Kathmandu, October 24

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has issued a circular to all local levels, requesting them to ensure construction of disabled-friendly physical infrastructure.

In response to a letter from Disability Rights Promotion Section of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, Municipality Planning and Management Section of the MoFALD had recently issued to all local levels the circular regarding the implementation of the National Building Code, keeping in view the difficulties faced by persons with disabilities.

On October 11, the MoWCSW had drawn the attention of the MoFALD to the plight of persons with disabilities who suffered due to the lack of implementation of the NBC. “The local levels should not pass the design or blueprint of any house or building which is not diasbled-friendly,” read the circular issued by the MoFALD.

Earlier too, the government had instructed the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport to make initial drawing and design of roads compatible with disabled people’s mobility needs.

As per the decision, the MoPIT, MoFALD and the Ministry of Urban Development will work together to construct physical infrastructure of public importance (tall and large buildings,  cinema halls, banks, schools, hospitals, offices, streets and sidewalks, among others) that are disabled-friendly as per the National Policy and Plan of Action on Disability, 2006.

According to the census carried out in 2011, about two per cent (513,321) of the total population of the country is living with one or the other kind of disability. Of them, 280,086 are male and 233,235 female. Physical disability constitutes 36.3 per cent of the population with disability followed by blindness/low vision (18.5 per cent), deaf/hard of hearing (15.4 per cent), speech problem (11.5 per cent), multiple disability (7.5 per cent), mental disability (6 per cent), intellectual disability (2.9 per cent) and deaf-blind (1.8 per cent).