-They’re seeking ‘immediate’ attentions
By Moses R. Quollin, Jr. (Environmental/Development Journalist) quollinmoses@gmail.com
As economic hardship deepens, people living with disabilities in Liberia again re-echoed call for immediate inclusion into national decision making and equal opportunity to state resources.
A joint statement has been delivered by three major institutions–Youth Coalition for Education in Liberia (YOCEL), Child Resource Institute-Liberia (CRI-L) and the African Youth with Disabilities Network (AYWDN), under an umbrella called Partnership Against Inequalities and Discrimination (PAID).
The groups have frowned on government and societal decimation.
According to B. William M. Yarsiah who read the statement on behalf of the organizations, their interest is an inclusive and barrier free society where all persons with disabilities can enjoy their basic fundamental human rights and participate in all spheres of life.
In the presence of Rev. Fallah Boima, Deputy Director of the National Commission on Disabilities, PAID made specific reference to the 2018 Disability Act creating the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD) as an autonomous agency to the 54th National Legislature of Liberia.
“We were thrilled and overwhelmed by the tireless effort of Hon. Richard Nagbe Koon, Hon. Joseph Nyan Somwarbi and the entire House of Representative when the Act was send to the joint House pecialized committee on Judiciary for review,” PAID’s spokesman B. William M. Yarsiah said.
The 54th National Legislature of Liberia was petition on January 29, 2019 by the Disabled Community and submitted to plenary a drafted Disability Act of 2018 amending and strengthening the disability Act of 2005 that created the National Commission on Disability.
“We have been appealing to the 54th National Legislature for over one year now for the passage of this Act. We are again appealing to the 54th National Legislature and the Join House Specialized Committee on Judiciary for the passage of this Act before the Agriculture [constituent] Break of the House of Representatives.”
They called on all well-meaning Liberians, partners and civil society organizations to join them in their quest.
The disabled advocacy groups then said: “We want to remind our people that though we do not have the ability to see, to walk or talk, but we have right to basic social services including working for our country, quality and affordable education, good health, access to public and business facilities.”