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Over 100 disabled people, accompanied by nearly 200 rights activists, journalists and representatives of various organizations, demanded disabled-friendly world.[break] The participants joined the rally wearing red shirts and carrying placards that read “Joining hands for accessibility” and “We want Disabled- Friendly World”.
This is the second time the Wheelchair Day has been marked in Nepal. "We did not expect such a huge turnout of disabled people," said Prakash Shrestha, administrative director of Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre (SIRC), which organized the rally.
Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Badri Parasad Neupane, was also present among the participants. After the rally, disabled people performed wheelchair dance.
Speaking at a gathering after the rally, Dhundi Raj Chalise, president of Nepal Wheelchair Club, said that the state and common people were not concerned about the rights of disabled people.
“We will continue to raise our voice until we have a disabled-friendly world," said Kiran Shilpakar, vice president of National Association of the Physically Disabled.
Republica´s Pratibha Rawal caught up with some wheelchair users to know what wheel-chair means to them and how it has impacted their lives.
Chandra Bahadur Basnet, 75
Maitidevi, Kathmandu.
Three years ago, I fell off the balcony of my house. My backbone got broken in the accident. I was bed-ridden for months. Let alone walking, I could not even stand on my feet. All of my five daughters are married. I have a son who goes to school. My wife died many years ago.
After the accident, I could neither work nor look after my son. National Federation of the Disabled, Nepal provided me with a wheel-chair. I think my life has changed after getting this wheel-chair. I can now move from one place to other. But, I still need someone to push my wheelchair. I cannot drive the wheelchair on my own.
Dinesh Khadka, 30
Shanti Nagar, Kathmandu
A year ago, I met with an accident while on my way home on my bike. That road accident caused damaged to my spinal cord, which could not be remedied. I was paralyzed. I could not walk. I could not continue my studies after the accident. For a month after the accident, I wasn´t able to do anything except for lying in the bed. Nepal´s National Rehabilitation Society for the Disabled, an NGO, gifted me a wheelchair. That wheelchair was the best gift of my life. Today, I can do many things at home and at my office, and have even rejoined my college. My life partner is also disabled like me and we both use wheelchair. We go to temple, market and college in wheelchair. Though, in the absence of disabled-friendly roads and other infrastructures we face difficulties many times.
Madan Kumar Rai, 37
Baneshwar, Kathmandu
When I was told that my backbone was shrinking, I ignored the warning and went back to my village in Sankhuwasabha. After a month, my legs stooped working. Later, the problem got serious, I was told by a doctor that I could no longer walk and would need a wheelchair. Nepal´s National Rehabilitation Society for the Disabled provided me with wheelchair. It doesn´t feel comfortable at all. And the society´s behavior toward people like me does not make the matter easier. We are treated like second class citizens. I think it´s natural as even I was not interested in helping disabled people when I was able to walk. But now I am realizing the mistake.
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