Conference on persons with disabilities begins in New Delhi

A three-day international conference on persons with disabilities began at New Delhi, India on Monday.

UNESCO organised the conference titled ‘From Exclusion to Empowerment: The Role of Information and Communication Technologies for Persons with Disabilities’ in cooperation with its international, regional and national partners.

The main objectives of the gathering are to empower persons with disabilities, inclusion of disability issues into the sustainable development agenda in UNESCO member states, promote their rights and fundamental freedoms.

A press release of Bangladesh embassy in New Delhi said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's daughter Saima Wazed Hossain, a member of World Health Organisation’s Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health, addressed the conference.

She is also the Chairperson of Bangladesh’s National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neuro Developmental Disabilities.

She said launch of national awareness campaigns, formulation of national plan of action through collaboration, imparting training to parents, caregivers, medical community and trainers were necessary to see the changes in the state of persons with disabilities.

Hossain, better known as Putul, said information and communication technology could be used to combat autism.

Other objectives of the conference include raising awareness among decision and policymakers and others concerned, identifying challenges and barriers to tackling disabilities, and providing assistance to UNESCO's member states in the implementation of international commitments regarding inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities.