.gif)
A Fiji disability survey report has revealed that 1.4 per cent of Fiji’s population are people with disabilities.
The National Baseline Disability Survey Report was launched at the Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons (FNCDP) this week.
Project officer Sainimili Tawake said Tawake said the report confirms that people with disabilities in Fiji continue to face discrimination and abuse of human rights.
“The lack of support of families, society, law and policy makers, school and hospital management prevent persons with disabilities in coming out and show their potential within their own communities,” she said.
Tawake said the total number of people with disabilities in Fiji is 11,402 out of which 5222 are women and 6180 are men.
The FNCDP believes that this figure could increase if all areas in the central, eastern, northern and western divisions are surveyed.
According to the report, minority groups within Fiji’s disability population are in worse situations.
“This includes women and children with disabilities, those with mental illness and those who live in rural and most remote areas including the outer islands of Fiji. Negative attitudes by society enforce the vulnerability of persons with disabilities,” Tawake said.
She also raised concerns about families who tend to keep members with disabilities in isolation.
“There is lack of support and understanding on disability and support mechanisms within the community, service providers, and policy makers in addressing policies relating to that sort.”
“The families think that the best way to handle people with disabilities is to tie or chain them up but don’t realise that it worsens conditions. They become more disabled when they are caged in.”
“Right now we are looking at legislations and we are targeting the review of the policy of the Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons Act. We are also looking at a consolidated Disability Policy.”
Tawake said the baseline survey for persons with disabilities started in the last quarter of 2008 and was completed at the end of 2009.
The survey’s main objective was to establish a disability database.
Source: Ministry of Information
Picture courtesy FNCD
