Lahore: June 10, 2012. (PCP) Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) organized a two-day training workshop entitled “Empowering the Activists to Advocate for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, aimed at enhancing the understanding of participants about human rights and disability concepts and framework, sensitizing them for their vital role towards advocacy for human rights of people with disabilities, and capacitating them with working tools and skills to address a wide range of disability issues. Naseem Anthony (Executive Secretary-AWAM), Muhammad Jawwad Afzal (Deputy Director-DGSE), Shazia George (Coordinator-AWAM), Dr. Khalid Jamil and Nazia Sardar (Director-AWAM) were among the facilitators of the training workshop held on May 27-28, 2012 at Dar-ul-Kalam in Lahore, and joined by 28 Muslim and Christian participants including people with disabilities, lawyers, journalists, teachers and representatives of civil society organizations from Lahore, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Okara. The trainers noted, “The persons with disabilities are not only subject to hatred, discrimination, violence, deprivation and injustice in Pakistan, but this disadvantaged group of the society also suffers because of the indifference and failure of the authorities to introduce and enforce appropriate legislation and policies for their protection.” “The concerted initiatives and tangible steps by the govt., affluent people, opinion makers and civil society organizations are needed for end of discrimination and mistreatment towards people with disabilities, and for their empowerment and social inclusion,” they suggested. Naseem Anthony said, “There exists a gap between the policy and practice concerning persons with disabilities, therefore government must make serious and concentrated efforts by addressing the concerns of people with disabilities not only in the promises but also in policies and implementation.” “The government should implement CRPD in its true spirit and introduce new legislation and policies by adopting right based model in line with international commitments, as the CRPD promotes the implementation of a paradigm shift from a charity-based to a rights-based approach to disability and disability-inclusive development,” he added. Muhammad Jawwad Afzal said, “The government is committed to empowerment of people with disabilities, and putting efforts towards creation of congenial environment and making their lives comfortable by ensuring their full and effective participation in all spheres of life.” “Government has put mechanism in place to address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in order to improve their well being, and is dispensing with its obligations in a responsible manner by taking measures for their inclusion in the mainstream, and by reviewing its policies to meet with international standards,” he added. Shazia George said, “The persons with disabilities are largely excluded from social and political processes, and are overwhelmingly voiceless in matters that affect their lives. They are rejected or abandoned in the society, and are often viewed as unproductive and useless due to widespread negative stereotypes towards them, which cause the sense of pessimism, deprivation and inferiority complex among them. These challenges aggravating the already precarious condition of people with disabilities, call for the concrete actions to enlighten and sensitize the government and the people on the need to break down barriers and create a conducive atmosphere for social, economic and political integration of the persons with disabilities.” Dr. Khalid Jamil said, “Although significant progress has been made in the development of legal and policy instruments on disability in the country, yet many challenges and obstacles still remain to be overcome. Persons with disabilities are now voicing out their concern about being disproportionately poor, illiterate and unemployed, and experiencing prejudice, inequality and a denial of their basic human rights.” “The realization of the rights of persons with disabilities is a far cry from where we stand now, therefore joint efforts by the government and civil society are much needed towards sensitization of public about disability issues, and the creation of spaces for people with disabilities in the society,” he added. Nazia Sardar said, “People with disabilities are the important segment of our society, but they remain largely marginalized and barred from the mainstream. They experience severe difficulties in lives, and do encounter many challenges in society, and are often subjected to stigma, discrimination, maltreatment and exploitation. The improper implementation of reserved quota and bureaucratic hurdles are also redoubling their ordeals.” “The government should take initiatives to tackle the vicious cycle of poverty and disability, to address legal and institutional exclusion, and to reduce the barriers that persons with disabilities face in everyday life, including inaccessible built environments, information, transportation and services,” she added. At the conclusion of the workshop, the participants demanded that the Federal and Provincial governments must fulfill their commitments towards the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the mainstream as enshrined in the CRPD, by establishing autonomous commission, and a ministry dedicated to the persons with disabilities as well as monitoring system to ensure the proper implementation of the international disability instrument in a true sense.