DUSHANBE, 16.07.2018. /NIAT “Khovar”/. The Government of Tajikistan, UNICEF and sister UN agencies, as well as civil society partners are today launching a national public awareness campaign to promote respect for the rights and dignity of children, women and men with disabilities, and to challenge prevailing misconceptions and reduce stigma about disability.

According to UNICEF Office in Tajikistan, the overall aim of this initiative is to create a more inclusive society with opportunity for all.

“The campaign will run under the overall motto of “Each One of Us is Able” as a reminder that every member of Tajik society is able to make an important contribution to stability, cohesion and prosperity”, — notes the source.

It is reportedly said that the launch event will be formally opened by the First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population, Ms. Saida Umarzoda, the UN Resident Coordinator, Dr. Pratibha Mehta, UNICEF Representative in Tajikistan, Mr. Luciano Calestini, and the Ambassador of Japan to Tajikistan, H.E. Hajime Kitaoka. Following the opening, performances and stories by people with disabilities will be delivered.

This first six-month campaign was designed within the framework of Tajikistan’s 2017-2020 National Programme on Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, and aims to promote a socially inclusive society.

We will recall that Tajikistan signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in March 2018, paving the way for progressive legal and policy changes that will further promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. This campaign seeks to support the efforts of the Government of Tajikistan towards the implementation of the CRPD.