45th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week
July 17-23, 2023
PLEDGE OF COMMITMENT
The theme for the 45thNational Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, “Persons with Disabilities Accessibility and Rights: Towards a Sustainable Future where No One is Left Behind” highlights the importance of accessibility in the full realization of all human rights of persons with disabilities such as the fight to health, education. employment, political participation, protection from situations of risks and emergencies among others, on an equal basis with others.
Accessibility, in terms of physical, information, and communication, is crucial to a meaningful and effective participation of persons with disabilities including children and women with disabilities, to education, livelihood, and employment.
Further, the theme emphasizes that sustainable development cannot be achieved without addressing the development needs of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities should be capacitated and be meaningfully involved in development processes, through consultation- dialogue with organizations of persons with dlsabilities including parents of children with disabilities, to ensure that development is sustained and no one is left behind.
Recognizing accessibility requirements of persons with disabilities as a matter of right and the gateway to other equally important human rights crucial to achieving sustainable development, we, the government agencies, non-government organizations, the private sector, persons with disability organizations are one in our strong commitment of support to the following. and thereby affix our signatures:
- Accessibility of health facilities, schools, training institutions, workplaces, and other buildings for public use, taking into consideration the needs of children and women with disabilities;
- Equalize and facilitate meaningful participation of men and women with disabilities in development activities through access to assistive technology, capacity building, and other disability structures and support services;
- Adopt a policy establishing gender and disability-sensitive health facilities, schools, training facilities, and workplaces;
- Build the capacity of trainers and employers, election personnel, and other frontline service providers in assisting persons with disabilities, including persons with intellectual and learning disabilities, through gender and disability sensitivity trainings;
- LGUs to support the organizing of persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities groups, organization of parents of children with disabilities, and their empowerment as advocates of and participants of disability-inclusive local governance towards sustainable