J A L A N D H A R    E D I T I O N

City disability activist to participate in world CBR congress

Jalandhar, November 16
Community-based rehabilitation is a sphere in which India still has loads of things to do.

Jalandhar-based disability activist Amarjit Singh Anand will be representing the Down’s Syndrome Federation (India) in the first congress on community-based rehabilitation (CBR) to be held in Agra shortly. Being hosted in Agra from November 26 to 28, the first World Congress on Community-Based Rehabilitation will be bringing varied voices from across the world together on the issue of the rehabilitation of the special persons.

In the event, which is going to be hosted by the CBR Network, as many as 85 countries and 1,200 delegates will be present. Chairperson of the National Trust Poonam Natrajan is the organising president of the Community-Based Rehabilitation.

Anand, who is state disability activist and president of the Punjab Down’s Syndrome Association, will represent the Down’s Syndrome Federation (India). He will be the only activist from Punjab attending the congress.

Talking to The Tribune, he said, “There is a major dearth of proper rehabilitation shelters for the special in the country and especially in Punjab. We need shelter homes. With the government not really keen on the issue, society in general has to show more keenness for the rehabilitation of the special.”

“The convention will seek solutions through interaction among various activists from across the world on the issue,” he added.

The implementation of the UNCRPD (United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) might bring hope for the disability sector, he said.—TNS