A long way ahead for children with disabilities
22 08 2014
A long way ahead for children with disabilities
Inclusion is not about inserting persons with disabilities
into existing structures, but about transforming systems to be inclusive
of everyone. When barriers exist, inclusive communities transform the
way they are organized to meet the needs of all children’. UNICEF, 2007
18 August 2014 – In India, as elsewhere in the world, people and children with disabilities are too often invisible due to lack of availability of accurate data. Facing daily discrimination in the form of negative attitudes, lack of adequate policies and provisions, they are effectively barred from realizing their rights to healthcare and education.
India has achieved close to universal enrolment in primary education. However, the figures for children with disabilities are staggering: out of 2.90 million children with disabilities in India, 0.99 million (34.12%) children in the age group of 6 -14 are out-of-school. Percentage of out-of-school children is more in the group of children with intellectual disabilities (48%), speech (36%) and multiple disabilities (58.6%) as compare to other types of disabilities. (SRI-IMRB Survey, MHRD, Govt. of India, 2009).
Children with intellectual disabilities have seldom seen their rights fulfilled in our society. And, to make the matters even more complicated, experts believe that many schools are still not ready to equip themselves for the special needs of children with disabilities. Some schools are even wary about admitting them in their schools.
The Rights to Education (RTE) Act 2009 provides clear guidelines
about inclusive education and emphasises on the rights of all children,
including children with disabilities.
‘It is a challenging task’, says Niloufar Pourzand, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF office for Uttar Pradesh. She reiterates that ‘we must do all that we can to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities are realized. UNICEF is committed for the cause of children with disabilities and would continue to provide technical support to the state partners towards inclusion of all children in schools and in the society.’
At a recent workshop in Lucknow organized by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (national programme on Education for All in India), UNICEF and School for Potential Advancement and Restoration of Confidence (SPARC), participants focused on key challenges of identifying and mainstreaming of children with intellectual disabilities, children with cerebral palsy and children with autism spectrum disorder.
Most were unanimous in their view that there has to be a convergent approach to address these issues. While we need to hire more itinerant teachers or special teachers who are more like roving teachers, we must also look at the curriculum itself.
The key to addressing the needs of children with disabilities would
include: development of the early childhood interventions for children
with disabilities, capacity building of Anganwadi Workers (centre based
frontline workers of Integrated Child Development Services) on early
detection and support for early childhood intervention, development of
flexible curriculum for the needs of children with disabilities,
preparation of qualified and trained teachers who are sensitive to the
diverse needs of differently-abled children, and who are able to ensure
that their attitudes, teaching practices and learning materials, and
school environments are free from any biases or prejudices against
certain groups.
While the dream of achieving the goal of RTE can only be realized when education system addresses the issue of inclusion, there is also a need to raise awareness amongst parents that like other children, these children have their dreams and aspirations too, and like other children, they have rights too.
All children, All rights, Everywhere.
Sonia Sarkar
Communication Officer (Media) , UNICEF India
Tel (+91) 9810170289,9891861445;
Email: ssarkar@unicef.org
United Nations Children’s Fund
UNICEF House, 73 Lodi Estate, New Delhi,
Follow us on Facebook Twitter and at www.unicef.in
© UNICEF India |
18 August 2014 – In India, as elsewhere in the world, people and children with disabilities are too often invisible due to lack of availability of accurate data. Facing daily discrimination in the form of negative attitudes, lack of adequate policies and provisions, they are effectively barred from realizing their rights to healthcare and education.
India has achieved close to universal enrolment in primary education. However, the figures for children with disabilities are staggering: out of 2.90 million children with disabilities in India, 0.99 million (34.12%) children in the age group of 6 -14 are out-of-school. Percentage of out-of-school children is more in the group of children with intellectual disabilities (48%), speech (36%) and multiple disabilities (58.6%) as compare to other types of disabilities. (SRI-IMRB Survey, MHRD, Govt. of India, 2009).
Children with intellectual disabilities have seldom seen their rights fulfilled in our society. And, to make the matters even more complicated, experts believe that many schools are still not ready to equip themselves for the special needs of children with disabilities. Some schools are even wary about admitting them in their schools.
© UNICEF India |
‘It is a challenging task’, says Niloufar Pourzand, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF office for Uttar Pradesh. She reiterates that ‘we must do all that we can to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities are realized. UNICEF is committed for the cause of children with disabilities and would continue to provide technical support to the state partners towards inclusion of all children in schools and in the society.’
