decision of the meeting (2/2022). The Vice Senior General coordinated essentials on the reports and the meeting then ended.