Please refer to the Article 35 of the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (UNCRPD) which require that each
State shall submit a report on progress made within two years after
the entry into force of the present Convention for the State Party
concerned.
The UNCRPD entered into force on 3 May 2008.
(http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=210).
Further, In
response to one of my earlier RTI queries (please find the response
dated 8 May 2009 attached) regarding establishment of an independent
monitoring mechanism, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
informed that "Ministry is the nodal Ministry for implementation and
monitoring of the UNCRPD. This Ministry is monitoring the progress and
implementation of the UNCRPD."
In light of all the above
information please provide me how is the Ministry monitoring the
progress on compliance to the UNCRPD:
- Is the
process of drafting Country Report as required under Article 35 of the
UNCRPD been initiated? If Yes, Please share minutes of all meetings held
in this regard till date of this application.
- If No, please
inform when is the Government planning to begin the process and how?
- Please
refer to the an RTI application to National Trust on 06-02-2009, and
its response dated 06-03-2009. (attached) Kindly inform me if this is
the response Ministry is planning to submit on compliance to the UNCRPD
with regard to the persons with autism? If No, please answer the
following questions:
- Please inform what legislative,
administrative measures have been taken for betterment of persons with
autism till the date of this application towards implementation of the
Article 4.1(a) of the Convention?
- What modifications have been
made in the existing laws and regulations with regard to address
discrimination against persons with autism, in compliance with Article
4.1.(b) of the Convention?
- What steps have been taken to meet
the elimination of discrimination towards persons with autism by any
person, organization or private enterprise as mentioned in Articles
4.1.(e) of the UN Convention?
- What research or development have
been undertaken to design goods, services, equipment and facilities,
which should require minimum possible adaptation and least cost to meet
specific needs of a person with autism, in order to comply with Article
4.1.(f) of the Convention?
- Provide me information on what
equipments and facilities have been adapted or developed and what number
of people with autism are using these?
- Details of availability
of new technologies, including information and communications
technologies, mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies,
suitable for persons with autism in India, to comply with Article
4.1.(g) of the Convention?
- What efforts have been taken to
provide accessible information to persons with autism, their caretakers
about mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies, including new
technologies as well as other forms of asistance, support services and
facilities? What funds have been allocated in this direction? Please
refer to Article 4.1.(h) of the Convention.
- In compliance with
the Article 4.3 of the UNCRPD, Who are the people involved in
development and implementation of legislations and policies to implement
the present Convention? Kindly provide me their names and addresses and
details of their disabilities? Details of which organizations have been
involved, and what is their area of work?
- What special
initiatives have been taken to ensure full development, advancement and
empowerment of women suffering from autism for the purpose of
guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights and
fundamental freedoms, in order to comply with Article 6.2 of the UNCRPD.
- In order to implement the Article 6.2 of the UNCRPD for
the betterment of women with autism, please provide me information on
what number of women in India are suffering from autism?
- What number of girls suffering from autism in the age
group of 6 to 14 years are in schools and enjoying the benefit of free
education?
- In order to comply with Article 7.1 of
the UNCRPD in the direction of "taking all necessary measures to ensure
the full enjoyment by children with disabilities of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children", What
number of children in India have been identified as suffering from
autism? What are the provision for health check-up, treatment and
education facilities for them?
- What number of children (up to 14
years of age) suffering from autism are availing medical treatment in
India? Kindly provide details of number of male and female children.
-
Kindly furnish me details of inclusion of these children in normal
schools. How many children with the disability autism are in normal
schools studying with other normal children? How many of them are male
and female? They constitute what percentage of total children with
autism in India?
- What number of teachers are trained till date
of this application for taking care of education of children with autism
in normal schools?
- For complying to the Article 7.2 of the
UNCRPD which says "In all actions concerning children with disabilities,
the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration” what
steps have been taken in terms of support services in normal schools and
at public places like buses, bus stops, hospitals, government offices,
Railway stations etc.
- In order to comply with the Article 7.3 of
the UNCRPD, Are the persons with autism being provided aid and
assistance in the form of communication support or other devices?
- What
aid and assistance has the Indian state provided to people with autism,
to help them express their views freely on all matters affecting them,
their views being given due weight in accordance with their age and
maturity, on an equal basis with other children. Please provide details
of all the efforts undertaken to make them communicate, till date of
this application.
- As per the UNCRPD Article 8.1. (b) what
stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices relating to persons with
autism, including those based on sex and age, in all areas of life have
been identified to deal with for making possible better and normal
development of them.
- What prejudices and harmful practices
relating to persons with autism have been dealt with so far? What
procedure was followed to address these? Which prejudices and harmful
practices have been identified as most critical and needs to be
addressed with immediate concern?
- Kindly provide us details of
activities undertaken for complying with article 8.2.(iii). As a result
of these activities, what numbers of persons (both male and female) with
autism in India have been employed in different sectors? Kindly provide
details of sectors where they are employed?
- What steps have
been taken in order to address the UNCRPD Article 9.1, in context of
persons with autism. Article 9.1 says "to enable persons with
disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects
of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to
persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the
physical environment, to transportation, to information and
communications, including information and communications technologies
and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to
the public, both in urban and in rural areas."
- Kindly provide me
details of such services (live assistance and intermediaries, including
guides, readers and professional sign language interpreters) as
mentioned in article 9.2.(e) of the UNCRPD for persons with autism. What
kind of assistance, intermediaries, interpreters are provided to people
with autism in public places like hospitals, schools, hotels and
restaurants, museums, zoo, planetarium, and other places of interest?
