Aust govt pledge to support PWD

THE Australian government is committed to helping people with disabilities (PWD) in Papua New Guinea push for the implementation of the convention on the rights of persons living with disabilities under which their rights can be fully observed.
Roxanne Martens, wife of Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish announced an additional four-year grant to the total of K8.3 million to assist the PNG Government through the department of community development to ratify the convention of the rights of people with disabilities in PNG.
“The grant announced by the Australia’s foreign minister Kevin Rudd on the international days for persons with disabilities is to boost efforts by Minister for Community Development, Dame Carol Kidu to enshrine the rights of persons with disabilities,” Martens said.
 “This will include the revising of relevant legislation and to assisting with the transition costs of implementing the convention.”
Martens is providing leadership in the area of disability and support for children with disabilities in PNG, volunteering here time to increase the profile of people and children with disabilities in PNG.
Martens said Rudd also announced additional funding for global and regional organisations which will also produce outcomes for people with a disability in PNG.
They include :
* A$2.7 million to United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) that will increase opportunities for girls and boys with disabilities to receive quality education through Unicef’s child friendly schools initiative;
* A$2 million to Pacific Island Forum Secretariate to be invested in implementing the Pacific Regional Strategy on Disability. The Strategy is working to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities to in the Pacific island countries; and
* A$3.9 million to World Health Organisation (WHO) that will build on the findings of the first WHO/World Bank world report on disability to improve global, regional, and national actions focused on the convention on devices. The world report will be launched early next year.
“The funding adds to the work already being done in this area under AusAID’s ‘development for all’ strategy.
“Development for all recognises that to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, people with disability must be included in and benefit from development,” Martens said.