ISLAMABAD - International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is a UN day that is celebrated every year on 3rd December. The day is about promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society and development, and to raise awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life. This year, the theme is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future”. Persons with disabilities make up 16% of the global population, yet they rarely access leadership roles in the any sphere of lives. They commonly face numerous barriers which prevent them from accessing these roles, such as discrimination, stigma, or exclusion from education and employment opportunities. This is a day to recognize that amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities is essential to make meaningful progress in achieving global health goals, advancing health equity for all, and building a more inclusive and sustainable future.
In Islamabad, Directorate General of Special Education works under the ambit of Ministry of Federal Education & Professional training is the focal public organization to provide enabling environment and opportunities through policies, plans, programs and projects that would promote social progress, educate and rehabilitate children/ persons with disabilities.
This year, the IDPWD celebrations by Directorate General of Special Education were hosted at National Special Education Centre for Hearing Impaired Children H-9/4 in collaboration with Centre’s Parents Teachers Association. HIC Centre is the biggest centre of DGSE in area and enrollment where about 600 Deaf/ HI students are being provided education, pre vocational training and social rehabilitation through total communication. The key features of the vibrant and colorful all day long multi facet programme signifying the theme of Day included children with all disabilities participated in the event from different centres of Directorate General of Special Education and cheered their day. This is an intentional effort to harness leadership qualities and yearning with in Deaf/ HI students to plan, execute and explain their programmes by themselves. The students of HIC centre presented National Anthem in Sign Language, visually impaired students had the honour of recitation from Holy Quran and Naat e Rasool e Maqbool SAW. Intellectually challenged students presented a captivating performance on Sufi Kalaam “Tere Ishq Nachaya”. Special Children came in colorful attires and celebrated their day at premises with happiness and zeal. Students of special education centres especially enjoyed jumping castle, cotton candy stall and puzzle games.
Fun fair with stalls were arranged and run by differently abled students along with their teachers and staff comprising ethnic food and bakery items, mehndi and face painting, handicrafts and handmade jewelry. Stalls also displayed rehabilitation related equipment and resource designed and utilized at service delivery centers and training institutes.
All day NADRA Mobile Van attended the premises and facilitated special persons and parents for registration in NADRA as persons with disabilities. Thematic Art Competition at college wing with material support of students of NUML, Department of applied Psychology.