Network focuses on capturing women, disability issues

PNG education advocacy network (Pean) is taking lead in the national employment policy review to capture youths, women and disability issues, executive director David Kumie says.
“There should be an inclusive policy to capture everyone’s interest,” he said.
“One of the key issues discussed was minimum wage and youth employment and gender inclusive development.
“When mentioning gender inclusiveness, everyone thinks it is about women and girls.
“Most of the time, people with special needs are not included.
“We refer to it as persons with disability, but the right terminology should be person with special needs and not a ‘disabled person’.
“We should also look at their abilities instead of their limitations.”
Kumie said the recent two-day consultation was important to ensure that policy was inclusive, leaving no one behind.
Because of the importance of the policy, Pean took Isabella Kila, whom many had read her story in the papers who went through the public education system to where she was now.
Kumie said Pean provided a forum for her to share her story to be a role model for other people with special needs.
Secretary Ravu Vagi said the term “disabled person” would be replaced with “persons with special needs” and would be captured in the document.
The sectorial committee also recommended that space be provided for a representative of persons with special needs.
Kumie said Pean would do advocacy with Government and public schools to be inclusive with Kila as champion to advocate for rights of persons with specials needs.