Call for user-friendly services

 By MARGARET TALINGAPUA

THE Government must take ownership of issues and challenges faced by persons living with disabilities (PWDs), the Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association says.

Chairman Tole Wia said for far too long PNG has shifted the responsibility of looking PWDs to development partners like Australia.

He said Australia provided assistance through its disability assistance package under the previous AusAID programme.

“Disability is a cross-cutting and development issue and the government must take ownership and allocate resources and funding to this group of people because they too have the same rights as able people of this country,” Wia said.

“Decision making bodies must make informed decisions taking in the needs of people living with disability. 

“I am confined to a wheelchair and I cannot move around freely because a lot of the services provided are not user-friendly to us people with disability.”

Wia said his association had been advocating for rights of persons with disability for inclusion and participation in the mainstream social economic activities.

He added that PNG, as a member of United Nations, was obliged under the UN Convention on rights of persons with disability to comply and fulfill the requirements of the convention after it was rectified on Sept 26 last year.

Wia urged the Government to launch the National Disability Inclusive Development Policy 2014-18, that would succeed the 2009-14 policy.