Children with disabilities need care – UNICEF

[Punch]

The United Nations Children's Fund has urged member-countries to involve children with disabilities in policy making.

The organisation also said social policies of states should take into consideration the monetary and time costs associated with disability.

UNICEF said this in its 'Executive Summary of the 2013 State of the World's children's Report' obtained by SUNDAY PUNCH after a two-day media dialogue held in Enugu.

The event was jointly organised with Child Rights Information Bureau.

The report also decried discrimination against children with disabilities, which, it said, had led to marginalisation in decision-making and infanticide.

The agency said, "Children and adolescents with disabilities belong to the centre of efforts to build inclusive societies, not just as beneficiaries but as agents of change. They are uniquely qualified to provide information on whether their needs are being met.

"States (which are) parties to the Convention of the Rights of the Child, as well as the Conventions on the Rights of Persons Living with Disabilities, have affirmed the right of children with disabilities to express their views on matters concerning them and to be consulted when legislation and policies concerning them are developed and implemented.

"To that end, decision makers will need to communicate in ways and using means that are easily accessed and used by children and young people with disabilities."

UNICEF said international agencies and donors, their nationals and local partners could include children with disabilities in the objectives, targets and monitoring of all developmental programmes "in order to fulfil the promises of CRPD and CRC."



The Punch