Baseline Report ‘Sustainable Development Goals and Disability’ launched

Disability Alliance on SDGs Bangladesh on Friday launched the Baseline Report “Sustainable Development Goals and Disability” through a national level dissemination programme at the Spectra Convention Centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh, says a press release. 

Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Principal Coordinator (SDGs), Prime Minister’s Office, officially launched the Baseline Report at the event as the Chief Guest. K.M. Abdus Salam, DG of NGO Affairs Bureau, Prime Minister’s Office, joined the launching event as the Special Guest, which was chaired by Monsur Ahmed Chowdhury, Former Member, UN Committee for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Bangladesh Disability Alliance on SDGs Bangladesh, a platform comprising of 21 national and international non-government organizations and working for the rights of the persons with disabilities in Bangladesh, organised the event in partnership with the NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh. 

The Alliance has been implementing various disability focused development programmes in light of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh. 

Disability is both a cause and consequence of poverty. The SDGs adopted in 2015 with the spirit of ‘leaving no one behind’ have also addressed both directly and indirectly through several targets and indicators. 

However, disability remains a pity that the key development actors including the governments are yet to give due importance to the issue in mainstream development planning and programming. 

Dr. Nafeesur Rahman, the lead researcher of the Report, made a key-note presentation on the Baseline Report ‘Sustainable Development Goals and Disability’.

Khondoker Ariful Islam, Convener of Disability Alliance on SDGs Bangladesh and Country Director of Sightsavers, said, “Though the SDGs have categorically addressed inclusion of all vulnerable groups of people, with a specific emphasis on persons with disabilities, it is expected that all development programmes and initiatives undertaken by the government and other mainstream development actors alike truly address inclusive practises”. 

The Baseline Report launched in the program looks into almost all the SDGs that affect day to day human lives, but with a disability lens. Bangladesh is one of the high achieving countries of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and has recently graduated from the Least Developed Country (LDC). 

However, Baseline Report finds that disability is one of the areas where more efforts are needed both by the government and the development sector. 

In this connection, the Report ‘Sustainable Development Goals and Disability’ makes a set of recommendations to find effective ways to move forward with the SDGs ensuring that issues and concerns of persons with disabilities are meaningfully addressed. 

The Report emphasized on mapping the disability specific indicators and endorsement by the government, obtaining thorough disability disaggregated data, ensuring inclusion practises, amendment of relevant laws and policies, necessary budget allocation and advocacy with all. 

K.M. Abdus Salam, in his speech as the Special Guest, said, “NGO Affairs Bureau is playing an active role in achieving the SDGs creating a bridge between the government and the non-government actors.” 

He also stressed on the need to form greater alliances involving more relevant stakeholders, including DPOs (Disabled People’s Organisations) and NGOs working in the field, in order to influence change. 

Appreciating the initiative of launching the Baseline Report, Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Guest of the event, said, “The government of Bangladesh is highly committed to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals and the policy of the government is to Leave No One Behind. Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is highly sensitive to the rights of the persons with disabilities and under her leadership we are giving a priority to disability inclusion in all spheres of the society in line with SDGs.”

Monsur Ahmed Chowdhury, chair of the event, acknowledged the profound contribution of the all members of the Alliance and NGO Affairs Bureau to make the event a huge success.