The National Federation of Disabled Nepal (NFDN) will launch nation-wide ‘Count me, Include Me’ programme officially in all the seven provinces on Saturday evening.

The NFDN has taken this initiative for the inclusiveness and equality of people with disabilities in the country prior to 27th International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3.

NFDN President Sudarshan Subedi said, “Our aim is to bring all youth with disabilities together and empower them.”

At a press conference on Friday, the NFDN announced a list of 25 tasks for the government, non-government and donor organisation to deliver for the rights of people with disabilities in the newly set up ‘Disability Study and Empowerment Academy’ at the central, provincial and local levels.

The federation’s demands include addressing the need and demands of disabled people in all sorts of development activities. The demands include the voices of people with disabilities in the country’s human rights and governance issues that include good governance, economic empowerment, education and equal access to health facilities, emphasizing special provisions for women with disabilities, to prevent them from all kinds of social discrimination and abuses, executing zero tolerance for sexual harassment and sexual abuses.     

The 2011 census shows, there are 513,321 people with disabilities in the country. The NFDN estimates around 1,700 people with disabilities living in Kathmandu. Among them, nearly 22 percent are blind, 35 percent cannot walk and 25 percent have trouble with speech and hearing.

The United Nation report shows, 80 percent of the 650 million people with disabilities worldwide live in developing countries like Nepal, and of the total, 426 million people live below the poverty line.

“We are voicing to the government and stakeholders to incorporate the people with disabilities to raise their mental, economic and social status,” said Subedi. 

Nepal has been celebrating the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities every year since 1992.