2003: European Year of Persons with Disability

Next year has been declared by the European Union as the European Year of Persons with Disability. Next year also marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Report of Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, which is being redesigned for next year's needs.

A national co-ordinating committee made up of representatives of the National Commission for Mental Health Reform, the Federation of Organisations for Persons with Disability and the National Commission for Persons with Disability was recently set up in Malta.

This committee launched its media campaign for the European Year of Persons with Disability at the Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian's, on Tuesday.

Accompanying Professor Marie Therese Camilleri Podestà, Mr Philip Grech and Mr Joseph Camilleri - who respectively chair the three bodies - were also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy Lawrence Gonzi and Mary Louise Coleiro, MP, Opposition spokesman on social policy.

Dr Gonzi said one of the principal objectives of the European Year was to help understand better what disability was all about. Ten per cent of the current population suffered some form of disability. "This is a substantial percentage, especially when considers we form part of an aging population."

Another aim was to help emphasise the positive aspect of disability - "we must focus on the person with the disability and not on the disability".

Mr Grech, president of the Federation of Organisations of Persons with Disability and member of the co-ordinating committee for the European Year of Persons with Disability, said next year would be a special year, one which would hopefully change sympathy to empathy. A person with disability is a person with equal opportunities. These are very often excluded by society, putting the person with disability at a disadvantage.

Professor Camilleri Podestà, who chairs the National Commission for Mental Health Reform, said much more needed to be done in the area of mental health. This "silent disability" is very common and unfortunately its stigma remains big. People also need to keep themselves well informed on mental health and learn to cope with this "fear of the unknown".

Ms Coleiro said more education and awareness needed to be disseminated. Persons with disability must be seen in line with other people with fundamental human rights with access to equal opportunities, like social and economic benefits.

She also quoted National Office of Statistics figures 2000 which show that in state schools there were 547 children with disability (471 from kindergarten and primary and 76 from secondary and trade schools). Statistics for the same year show that 278 children with disability attended private schools (157 kindergarten and primary and 121 secondary schools). This, Ms Coleiro said, could possibly mean there is a need for a reform in adult training centres, providing equal opportunities for people with disability.

To conclude the launch, Mr Camilleri, chairman of the National Commission for Persons with Disability, presented the aims of the European year - to educate the general public on disability issues, on what disability is, the capabilities of persons with disability and the need for a concrete plan of action with the involvement of persons with disability.

The committee is currently preparing its official programme of events for this year. Any organisation wishing to participate is welcome to submit its proposal to the central committee by October 15.

For more information, contact Mr Eugene Galea, secretary, c/o the National Commission for Persons with Disability (tel: 2124-5952, 2148-7789 or 2144-8521; text tel: 2144-4609) or e-mail pr@knpd.org. Website: http://www.knpd.org.

The European Year of Persons with disability will be officially launched in December during Disability Week.