IMPHAL, October 31: A fortnight long Barrier Free campaign organised by the Handicapped Development (HD) Foundation concluded today with a seminar on ‘Role of parents in creating barrier free environment’ at the Manipur Press Club.
The HD Foundation has been organizing the campaign every year since 2008 and this year’s edition was organised under the theme “Lets Smile Together and Lets Walk Together” commencing from October 17.
A pamphlet issued by the foundation during the concluding function defined barrier free environment as one which allows people to move around safely, independently, and without restriction, where the environment could be public or private buildings, roads, transportations, public places, educational institutions, etc.
It said the main objective of organising the campaign was “to create an environment that is accessible and useable by everyone in the society, including people with disabilities.”
It said it is necessary to create a barrier free environment because barriers make the environment unsafe and causes high level of difficulties for the people.
Elaborating on the need to create a barrier free society
To be a better and develop society where each and every person could get full opportunities and equal participants need to understand why and how these barriers must be removed; this loss of opportunity and participation is not only a lost for the individual but also a loss of the society, it said.
Unlike physical and systematic barriers attitudinal barriers that often lead to illegal discrimination cannot be overcome simply through laws, it said.
Ways to break down barriers suggested includes familiarity- getting people with and without disabilities to mingle as co-workers, associates and social acquaintances.
In time, most of the attitudes will give way to comfort, respect and friendship, the pamphlet said. Talking with the stakeholders of the society to adopt universal design in any undergoing and future construction, example to put ramp, lift facilities with auditory systems, putting proper sign board at proper places, etc and making and implementing law assuring the participation of persons with disabilities in all the office or organization, were other suggestions to break down barriers in a society.
Today’s seminar was attended by secretary general of the foundation Dr S Jasowanta Singh; editor of Naharolgee Thoudang, Kh Loya; chairmen of HD Foundation, Dr Ch Rupachandra Singh.