It was on Deaf Blind Day that the Chief Minister of Punjab issued an address in which he completely changed the perspective – deaf and blind people are not a liability that needs managing. They are an example of resilience for others to learn from.
A Message That Challenges Old Prejudices
This week saw Maryam Nawaz support for deaf blind people in her capacity as Chief Minister of Punjab through Deaf blindness Day by boldly declaring that deaf blind people are not a burden but rather are a living example of courage and self-reliance.
This is in essence an affirmation of the shift away from the old charity approach that has defined policies regarding disability to one based on dignity and capability.
Importance of the Day
Maryam Nawaz support for deaf blind are one of the most important people in society. It has been stressed in her message that helping and encouraging deaf-blind people is the joint responsibility of the whole community rather than being the sole responsibility of families and social welfare departments.
The single most important statement made by her in her message was that regarding the concept of rehabilitation. The reason why Maryam Nawaz advocates for the welfare of deaf-blind individuals is because she firmly believes that rehabilitation of disabled persons should be regarded not as an act of charity, but as their basic right.
What Punjab Is Really Doing – The Himmat Card
Apart from the messaging part, Maryam Nawaz went on to talk about something that was being done in reality. She stated that the government is giving dignified money assistance to deaf people, blind people, and people with other kinds of disabilities via the Himmat Card initiative.
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Assistive Technologies for Genuine Inclusion
Money is not the end of it. She also confirmed that assistive technologies were being provided to the deaf, blind, and others in particular so that they may be included in all areas of life with dignity. These devices are what make the difference between exclusion and inclusion.
Upgrading Special Education Institutions to Become Centres of Excellence
In addition to that, the Chief Minister also stated that the upgrading of special education institutions run by the Special Education Department will be done to become Centres of Excellence — implying that it is their intention to provide excellence in education for those with disabilities instead of just providing the basic standard.
Programmes aimed at supporting the deaf-blind in Punjab, initiated by Maryam Nawaz, create a perfect blend of rhetoric and policy as the aim is to include these individuals into the social and economic mainstream of Punjab rather than keeping them at the receiving end of charity.
It will only be possible to judge the sincerity and seriousness of the initiative by evaluating how successful these programmes have been in reaching out to their target population, as well as how well these Centres of Excellence perform once the upgrade process is completed.
Nayab Fatima is a media professional specializing in fact-based journalism, research, and analytical reporting on technology, telecom, aviation, and automobiles.
