The first Disability Forum –to make the Rights Real was held on 7^th December 2011 at SHE Building. The forum was formally opened by the Deputy Minister of Health and Family (MoHF), Fathmath Afiya. Disability Council, the Gender Department of MoHF, National Social Protection Agency (NSPA), Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Housing and Environment, and Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM), gave presentations on disability related work that they have done in 2011 and shared their plans for the next year.

Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Department of Information) and Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports, had also shared their interest and the various areas that they can explore to better the lives of persons with disabilities.

On behalf of all the NGOs working in the disability field (Maldives Deaf Association, Blind and Visual Impairment Society of Maldives, Care Society, Association for Disability Development,  and Autism Association) Care Society’s Director Shidhatha Shareef gave a presentation on the role of NGOs , the challenges faced, and also the recommendations to the respective sectors.

After each presentation the floor was opened for Questions and answers. Group discussions were held to discuss how to speed up the implementation of Disability Act (8/2010), how to acquire budgets, and how to establish a disability network. After the discussions a steering committee was elected from the participants to work on forming the network. The committee includes representatives from Human Rights Commission of Maldives, National Social Protection Agency, Association for Disability Development, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Department of Information), and Disability Council and also representatives from Persons with Disabilities.

A declaration was drafted including the comments, recommendations and also highlighting the areas that need to be addressed immediately with regard to the Disability Act (8/2010). The declaration was co-signed by the Disability Council, Ministry of Health and Family, and NGOs. On behalf of the NGOs Care Society signed the declaration.

It would be the responsibility of all the sectors to work as a team to achieve the goals agreed in the declaration.

Left to Right: Shidhatha Shareef, the Director of Care Soceity; Fathimath Afiya, The Deputy Minister of The Ministry of Health and Family & Ahmed Athif, The President of Disability Council.