Visit MS-Denmark

An Overview of the Disabled in Nepal

Ram Prasad Dhungana
Rehabilitation Expert

The term ‘disabled’ means any person unable to ensure by himself or herself, wholly or partly, the necessities of a normal individual and or social life, as a result of a deficiency, either congenital or not in his physical or mental capabilities.

There has not been any census, which may indicate the exact number of the persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Nepal. It is estimated that more than 10 out of 100 people in Nepal are suffering from one or the other form of disability, which means nearly 2.4 - 2.7 million people in the country are disabled. If their family members and relatives are included, nearly half of the total population seems to be influenced by disability.

Declaration of the rights of the PWDs under the United Nations Charter guarantees their inherent rights to live full and active life with dignity. They are entitled to the same civil and political rights, irrespective of their origin, nature and seriousness of their handicaps and disabilities. Nepal is a signatory to the Charter and 'The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal- 1990’ clearly states that special provisions will be made to protect the interests of the PWDs, with special emphasis on education, health, and social security. However, the government has not yet enacted any such legislation to implement the constitutional provision. As a consequence, the PWDs face sheer discrimination in every sphere of their lives. The government does not have concrete programmes to address the problems facing the PWDs, especially in the countryside.

Majority of the PWDs in Nepal is illiterate, poor, unskilled and untrained. They are ignorant of their inherent rights and are obliged to depend upon their family members. Deprived of opportunities, they have remained economically inactive and are usually considered the burden of the family, the society and the nation. They have very limited access to employment, entertainment and services provided by the state because hardly one percent of the Persons with disabilities are educated.

How many NGOs are exactly working for the welfare of the PWDs in Nepal is difficult to tell as they are registered in District Administration Offices and the record is not maintained at the centre. However, only a small number of I/NGOs are smoothly working for the empowerment and upliftment of the PWDs in the country.

One of the NGOs working for the disabled is the National Rehabilitation of the Disabled (NRCD) Nepal, instituted by a group of rehabilitation experts, who are themselves physically disabled. The organisation is committed to providing and advocating vocational, educational, medical and employment opportunities for fellow PWDs. The NRCD has been running vocational and income generating programmes in Ram Nagar and Naya Bellani Village Development Committees (VDCs) of Rupandehi and Valwad VDC of Kapilvastu in western Nepal. The work experience of the NRCD has it that the extension of income generating programmes like candle and chalk making and hosiery come as a great inspiration to the most isolated and deprived group in the villages. The PWDs obviously feel that they have someone to care and share their similar experiences. During the training period, trainees are also provided incentives and with the money collected by selling the goods they produce, they set up their own account to make their living. Small though the account may be, such programmes not only furnish the PWDs with skills but also teach them the simple way to become self-reliant.

Co-ordination and co-operation of the INGOs and NGOs is note-worthy in addressing some problems of the disabled but the government's initiatives towards resolving the problems facing the PWDs is far from satisfactory.

First of all, the state has to accept the fact that the PWDs need to be empowered to exercise their rights, particularly in the field of education and employment. Efforts have to be made at all levels to change the existing negative attitudes towards the PWDs regarding their marriage and their parenthood. The media can play an important role in doing this. When planning and reviewing programmes designed for the PWDs, they need to contemplate on changing general public’s behavioural sympathy into outright readiness to accept them as equal humans.

If they are given equal opportunities of skill development, income generation, medical care and employment, a large number of PDWs can actively participate in the socio-economic and other development activities of the country and lead a respectable life.

Back to Contents