ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister of State and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Marvi Memon Friday said there is a strong need to target and invest on the disabled persons to provide them with education, skills, health protection and increased subsistence.
Speaking on the launching ceremony of the pilot project on disable care on the International day for People with Disabilities at BISP Secretariat in Islamabad, Marvi said disability dynamics must be kept in mind while policy making on poverty alleviation.
The event was attended by a number of BISP beneficiaries and their special children. The purpose of the event was to motivate and support beneficiaries with special children making them inspiration for other weak and disabled.
During the ceremony, three disabled children Nasreen, Qasim Khan and Aqsa were nominated as brand ambassadors of BISP.
Chairperson BISP said the lives of these brand ambassadors will be tracked by the BISP and through the support and platform of the BISP they will emerge as a source of inspiration and hope for other special people.
She added the selection of the BISP brand ambassadors will be extended to other provinces and regions as well.
During a discussion session on issues of special persons, beneficiary mothers appreciated the efforts of Chairperson BISP for the poor and highlighted their problems.
They iterated that lack of education and medical facilities add to the woes of the disable and there must be skill training for their children so that they may become self-sufficient.
Marvi directed her team to facilitate in enrolling beneficiary children to special educational institutes and rehabilitation centers.
She added that medical treatment would be provided to them under Prime Minister National Health Programme.
Beneficiaries from Punjab would be facilitated in getting Khidmat Card whereas beneficiaries from other provinces would be linked with similar programs in their respective provinces.
The chairperson instructed her team to contact Bait-ul-Maal for the provision of automatic wheel chairs and other facilities for the BISP beneficiaries.
She highlighted that in the absence of recent population census data, National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) of the BISP is an invaluable source for effective policy making on poverty and disability.
The key findings of “Population of Pakistan: An Analysis of NSER” by PIDE highlight that 2.27 million out of 133 million population surveyed in Pakistan in 2010 have some form of disability.
The prevalence of disability has reduced over the period, as disability prevalence was found to be 2.5% in 1998 census and is 1.7% as per NSER. Males account for 57.8% and females for 42.2% of total disabled population.
During the event, an inspirational story was also narrated to the disabled children, aiming to boost their morale and motivating them to pursue their dreams in life. Books were distributed among the disabled children as well.
