The Community Base Rehabilitation (CBR) Department within the Ministry of Health is seeking help for people with disability in the Solomon Islands.
In an interview with a CBR worker, Ms. Cyrene Aonima spoke of the need to help find funding to assist people with disability in the country.Ms. Aonima stated that while attending a training last month in Australia, she found out that the Australian government have put development for disabilities as their priority.
She stated that the training helped Disability People Organizations (DPO) to look at weaknesses within the organizations and try to strengthen them. She reported that many DPOs from all over the Asia and Pacific have attended the training, "which helped us gain skills and knowledge on how to deal with people with disability."
Ms. Aonima told Solomon Times that training organizers are focusing mainly on developing countries around the world, to strengthen networking and advocacy between rehabilitation workers and people with disability.
She also revealed that the Prime Minister and his delegation signed the Convention of the Right for People with Disability (CRPD) during his recent visit to the UN meeting.
"The Solomon Islands have already signed the convention but there are still no implementations by the government for the disabilities," said Ms. Aonima.
The Convention aims to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy human rights on an equal basis with others and by signing it, the government would have to make considerations of implementing this convention.
Meanwhile, she also mentioned that they are networking with CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women) stakeholders to ensure that women with disabilities are recognized. "It is time for the women's association to work with women with disabilities," stated Ms. Aonima.
She also said that she is reaching out for more help and funds from other responsible authorities to help while waiting for the government to implement the convention relating to disability.