Kindly furnish number of people for assisting them in each of such
places in India.
- What number of government-run and privately-run
hospitals in India have trained staff to assist people with autism?
What number of people have been trained for the same?
- What
number of government-run, government aided, privately-run schools in
India have trained staff to assist children with autism? What number of
people in these schools have been trained for the same?
- What
number of hotels and restaurants in India have trained staff to assist
people with autism? What number of people have been trained for the
same?
- What number of museums in India have trained staff to
assist people with autism? What number of people have been trained for
the same?
- What number of zoo in India have trained staff to
assist people with autism? What number of people have been trained for
the same?
- What number of planetarium in India have trained staff
to assist people with autism? What number of people have been trained
for the same?
- What steps have been taken in the direction of
complying with Article 9.2.(g) of the UNCRPD? What number of people with
autism have taken the benefit of these till the date of this
application?
- Is it planned to make expenditure in this regard
for persons with Autism?, If yes, please share details of the planned
activities. If No, please inform when would the Ministry plan
expenditure in this direction?
- What amount has been allocated
for this activity in each plan year and what amount from that allocation
have been used for people with autism? In case no separate allocation
and expenditure has been made for autism, kindly share details of head
under which allocation and expenditure has been made.
- What steps
have been taken in the direction of complying with Article 9.2.(h) of
the UNCRPD? What number of children with autism in India have taken the
benefit of these till the date of this application?
- What amount
has been allocated for this activity in each plan year and what amount
from that allocation have been used? In case no separate allocation and
expenditure has been made for autism, kindly share details of head under
which allocation and expenditure has been made.
- Kindly furnish
details of efforts which have been made till date of this application to
comply with the Article 11 of the UNCRPD.
- What measures have
been taken to meet Article 12.3 of the UNCRPD? If, till date no steps
have been taken to comply with this article, what is the plan for this?
- Are
the courts equipped with trained people to assist and interpreters for
people with autism? If yes, kindly furnish what number of courts have
trained people for assisting them and number of trained people for this.
If no, kindly furnish details of plan for this.
- With regard to
complying with the Article 13.2 of the UNCRPD, what number of trainings
have been provided to those in the field of administration of justice,
including police and prison staff for ensuring effective access to
justice for persons with disabilities and in particular for persons with
autism? Kindly share the details of date of the programme and number of
people who have attended the programme?
- Kindly furnish details
of efforts which have been made till date of this application to comply
with Article 16.1 of the UNCRPD.
- Kindly furnish details of
efforts which have been made till date of this application to comply
with Article 16.2 of the UNCRPD, for people with autism.
- In
compliance with the Article 16.3 of the UNCRPD which independent
bodies/authorities have been formed for ensuring all facilities and
programmes designed to serve persons with disabilities, in particular
for people with autism? Kindly provide contact details of this body?
- Kindly
furnish details of efforts which have been made till date of this
application to comply with Article 16.4 of the UNCRPD, for people with
autism.
- What assistive technology has been till date of this
application been designed for people with autism, in order to comply
with Article 20.(d) of the UNCRPD? How many people in India are
currently taking benefit of these assistive technologies?
- Which
groups/bodies have been supported for producing mobility aids, devices
and assistive technologies for people with autism? What funds have been
allocated in each plan year and expenditure been incurred for each plan
year?
- With regard to Article 24.5 of the UNCRPD kindly furnish
details of children with autism in primary and secondary classes in
India in government run schools, government affiliated or supported
schools, private schools, vocational training institutes and special
schools meant for them. Kindly furnish data for the year 2001 and year 2008.
- Under the current
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2008, children
with autism are entitled to avail free and compulsory education. What
number of children with autism are eligible for free education under the
above Right to Education Bill?
- What is the estimated
requirement of special teachers to handle all these children?
- What
special provisions in terms of special teachers, infrastructural
arrangements, caregivers etc. have been made/planned for children with
autism to study in normal schools and complete their elementary
education?
- What special steps has been taken to improve their
retention levels and decrease the drop-out levels?
- Who is
looking at implementation of the Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education Bill 2008, for children with autism and other
mental challenges? Please furnish me the Name and contact details of the
same.
- What steps have been planned to comply with Article 31 of
the UNCRPD which says "States Parties undertake to collect appropriate
information, including statistical and research data, to enable them to
formulate and implement policies to give effect to the present
Convention."
- In compliance to the UNCRPD Article 34, please
provide me the contact details of the Committee on the Rights of Persons
With Disabilities? Please also share the names and contact details of
members of the Committee.
Kindly answer each question
separately. | I am to refer to your RTI Application dated 09.12.2009 on the above mentioned subject received on 13.12.2009 and to say that with regards to points 1 & 2 of your application, the process of drafting Country Report as required under Article 35 of the UNCRPD has been initiated. For information on the points from 3 to 55, your application is being transferred under Section 6(3) of RTI Act to Disability Division IV of this Ministry.
Appellate authority in the case is Dr. Arbind Prasad, Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Room No. 612, A-Wing, 6th
floor, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
| I am directed to refer to your RTI application dated 9 Dec, 2009 and to say that information relating to points 3 - 48 has already been furnished by National Trust in response to your RTI application dated 6th Feb. 2009. This Division has no additional information to furnish on these points.
Appellate authority in the case is Dr. Arbind Prasad, Joint Secretary,
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Room No. 612, A-Wing, 6th
floor, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
|