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Everybody deserves respect, says Tiffany Ward
Tiffany Ward
Public awareness is a crucial factor if people with disability are to be fully accepted in the society.
At least this is the observation of Tiffany Ward, a receptionist/clerk attached to the National Commission on Disability (NCD).
Ward, who suffered from a muscle disorder some years ago, is confined to a wheel chair, a predicament that has not prevented her from giving the NCD the very best of her ability.
She works closely with the other staffers at an entity that has a vested interest advocating for the rights of persons with disability.
But the efforts of the commission have been intensified this week, which has been labelled Disability Week.
Disability Week is observed annually and was strategically selected to coincide with the United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities, which is observed on December 3 each year.
This year, the observance is being held under the theme ‘Dignity and justice for all of us’.
Yesterday, as part of the observance, the NCD handed out flyers and brochures to members of the public in its sustained bid to heighten awareness of disabled persons.
The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company has also been rendering its assistance to the awareness campaign through its Cellink text messages service.
And according to Ward, sensitisation is very important since there are still many instances that disabled persons are discriminated against.
Speaking from her own experiences, Ward, who claims to be very independent, said that it is often impossible for her to access certain buildings since there are no ramps. In some cases when ramps are available they are sometimes blocked, she said.
“It is either that some people are not aware or they just don’t care. Some people have in their minds that a disabled person should be at home and be taken care of. But what happens when we don’t have anyone to care for us…shouldn’t we be independent too?” Ward questioned.
She revealed that discrimination has also been observed in the world of work where once a person is found to be disabled that person’s qualifications become irrelevant.
However, Ward and the NCD as a whole are finding some comfort in the recent announcement by Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy that the Disability Act is likely to soon become a reality.
With the passing of the legislation, Ward said that it is expected that disabled persons will be able to do more and show their potential and gain the respect that they deserve.
Since the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disability and optional protocol came into existence on December 13, 2006, organisations such as the NCD and the UN have been trying to ensure that matters concerning disabled persons are taken seriously.
“We have to make sure the society know that dignity and justice must go for both abled and disabled persons, which is based on the universal declaration of human rights,” Ward asserted.
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