At a recent workshop in Lucknow organized by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (national programme on Education for All in India), UNICEF and School for Potential Advancement and Restoration of Confidence (SPARC), participants focused on key challenges of identifying and mainstreaming of children with intellectual disabilities, children with cerebral palsy and children with autism spectrum disorder.
Most were unanimous in their view that there has to be a convergent approach to address these issues. While we need to hire more itinerant teachers or special teachers who are more like roving teachers, we must also look at the curriculum itself.
© UNICEF India |
While the dream of achieving the goal of RTE can only be realized when education system addresses the issue of inclusion, there is also a need to raise awareness amongst parents that like other children, these children have their dreams and aspirations too, and like other children, they have rights too.
All children, All rights, Everywhere.
Sonia Sarkar
Communication Officer (Media) , UNICEF India
Tel (+91) 9810170289,9891861445;
Email: ssarkar@unicef.org
United Nations Children’s Fund
UNICEF House, 73 Lodi Estate, New Delhi,
Follow us on Facebook Twitter and at www.unicef.in
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Categories : Business, CSR, culture, Uncategorized
Gov. Scott: Florida Tourism on Pace for Another Record Year
22 08 2014Tourism-Related Employment Has Lead the State in Growth for 52 Straight Months
Mumbai, 21st August, 2014: Governor Rick Scott announced that according to VISIT FLORIDA’s preliminary estimates* 24.0 million visitors came to Florida in the second quarter of 2014 (April-June), an increase of 3.0 percent over the same period in 2013. This represents the largest second quarter for visitation Florida has ever experienced, exceeding the previous high of 23.3 million in Q2 2013. Visitor spending is up 7.4 percent in January through May 2014, at $35.7 billion, which is more than the same time period in 2013.
Governor Scott said, “A thriving tourism industry is vital to growing jobs, and today’s report that Florida has experienced another record quarter for visitation is great news for Florida families. This year we invested $74 million into VISIT FLORIDA, and set a goal to have 100 million visitors visit the Sunshine State, which we are well on our way to reaching. Together we are creating an opportunity economy, and continuing to grow more jobs for Floridians with more than 1.1 million individuals employed in the growing tourism industry.”
The average number of direct travel-related jobs in Q2 2014 was also a record high, with 1,151,400 Floridians employed in the tourism industry – an increase of 3.9 percent or 43,600 jobs from the same period in 2013.
VISIT FLORIDA estimates that 2.8 million overseas visitors and 1.0 million Canadians came to Florida in Q2 2014, both of which are record highs and represent 6.2 percent and 1.6 percent increases over Q2 2013 respectively. Estimates reflect a 2.6 percent increase in domestic visitors to Florida in Q2 2014 and show that Floridians took just over 3.7 million in-state pleasure trips during the second quarter.
“Experiencing the largest second quarter for tourism in our state’s history, including a record number of tourism-related jobs, proves that this industry continues to be a vital force in Florida,” said Andrew Hertz, Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors. “These records also emphasize the power of tourism as a way to sustain Florida’s economic growth.”
Tourism and recreation taxable sales for Florida grew year-over-year for January-May 2014 (last reported month), representing a 7.4 percent increase over the same period in 2013. Bed Tax also increased year-over-year for January-April 2014 (last reported month), representing a 10.1 percent jump over the same period last year. Other indicators were up for Q2 2014 as well, with the average daily room rate (ADR) rising 7.0 percent, the occupancy rate for Florida hotels increasing 4.8 percent and the demand in rooms sold growing 5.5 percent compared to quarter two 2013.
“Florida tourism is maintaining strong momentum with all indicators up across the board for the quarter,” said Will Seccombe, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA. “With occupancy, rooms sold, average daily room rate and tourism and recreation taxable sales all continuing to climb, we are well on our way to making Florida the No. 1 travel destination in the world.”
To view additional Florida visitor data, please go to the Research page on VISIT FLORIDA’s media website.
*Preliminary estimates are issued 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Final estimates are released when final data are received for all estimates in the report.
