Afghanistan: New Comprehensive National Disability Policy

In late 2003, the Afghan Task Force on Disability completed the Comprehensive National Disability Policy under the framework of the National Constitution. Earlier this year, this policy has been scrutinized and approved by the general assembly of the National Constitution Commission - Loya Jirga.

The vision of this Comprehensive National Disability Policy is to create a barrier-free society in Afghanistan based on the principles of participation, integration and the equalization of opportunities, defined by the United Nations in its World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons; the Standard Rules for the Equalization of Opportunities for Disabled Persons; The Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards an Inclusive, Barrier-free and Rights-based Society for Persons with Disabilities in the Asia and Pacific region, and more recently in the elaboration for the International Convention to Protect and Promote the Rights of Disabled Persons. In doing so, the Government of Afghanistan gives priority to enable disabled people to take charge of their lives by removing barriers deterring them from full participation in society.

Priorities of disabled Afghans
This Policy targets the disabled person as an individual and as part of society and therefore deals with all aspects of life. However, some key areas have been identified which need special attention based on the perceived needs and priorities of disabled Afghans. These include supporting disabled people organizations, especially supporting women's groups; raising awareness to educate and change public attitudes towards disabled people; prevention, early intervention and rehabilitation including health care and therapeutic aids; the development of guidelines for an accessible environment and facilities, including access to information; education for all; accessible vocational training programmes and facilities; and affirmative action to ensure that disabled people have equality of opportunity in various options of employment including sheltered employment.

This Policy aims primarily at facilitating the integration of disability issues into government developmental strategies, planning and programmes. Hence, this policy aims at highlighting the various needs of disabled people and the human rights approach to addressing such needs; identifying disabling barriers that create impairments and prevent disabled people from full participation and limit their ultimate inclusion in society; proposes strategies for removing such barriers including socio-economic, cultural and political strategies (i.e. legislation); and emphasizes the leading role of disabled people and their organizations in the process in line with the social model of disability. Central to the concept of the social model is the principle of self-representation by disabled people groups, thus the need to support these groups and empower them.

Need for capacity building strategies
To achieve the above goal, there is obviously the need for the development of capacity building strategies, particularly in terms of the coordination, implementation and monitoring of this policy. Since disability is a cross-cutting issue, this means interagency and coordinated efforts in addressing the various needs of disabled people with the principal coordinator role given to the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled. It has to be integrated into the national development plan with a budget allocation.

Further and a principal recommendation that emerged from this policy document deals with the future role of the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled as coordinator, supervisor and regulator of disability issues in the country. A more general recommendation requests MMD in collaboration with National Disability Commission, and major line ministries and stakeholders to facilitate the process for developing national guidelines for inter-sectoral responsibilities in each of the policy areas cited in the Comprehensive National Disability policy and necessary coordination of needed disability services in Afghanistan. Equally important is the role of MMD, Ministry of Justice, and the above agencies in investigating the feasibility for developing disability specific legislations.

Context will be community development
For this to happen, it is important to endorse a development approach to disability which looks at disability as a human rights issue that needs to be integrated into wider community development initiatives with participatory planning based on research and assessment, thus the need for a research agenda on disability. It is equally important to develop proper terminology and definitions on disability and the use of politically correct language describing disabling conditions, human rights and gender balance. A comprehensive package of socio-economic and political measures is equally important and needed.

The full text of this policy including acknowledgements, recommendations and list of bibliography is available at www.disabilityafghanistan.org

Selected References
Boyce, W (2000) Adaptation of Community Based Rehabilitation in Areas of Armed Conflict. Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, Vol 11, No 1, 2000.

Despouy, L. (1993), Human Rights and Disabled Persons, United Nations Centre for Human Rights, Geneva

Kasnitz, D. (2001), 'Life Event Histories and the US Independent Living Movement', in M. Priestley (ed.), Disability and Life Course: Global Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 67-78.

Oliver, M. and Barnes, C. (1998), Disabled People and Social Policy: From Exclusion to Inclusion, Longman, London.

Rapley, C (2003) Reconsidering the disability Dimension in Development Cooperation Activities; building national capacities for full participation and equality. Regional Workshop towards a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. October 14-17, UNESCAP, Bangkok.

UN (1994) The Standard Rules on Equalization of opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. NY, UN.

Wardak, A, Faiz IM, and Turmusani, M (2003) Disability Policy Development in Afghanistan: Towards Barriers Free Society. Regional Workshop towards a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. October 14-17, UNESCAP, Bangkok.

Majid Turmusani specializes in disability and development issues. He has worked on the recently completed Comprehensive National Disability Policy in Afghanistan as Coordinator of the Task Force on Disability and the Chief Policy Advisor to the Minister of Martyrs and Disabled. Email: Turmusani@hotmail.com

 printer-friendly format