[ Top 
]
] According to UNESCAP, nearly two-thirds of the world´ s disabled people live in South and Southeast Asia. They are poor and face discrimination which deprives them of social opportunity. Their disabilities mainly result from food/nutritional problems, road accidents, aging, alcohol dependence and schizophrenia. Women and girls with disabilities face the most severe discrimination. ESCAP said that there is a strong need to improve community access to education, training and rehabilitation for persons with disabilities in the region
(for more information, http://www.disabilityworld.org).
Twenty percent of the communities in Fiji and Australia tolerate discrimination against people with disabilities, Graeme Innes, Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner for the Human Rights Commission in Australia, says. He went on to say that politicians in Fiji should move to rectify discrimination of disabled people in the country. Finally, he pointed out that many people with disabilities seeking jobs were unemployed because either the facilities were inaccessible or the attitude of employers meant that they were just not chosen for the jobs
(for more information, http://www.fijilive.com).
The Fiji Human Rights Commission urged the Government to create a barrier-free and rights-based society for all disabled people living in the country by means of setting up a Cabinet committee to discuss the proposed UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and the Implementation of the Disability Action Plan. The Commission also suggested that this committee should include representatives of people with disabilities and take immediate action as it not only benefits people with disabilities but also people in general
(for more information, http://www.fijilive.com).
Draft legislation to protect the rights of people with disabilities has been caught in the planning stage for six years despite the large number of people affected by it in Cambodia. In order to accelerate the draft process, it might be necessary to seek the help and full support of Prime Minister Hun Sen who lost one eye during the war and is keen to help people with disabilities
(for more information, http://www.PhnomPenhPost.com).
A seminar on Universal Web Accessibility-Building Digital Ramps was organized by Enabling Dimensions India on 20 November 2002 to raise a social awareness on universal web accessibility. This seminar addressed the diverse needs of people with disabilities for equal access to electronic information. It also included the issue of web accessibility for the purpose of improving the quality of lives of people with disabilities. Dr. M.M. Pant, former Pro Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU, said that "We will be setting up a larger group of organizations to further the cause of equal access to electronic information. We are also organizing a training workshop for web developers to educate them how to develop accessible websites on the occasion of World Disability Day. We will also be approaching IT secretaries of various state governments to ensure that at least the government websites are accessible
(for more information, http://www.icdri.org).
Mr. John Dable Nebare reported that there were many disabled people in Papua New Guinea (PNG) but no opportunities and incentives were created for them to live independently. After being invited to attend the 20th Asia and Pacific Regional Disabled People International Training Seminar held in Shanghai, China from 8-12 October 2002, and the DPI Sixth World Assembly in Sapporo, Japan from 15-18 October 2002, PNG»s participation in these internationally recognized meetings has opened the door for disabled people in the country. He added, " the physically disabled will be considered for assistance in terms of seeking cures, caring, education and promotion of a barrier-free environment for them". In the meantime, he urged all disabled people in PNG to co-operate and help the PNG NADP because there will be no success without cooperation. He also said that he would never forget the opportunity he had to participate and represent PNG in the international meetings in October 2002 and vowed to commit himself towards strengthening the national assembly
(for more information, http://www.thenational.com).
] 