Warm Regards,
Anagha Nabar
Manager Corporate Communications
3B, Victoria Plaza,
SV Road, Santacruz West
Mumbai – 400 054
India
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Categories : Tourism, Trade, Uncategorized
Bollywood stars come together in London to support children’s education in India
22 08 2014From: Sonia Sarkar <ssarkar@unicef.org> Thu, 21 Aug ’14 6:32p
To: <recipients undisclosed>
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London, 21 August 2014
Bollywood actress and UNICEF India Goodwill Ambassador Sharmila Tagore and actress and UNICEF Celebrity Advocate, Kareena Kapoor Khan are pictured with former BBC war correspondent and UNICEF UK Ambassador, Martin Bell OBE, and UNICEF UK Deputy Executive Director, Anita Tiessen at The Ritz on Wednesday evening (20th August) for a dinner to support UNICEF’s education work for children in India.
Speaking at the event, Sharmila Tagore, who is celebrating ten years as a UNICEF India Ambassador, said; “Over the last ten years, I’ve seen first-hand, the work UNICEF does to ensure that the rights of every child are realised. Education is one such right. It is the passport to life; without it children are less healthy, less skilled, have fewer choices and less hope for their future. Yet, sadly, access to education still remains a challenge, for millions of children in India. I am privileged to be associated with UNICEF and support their work to improve the lives of children in India.”
UNICEF India Celebrity Advocate, Kareena Kapoor, urged guests to pledge their support for UNICEF, commenting; “I recently visited Rajasthan with UNICEF to see child friendly schools and to meet some of the girls and boys that are benefitting from these programmes. I was inspired to see spaces which are child friendly. These are places where children are full of joy when they interact with teachers, where children feel safe and secure and where interactive and creative tools are used to ensure that children are happy and learning.”
Anita Tiessen, UNICEF UK Deputy Executive Director, said; “Sadly quality education still remains a challenge in India, particularly for girls – where the dropout rate at primary level is 41%. This is often because of attitudes towards the value in girls having an education or schools not having adequate and safe sanitation facilities. When girls drop out of school they become more vulnerable to child marriage, early and unsafe pregnancies, and it has a lasting impact on their future earning power.
“By working with the Government and partners to roll out our education programmes in India, UNICEF can ensure more children, both boys and girls, are going to school, learning, and have a better chance of reaching their full potential.”
For more information about UNICEF’s work in India please visit www.unicef.org/india<http://www.unicef.org/india>
For more information about UNICEF UK please visit www.unicef.org.uk<http://www.unicef.org.uk>
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Bollywood stars come together in London to support children’s education in India
22 08 2014From: Sonia Sarkar <ssarkar@unicef.org> Thu, 21 Aug ’14 6:32p
To: <recipients undisclosed>
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London, 21 August 2014
Bollywood actress and UNICEF India Goodwill Ambassador Sharmila Tagore and actress and UNICEF Celebrity Advocate, Kareena Kapoor Khan are pictured with former BBC war correspondent and UNICEF UK Ambassador, Martin Bell OBE, and UNICEF UK Deputy Executive Director, Anita Tiessen at The Ritz on Wednesday evening (20th August) for a dinner to support UNICEF’s education work for children in India.
Speaking at the event, Sharmila Tagore, who is celebrating ten years as a UNICEF India Ambassador, said; “Over the last ten years, I’ve seen first-hand, the work UNICEF does to ensure that the rights of every child are realised. Education is one such right. It is the passport to life; without it children are less healthy, less skilled, have fewer choices and less hope for their future. Yet, sadly, access to education still remains a challenge, for millions of children in India. I am privileged to be associated with UNICEF and support their work to improve the lives of children in India.”
UNICEF India Celebrity Advocate, Kareena Kapoor, urged guests to pledge their support for UNICEF, commenting; “I recently visited Rajasthan with UNICEF to see child friendly schools and to meet some of the girls and boys that are benefitting from these programmes. I was inspired to see spaces which are child friendly. These are places where children are full of joy when they interact with teachers, where children feel safe and secure and where interactive and creative tools are used to ensure that children are happy and learning.”
Anita Tiessen, UNICEF UK Deputy Executive Director, said; “Sadly quality education still remains a challenge in India, particularly for girls – where the dropout rate at primary level is 41%. This is often because of attitudes towards the value in girls having an education or schools not having adequate and safe sanitation facilities. When girls drop out of school they become more vulnerable to child marriage, early and unsafe pregnancies, and it has a lasting impact on their future earning power.
“By working with the Government and partners to roll out our education programmes in India, UNICEF can ensure more children, both boys and girls, are going to school, learning, and have a better chance of reaching their full potential.”
