Nanda Raj Bhatta (Spandan), Community Service Worker from Dhangadhi, has shown that physical disability cannot prevent a person’s ability to work and complete with other normal people.
Although he also faced all kinds of discrimination in society, Bhatta did not care it much. He made the destiny for his survival in his own way. From early morning to late evening, Bhatta visits different villages to encourage and inspire people with disabilities in Sudur Paschim Province and organizes programs to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
As COVID-19 has badly hampered the mobility of people with disabilities in the region, they are suffering much. Bhatta is calling for Greater Inclusion amid Covid-19.
If a person has will, courage, determination and family support, he or she can make a difference in the world. This is what Bhatta has shown. Although he was born without palm, finger and wrist in the remote Far-western part of Nepal, Bhatta has shown the way to other people with disabilities to live independently working in a competitive environment.
Bhatta (Spandan), Community Service Worker from Dhangadhi, is a source of inspiration for many persons with disabilities in Nepal. Bhatta, who himself Born as disable in the Doti district of the far western region, Bhatta has shown how people with Disabilities can make difference.
Although he was born without fingers, wrist and palm, Bhatta has used other physical parts of the body as an alternative to using the laptop, mobile and other equipment.
Completing a Master's Degree in Rural Development from Tribhuwan University, Bhatta is an icon of people with disabilities in Sudur Pachism province. He attends every program related to the protection of the rights of people with disabilities. Bhatta himself has been organizing
As an executive director at HDDS, a Dhangadhi based organization of persons with disabilities; Bhatta has been traveling extensively in the region as well as different parts of the country.
He conducts research, seminars and other programs aimed to make people with disabilities self-reliance in economically and protect their rights. Married with a daughter, Bhatta holds the view that people with disabilities are no different than other people. “What we need is courage, determination and will,” said Bhatta.
As the world is celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2020, Bhatta has a bit frustration over the recent actions of the government not showing any interest to provide welfare and another scheme to people with disabilities.
“As per the constitution, people with disability needs to be included in all the development process and there need to have policies and programs to mainstreaming people with disability,”
Facilitating Disability early detection and mainstreaming Training at Dhangadhi organized by Province health Headquarter Sudoorpaschim province Nepal.
As there is growing voices for Greater inclusion is crucial amid COVID-19 ahead of World Disability Day on December 3, Bhatta is championing the cause from Dhangadhi.
UN Secretary-General Call For Greater Inclusion
Ahead of World Disability Day on December 3, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for greater inclusion of persons with disabilities in society, including in COVID-19 response and recovery. "Realizing the rights of persons with disabilities is crucial to fulfilling the core promise of the 2030 Agenda: to leave no one behind," Antonio Gueterres said, referring to the global action plan to bring about a more just and sustainable world.
The UN chief was addressing countries that are parties to the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) was proclaimed in 1992 by a United Nations General Assembly resolution to "promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society...”
International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2020 Theme: "Building back better: towards an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world by, for and with persons with disabilities" is the focus in the pandemic year. UNESCO will also organize a Global Awareness Raising Campaign "Tell our stories, enable our rights".
"In all our actions, our goal is clear: a world in which all persons can enjoy equal opportunities, participate in decision-making and truly benefit from economic, social, political and cultural life. That is a goal worth fighting for," the UN chief said at the 13th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention.
World Disability Day is being held in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic this year. The pandemic has deepened inequalities affecting around one billion people with disabilities globally. The UN chief said, even under normal circumstances the people with disabilities were already less likely to be included in their communities.
"While I celebrate that there are now 182 parties to the convention, the pandemic has made evident that there is still a long way to go in fully understanding the human rights model of disability enshrined in the convention, and therefore is fully implementing its provisions," Mr. Guterres said in a video message.
In May, the UN chief issued a policy brief highlighting the disproportionate impact COVID-19 is having on persons with disabilities. He has called for a pandemic response and recovery to be more disability-inclusive, starting with recognizing and protecting the human rights of persons with disabilities.
"We must also ensure that the vision and aspirations of persons with disabilities are included and accounted for in a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world," he said.
Nepal’s Cause
As the whole world today (December 3) is marking the 29th International Day of Persons with Disabilities, she has her message to other women and men with complete or partial disabilities that proper guidance, support from family, friends and education only can help make people's life easier and independent and happy. She said although there are dozens of private and non-governmental organizations working in the sector of persons with disabilities, the government's own National Disabled Fund, under the Ministry Women, Children and Senior Citizens, has been doing its best to provide all possible support to the persons with disabilities across the country with the available resources and the fund the government provides them annually.