|
GFD has officially handed its submissions to the Constitutional Review Commission regarding the changes the Federation wants in the yet to be amended Constitution. Even though article 29 of the constitution has specific clauses that seek to protect the rights of PWDs, the Federation has identified several shortcomings in the current laws.
The proposed amendments include specific clauses that would protect the rights of Persons with Disability in the country. Most of the submissions calls for the revision of existing clauses that are silent or has bearings on disability.
At the Hearing session held at the Cantonments premises of the Commission, Dr Bashiru Koray, Legal Adviser and representative of GFD explained that the term disabled persons should be changed to persons with disabilities. This is because the latter is not only the terminology used by the United Nations but also sound more positive than disabled persons.
Dr Koray noted that it may be necessary to review the provisions of article 29 in order to make the constitutional in general to reflect the concept of inclusion of persons with disabilities in society.
Emphasizing GFD’s Position, Dr Koray further contends that the Directive Principles of State policy is silent on the concept of inclusion of persons with disabilities even though inclusion also implies participation in public and political life. Besides article 29, the Federation is also calling for textual changes to articles twelve (12), fourteen (14) seventeen (17), nineteen (19) thirty five (35), thirty six and thirty seven (37) of the 1992 Constitution.
In closing the GFD’s submission to the Commission, Dr Koray maintained that; to build an Inclusive society, it is critically important to ensure that disability aspects are included in all relevant policy making and general national development planning and not be treated separately.
|
