Disability in Papua New Guinea

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Disability in Papua New Guinea is an issue of ongoing concern, with inadequate infrastructure often limiting access to education, healthcare, employment, and other essential services for those affected. [1] Accessibility is a major challenge, particularly for children or women with disabilities, who face barriers in accessing health services, education, public transport, and government offices. [2] [1] The government has recognized the rights of people with disabilities, but realizing these rights requires development of effective legal and regulatory frameworks, greater resource mobilization, and strong national cooperation and leadership. [3]

Under the principle of "Leave no-one behind", initiatives like UN Women support the government in enhancing civic participation of people with disabilities, implementing the International Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disability, and working towards the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. [1]

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Elizabeth (Sabet) Cox is an Australian national who has lived and worked in the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) for four decades. Together with others, she founded HELP-Resources, an NGO with a focus on rural and grassroots communities, in 1998. She later became Pacific Regional Director of UN Women.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "UN Women helps people with disabilities advocate for disability-Inclusive policies in Papua New Guinea". UN Women – Asia-Pacific. 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  2. "Look at my ability, not my disability | UNICEF Papua New Guinea". www.unicef.org. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  3. Peters, Sean (2021-06-24). "Improving the Lives of People With Disabilities Through Influencing the Legal Framework in Papua New Guinea". CBM Australia. Retrieved 2023-06-07.