KATHMANDU: With the theme: "Making the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) inclusive: Empowerment of persons with disabilities and their communities around the world", the International Day of Persons with Disabilities was observed across the country today.

Though scientific data on disability situation in Nepal are not available, a latest study commissioned by the New Era Chronicles says a large number of persons with disabilities are living with stigma in their communities.

As per the estimation, the percentage of population with one or more form of disabilities in Nepal oscillates between 7 to 10.

Currently, there are five categories of people living with disabilities in the country as recognised by the government: visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically challenged, mentally retarded and disorders.

There is no comprehensive data on disability in Nepal. Even the number of people with disabilities varies according to sources. Many people in the coummunity are unaware that a large number of persons are living with disabilities and challenges they are confronting in life.

In a deeply conservative society like that of Nepal, society's perspectives on disability are still seen as penance undergone by one for the atonement of sins committed in previous births.

People with disabilities are marginalised and treated as 'second-class-citizen' when it comes to availing health facilities, accessibility to education, economic opportunities, said the study. The study has further revealled that 69.3 per cent of the total people in Nepal living with one or more forms of disabilities, depend directly on the support from families.

The study also showed that having a disabled person at home would amount to a considerable problems for the household in his/her maintenance. The findings of the New Era have shown that 68.2 per cent of the people living with disability here are functionally illiterate.

According to Nepal Disable Women Association, 10 per cent of Nepal population is disabled, of which women constitute 6% .

Rights bodies plea

KATHMANDU: Various human rights organisations have demanded that the government and the legislature parliament immediately ratified International Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability. They stated that without the ratification of the convention the rights of the disables couldn't be protected. Advocate Sabin Shrestha said the government is yet to table its decision in the parliament thought the Cabinet already endorsed the same last year.