Parliamentary Secretary for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing Justyne Caruana today addressed the 7th UNCRPD Conference. The Parliamentary Secretary pointed out that if the states are not careful, the word “inclusion will become a cliche.”
She said that in order to avoid this from happening, states really need to asses in what way the experiences of persons with disabilities can expose issues and situations of inclusion.
Dr Caruana said that the “Government of Malta has, without delay, via the Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing, established that the Disability Sector needs to congregate through social dialogue all the energies of the respective stakeholders. She added that this is in line with the EU Member States mandate of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU which complements the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”
“The notions of equal opportunity, inclusion, community development and social cohesion remain at the centre of the Government’s strategy that is committed to an unprejudiced society based on equivalence that should lead to a quality and qualifiable improvement in the standard of living of persons with disabilities,”added the Parliamentary Secretary.
She said that the “Government’s agenda is interminable; the setting up of Trusts, the implementation of the Guardianship Act, the presentation of the first National Disability Policy, the setting up of the ‘Focal Point,’ improving public transport, making certain we have an improved ‘disability representation and imagery,’ the bolstering of the Equal Opportunities Act, the advancement of independent Living options, the reinforcement of Direct Payments, the expansion of sheltered and open employment, the sustenance to ensure physical access in our towns and villages, the augmentation and participation of NGOs in decision making, the strengthening of welfare benefits, the setting up of a national database, the laying out of an adult protection legislation, the scheduling of a national strategy on disability, a stronger Commission for Persons with Disabilities, the consolidation of a national forum that seeks to encapsulate academics, disabled and parent activists, service providers, policy makers and NGOs, the setting up of new day centres, the establishing of sign language as a national and recognised language are among the long list of actions undertaken.”
The Parliamentary Secretary stated that the Government of Malta “intends to guarantee the necessary regulations and enforcement systems for the protection of persons with disability receiving service are in place and effective, make sure that good corporate governance and sustainable development at the macro level are present, promote ethical financing in NGOs and to promote a solidarity based economy, co-operative societies and social enterprises.”
She concluded that the disability sector is not homogeneous, “so there cannot be a one size fits all.”