Request for solidarity and pressure building for the representation of persons with disabilities in Constituent Assembly Nepal
The National Federation of the Disabled Nepal (NFDN), ESCR-Net partner in a project to implement rights of persons with disabilities in Nepal, is currently involved in assuring the participation of persons with disabilities in the Nepalese Constitutional Assembly. Despite all the national (the interim Constitution of Nepal) and international (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) legal provisions, the community of persons with disabilities in Nepal is still deprived of the right to participate in matters affecting their lives. Despite a considerable number of barriers and discrimination, persons with disabilities have demonstrated their role as responsible citizens by participating actively in various movements, which resulted in great political and social changes in the history. They want to be equal citizens of Nepal and liberate their lives from others' control. In fact, the community of persons with disabilities wants to raise their voice in the constituent assembly through their own representatives. This demand is neither unconstitutional nor harmful for political parties or the government. Rather it contributes with the human rights promotion and inclusive development.
As the prominent disability rights network of Nepal, NFDN has been raising these issues through its various advocacy campaigns for some years. NFDN has taken a number of initiatives to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the close list of candidates to be submitted by different political parties in the Election Commission under the proportional election system. However, persons with disabilities were deliberately ignored and bypassed by all political parties. The last hope is now the 26 seats to be nominated by the Council of Ministries. To make this last hope true, persons with disabilities are now on the road to build pressure to the political parties and government and NFDN is leading the movement for last 30 days.
NFDN would like to request to all UN agencies, INGOs working for disability rights, other INGOs, embassies, international human rights organization, Media and all international communities to express solidarity to the movement and build pressure through diplomatic and all other possible initiatives for ensuring the representation of persons with disabilities in the 26 seats to be nominated by the Council of Ministry. Your support can be a key contributing factor to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities in the new constitution of Nepal.
For more information please visit http://www.nfdn.org.np/
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