For more information about UNICEF’s work in India please visit www.unicef.org/india<http://www.unicef.org/india>
For more information about UNICEF UK please visit www.unicef.org.uk<http://www.unicef.org.uk>
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“Using Trade to Beat Inflation’
22 08 2014
Dr. Rajiv Kumar
To Me
Today at 11:46 AM
|
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Categories : Education
AIIMS Sanjiv Chaturvedi issue : sack Harshvardhan if he does not resign
22 08 2014From: Media Cell AAP <mediacellaap@gmail.com> Thu, 21 Aug ’14 5:07p
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demands the immediate resignation of union health minister Dr Harshvardhan failing which the Prime Minister should sack him for his illegal action of having approved the shunting out of whistleblower officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi from the post of Chief Vigilance Officer of AIIMS.
It is shameful that the health minister is defending his shocking action to save his skin, but either he is ill-informed or is deliberately trying to mislead the nation for his blatant compromise with corruption.
AS the CVO of AIIMS, Chaturvedi had recommended CBI probes in scams involving top officials of AIIMS and the AAP is making public nine of these important cases.
Dr Harshvardhan’s action flies directly in the face of Prime Minister’s recent statement that he will not allow anyone to indulge in corruption and loot. There are enough indications of involvement of more ministers in the AIIMS issue and the AAP will reveal more details in coming days.
What is further damning is that the NDA government has even surpassed the record of the previous UPA government in the harassment of this honest officer.
In the previous UPA regime, after being transferred 12 times in five years by the Congress state government of Haryana, which also implicated him in half a dozen false cases and even suspended him, the Prime Minister’s Office had intervened to get him a central deputation and the President had quashed his suspension orders.
Now, when Chaturvedi’s tenure was fixed till June 2016, on which basis has he been divested of the CVO’s responsibility ?
The AAP is making public the letter written by the health ministry on May 23 to AIIMS, in which the ministry has mentioned that BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP JP Nadda had objected to Chaturvedi’s appointment, but this objection was overruled since the appointment was as per the rules (Please find enclosed a copy of this internal letter, which was approved by none other than the health secretary).
On what basis has Dr Harshvardhan forced the health ministry to do a u-turn and reverse its stand within three months ?
Why Mr Nadda wanted Chaturvedi out from the CVO’s post was because on his recommendation, the CBI had registered a case of corruption against Mr Vineet Chaudhary, a Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer, when he was posted as Deputy Director at AIIMS. (Details attached with this press release along with other cases probed by Chaturvedi as CVO).
The NDA government’s latest action is the third suspect decision of its direct compromise with corruption.
Earlier, on July 23, the union home ministry issued a completely unjustified notification to restrict the powers of Delhi’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), in a desperate bid to prevent it from probing the Rs 54,000 crore natural gas pricing scam involving two former ministers of the UPA government.
This was followed by the union petroleum ministry’s affidavit in the Delhi High Court, where it refused to back the ONGC stand that the Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) was stealing gas from its fields in the KG D6 basin off Andhra Pradesh coast.
Regards,
AAP Media cell
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Categories : Politics
PRESS INVITE
22 08 2014From: shabnam hashmi <shabnamhashmi@gmail.com> Thu, 21 Aug ’14 2:42p
To: shabnam hashmi <shabnamhashmi@gmail.com> and others
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PRESS INVITE
Subject: A Panel Discussion : Right to Choose & Politics of Love Jihad
Dear Sir/ Madam,
DHANAK and ANHAD are jointly organizing a panel discussion of the topic of “Right to Choose & The Politics of Love Jihad” at 1st Floor, Press Club of India, Raisina Road, New Delhi on 22nd August 2014, between 3 to 6 pm. Eminent speakers and couples in interfaith/caste marriage will share the challenges and experiences related to mixed marriage, the right to choose and the politics of ‘Love Jihad’.
August 22, 2014
3-6pm
Press Club of India, 1st Floor, Raisina Road, New Delhi
Introduction: Asif Iqbal
3-4pm
Panel 1: Prof Apoorvanand, Seema Misra, Shabana Siddiqui & Manish Garg
4-5pm
Panel 2: Nivedita Menon,Tehmina Arora , Munnalal Verma & Razia Kazmi
5-6pm
Panel 3- Jagmati Sangwan, Manisha Bhalla, Paul Divakar, Shweta Verma, Yusra Yamin
Kindly depute a reporter and a photographer to cover it.
