Encounter in Colombia: Presidential Candidates Promise New Disability Policy
By Hernando Ayala M.
Presidential candidates in Colombia gave their word to the disability community that, if elected, they would ensure that disability policy become a higher item on the national agenda. A disability debate among the leading candidates in Colombia was held on December 3, the International Day of Disabled Persons.
"There will not be a First Lady and disability topics will become a direct government policy carried out by the Presidency and the Cabinet", said Noemí Sanín. (This statement is a reference to a tradition of disability issues being assigned to the First Lady in many Latin Americancountries.)
Alvaro Uribe announced a reform of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare, providing priority for persons with disability within the health subsidy system.
Luis Eduardo Garzón invited all to work in unity in the fulfillment of Law 361.
Committments made in validation of rights
A solemn commitment backed up by words of honor toward validating the rights of the population with disabilities, was among the results of the gathering of three presidential candidates with the leadership of Colombians with disabilities.
Strongly and emotionally the three presidential candidates acknowledged the complaints from representatives of the disability community, who openly expressed that they did not want political campaign promises.
After moving around the stage of Teatro Jorge Eliécer Gaitán using a wheelchair, blindfolded and using canes, Noemí Sanín, Luis Eduardo Garzón and Alvaro Uribe Vélez, the three candidates agreed that all of this was new to them.
Just before this, the three had danced with children and youngsters with intellectual disabilities who had presented a moving Christmas musical.
Presidential candidate Noemi Sanín told the audience: "During my term disability will be a state policy. It will not be a voluntary issue left to the First Lady, because there will not be one and my commitment is to have the rights of persons with disabilities managed by the President and Cabinet Ministers." In conclusion, she accepted the challenge from the audience and invited them to make a proposal of how to verify that she would keep-up her word.
With equal emphasis Alvaro Uribe Vélez said he had, as proposals, the reform of the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare), which now extends its coverage to 900.000 people. He proposed to increase this number to two million, including the corresponding coverage for children with disabilities. He said that he would provide coverage within the subsidized health plan for Colombians with disabilities.
Uribe Vélez critized the lack of fulfillment of Law 361 by the government. Compliance is found to be quite limited by the government of Law 361 regarding resources destined to social integration, small business, training and job placement of persons with disabilities. There were only some benefits provided to employers hiring workers with disabilities, and that is not enough, said this candidate.
Providing an analysis of the situation of destruction in the country, Luis Eduardo Garzón invited all Colombians with disabilities to join in the work at all fronts by saying: "My concrete proposal is that we dedicate ourselves to complying with the approved Law. I commit myself to work together with you all, as future President." He also recounted how he was raised, surrounded by adversity, as the son of a single mother, making special emphasis on that situation.
At the end, some representatives of parents of children with special needs, presented a written proposal directed to candidate Horacio Serpa Uribe, taking note that he had not participated in this event.
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