The State of World's Children 2013 UNICEF’s global report focuses this year on the issue of children with disabilities. The report brings out the challenges by children with disabilities. A child with disability has same rights as any other girls or boy.
Given opportunities to flourish as others might, children with disabilities have the potential to lead a fulfilling live and to contribute to social, cultural and economic vitality of their communities. Yet surviving and thriving can be especially difficult for children with disabilities.
The report is call to action for commitment to these children's rights and their future, giving priority to the most disadvantaged as a matter of equity and for benefit of all.
Tania Goldner, Chief, UNICEF field office for Madhya Pradesh in her media statement on release of report today in Bhopal shared that 'There is a need for creating positive and empowering opportunities for children living with disabilities.
We need to change perception and negative assumptions on disabilities and on people living with disabilities. Families, communities, civil society need to have the needed information, knowledge and skills to ensure that children with disabilities are not discriminated against, enjoy all child rights and can benefit of the same opportunities for growth and development as all children.
There is also a strong need of improved data collection and analysis for improved planning and programming for children with disabilities and for better policies in the area of child rights and disability.
She further added that 'It is not only about simply bringing children with disabilities into pre-existing frameworks and platforms.
It is about ensuring that children develop to their fullest potential and are given equal opportunities in all scenarios'.
In Madhya Pradesh as per Census data from the year 2001, 2.3 per cent population is persons living with disabilities, out of which 34.4 per cent are below 19 years.