Yours sincerely
Shabnam Hashmi
Asif Iqbal
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Kenya free of Ebola
22 08 2014
Despite there being no case of Ebola
reported in Kenya, the Government in Kenya through the Ministry of
Health has constituted a multi agency Ebola Task Force which has been
meeting for three months now to assess the situation at local, country,
regional and global levels and advice the Ministry on response
activities. This task force that comprises public health experts and
other stakeholders continue to meet regularly until the Ebola Outbreak
is controlled.
H.E Florence I. Weche, High Commissioner of Kenya to India
said “Following the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, I would like to
confirm to the Indian community and international visitors emanating
from India that is very safe and secure to travel to Kenya. Stringent
measures have been put in place by the Government of Kenya, especially
at airports and other ports of entry to ensure proper screening prior to
entry into Kenya, particularly with regard to visitors emanating from
areas where Ebola is present.
No Travel advisories have been
recommended and our National carrier, Kenya Airways, has instituted
strict precautionary measures for the safety of its passengers and
personnel.
Wishing you a safe, successful and enjoyable trip to Kenya.”
The current outbreak of Ebola in West
Africa was first reported in March 2014. The distance between the
Western Africa countries (Sierra Leone) that have reported Ebola cases
and Kenya is about 7,760 km as per Google maps.
Kenya has one of the most developed
tourism sectors in Africa. And is a very safe destination for tourist.
The Ministry is working with airlines to screen travellers who come from
or transit through West Africa. Hence keeping high measures to protect
Kenya from any threat.
From Tuesday, 18th August Kenya
Airways has suspended temporarily all its flights to Liberia and Sierra
Leone on the advice of Kenyas Ministry of Health as a measure to
prevent the spread of Ebola from those countries until the outbreak has
been brought under control. The Kenya government also announced other
restrictions because of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa and is
temporarily suspending entry into Kenya of any passengers who have
passed through Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.
For more information please contact:
Kenya Tourist Board www.magicalkenya.com
C/o TRAC Representations India Pvt. Ltd.
Kenya Tourist Board www.magicalkenya.com
C/o TRAC Representations India Pvt. Ltd.
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New Delhi: Forum on Investing in Young Children Globally
22 08 2014From: Sonia Sarkar <ssarkar@unicef.org> Fri, 22 Aug ’14 10:44a
To: <recipients undisclosed>
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Dear Colleague
Next week the Forum on Investing in Young Children Globally (iYCG) will be held in Delhi on August 26-27 in partnership with the Center for Early Childhood Education and Development (CECED), Ambedkar University, Delhi. The Forum will be oragnised in Oberoi Hotel. The Forum aims to connect the best science on how to support children’s growth and development with practices and policies on the ground around the world. Forum activities will highlight the science and economics of integrated investments in young children living in low resources areas of the world across areas of health, nutrition, education, and social protection.
UNICEF is one of the supporting organizations to the Forum (ROSA Early Childhood Development Focal points will be attending the Forum as well as UNICEF HQ ECD Senior Advisor).
Kind regards
Sonia
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Categories : Business
Honda Activa No 1 selling 2 -wheeler
22 08 2014
Honda Activa reiterates ‘Pole position’ in Indian 2wheeler industry
· Activa becomes the No.1 selling 2-wheeler yet again
· At 1,91,883 units in July’14 Activa achieved 64% YOY growth
New Delhi, August 22, 2014: Honda
Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) – the Only Honda in
Indian 2-Wheeler industry once again sets higher standards as Activa
reiterates its No.1 position. Continuing to register higher sales month
after month, it’s for the third time in last 11 months that Activa
achieved highest sales amongst all 2- wheeler models sold in the
country.
In July’14, Honda Activa sold 1,91,883 units and achieved YOY growth of 64%from July ’13 to July’14.
Speaking on the achievement, Mr. Yadvinder S. Guleria- Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, we are excited that
Activa
has once again become the highest selling 2-wheeler of India. This is
more significant since an automatic scooter displaced a motorcycle for
numero uno position in Indian 2- wheeler industry. This clearly
indicates that Activa is exponentially getting acceptance as the most
preferred choice of 2-wheeler for commuting. In the last few years
scooters have evolved and become more technologically advanced, fuel
efficient and stylish. The high growth of Scooters in India has
primarily been led by Honda and we are confident of maintaining this
leadership in future.”
Since its launch in FY 2001-02, Honda Activa has registered phenomenal growth. Its consistent performance along with technology
up-gradation for better mileage has won hearts of Indian customers. The
latest launch Activa 125 has received an overwhelming response from the
market. This versatile vehicle enabled mobility, empowered many
families and continues to lay trust as female riders join the wagon.
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