Disaster Recovery & Disability Workshop, Pakistan
10-17 December 2005
The main purpose of the mission was to develop the
capacity of former APCD Pakistani participants and their
network for empowering persons with disabilities (PWDs) and
promote a barrier-free society in the earthquake affected areas.
APCD held an "Accessible Environment Seminar: Towards a Barrier-free Society for All in the Post-Earthquake Areas in Pakistan" in Islamabad, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education and the JICA Pakistan Office. Participants were primarily from Government sectors, representatives of DPOs, as well as international donor organizations, including the World Bank, USAID, JICA and Handicap International.
H.E. Ms. Zobaida Jalal, Minister of Social Welfare and Special Education, opened the Seminar. H.E. Mr. Hashmat Khan, Minister of Social Welfare of North-Western Frontier Province shared that the plans to organize a seminar on accessibility in the spring of 2006 and seek legislation on accessiblity for public facilities.
Key speakers were: 1) Mr. Topong Kulkhanchit, Regional Development Officer, DPI Asia-Pacific Regional Office, 2) Ms. Yumiko Tanaka, Senior Regional Advisor (Gender & Monitoring/Evaluation), JICA Regional Support Office for Asia (Thailand), and 3) Dr. Asiah Abdul Rahim, Islamic University of Malaysia
