Bhojraj Shrestha, president of National Democratic Disabled Association (NDDA), also joined the delegation of disabled journalists to express solidarity with their cause. However, Shrestha, who depends on wheelchair for movement, could not enter the FNJ office as the ground floor was littered with construction materials. [break]Therefore, the disabled journalists decided to hand over their memorandum to the FNJ office bearers at the office of Press Council Nepal.
But on reaching there they found that even the building that housed the council´s office lacked ramp that permits physically disabled people on wheelchair to access a building more easily.
Shrestha somehow entered the building with the help of his friends. But he could not go up beyond the ground floor. Eventually, the delegation of disabled journalists handed over the memorandum outside the building. "It´s not a rare case," said Shrestha. "Almost every day I feel humiliated at not being able to enter an office building that lack ramps."
Physically disabled people in Nepal, a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, face such difficulties everywhere they go.
Public transports are practically out of their reach. They cannot enter many public offices, either. Although the government, especially after signing the UN Convention in 2008, has initiated some efforts to build disabled-friendly infrastructures, disabled people still feel like an outcast.
"If one looks at the public office buildings, it becomes clear that the society does not bother about us," said Shrestha. "While constructing buildings, people forget that physically disabled people also exist among them."
Disabled-friendly drive
In June 2006, some wheelchair users, including Shrestha, had met then Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat to urge him to allocate budget for physically disabled people. As there was no ramp or lift that went up to the FM´s office, they left their wheelchairs outside and crawled up the stairs.
When the disabled reached the FM´s office, Dr Mahat, visibly astonished, said, "You didn´t have to come up like that. I would have come down myself, if you had sent a notice." But, the disabled asserted that it was their rights to meet their minister in his office.
Dr Mahat looked a bit amused, a bit flummoxed. He promised them that he would soon have a ramp and a lift built in the MoF office for disabled people. "In future, you won´t have to crawl up here like today," he said.
In December 2006, a day before International Disability Day, the MoF published a tender notice for the construction of a ramp and a lift at its office. Until then, only the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) had built a ramp at its office. Today, almost all ministries inside Singha Durbar, the country´s administrative center, have ramps.
At the initiative of Independent Living Center for Persons with Disabilities, an NGO run by disabled people, the Australian government helped build ramps at five public buildings in the capital. As a result, General Post Office, Tribhuvan University (TU), Biswo Bhasa Campus, Patan Hospital and Padmoday School have ramps today.
Wheelchair-friendly pavements have also been built along Ratnapark-Kupandol road stretch. Some other donor agencies have also contributed to making the capital a disabled-friendly city.
"Some changes have definitely taken place," said Shrestha. "However, let alone other cities of the country, even the capital is not yet a better place for us. Building ramps is just a step toward developing a disabled-friendly city," said Shrestha.
Some ramps built at public offices are not disabled-friendly as they are too high. “We cannot use such ramps. The ramps should be of universal standards," said Shrestha.
Increasing accessibility
In a bid to increase accessibility of persons with disabilities, the government has recently introduced a guideline, which makes it mandatory for all institutions, public or private, to build disabled-friendly ramps or lifts while constructing physical structures.
"The guideline´s basic concept is that all public places should be disabled-friendly," said Rabindra Acharya, chief of social security and protection centre at the MoWCSW. "It should be taken into account at the time of renovating old public office buildings as well." Acharya says the guideline is not just about buildings. "Even roads and public vehicles should be friendly to persons with disabilities," said Acharya.
However, implementation of the guideline seems to be a tall order. "The guideline also has provisions for penalties against the institutions that do not consider persons with disabilities while constructing roads, buildings or importing vehicles," said Acharya. "But penalties alone cannot ensure that all institutions will follow the guidelines. The guidelines cannot be implemented unless everyone takes it seriously and positively."
The guideline was passed by the cabinet on February 11 and is in tune with the UN convention. In 2006, the government had formulated a plan of action to ease the access of disabled people to public transports and offices.
As far as ratifying international conventions or introducing acts, policies and plans for persons with disabilities are concerned, Nepal does not lag far behind the developed countries. Way back in 1982, Nepal had introduced the Protection and Welfare of the Disabled Persons Act (2039 BS). Three decades down the line, however, the disabled still feel vulnerable in the capital itself.
Acharya said introduction of acts, regulations or guidelines will not suffice to make the entire city a disabled-friendly place. "Even if we build ramps and lifts in all public buildings, disabled people will still not be able to roam around confidently," he said, adding, "The city cannot be a disabled-friendly place until we realize that any one of us can become disabled any time. Only then will we start building homes, toilets and doors that would be friendly to disabled people."
Rabin Thapaliya, president of National Disabled Journalists´ Association (NDJA), agreed with Acharya. "Building ramps or lifts is not a solution to all our problems," he said. "We need to change our mindset in the first place." Thapaliya, who is now leading a movement to press the FNJ for inclusion of disabled people, feels the disabled do not get jobs despite having abilities and qualifications. "I applied for jobs many times after losing my left leg in a motorcycle accident three years ago," he said. "No organization was ready to hire me. They think we are not fit enough."
A right time
Persons with disabilities think that the ongoing road expansion drive provides the government an unprecedented opportunity to develop the capital as a disabled-friendly city. In the last 18 months, Kathmandu Valley Town Development Authority (KVTDA) has expanded 114 km road stretches in the capital. The KVTDA aims to widen around 400 km road stretches in future. At a time when the Department of Roads (DoR) is constructing wide roads, disabled people say it is a perfect time to build disabled-friendly roads.
"Millions of rupees is being spent to widen the city roads," says Thapaliya. "By spending a few more millions, the government can turn them into disabled-friendly roads. It will be a big stride in ensuring our rights."
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