The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The government has completed negotiations for an IDA credit of US$ 35 million to increase the use of social and rehabilitation services by persons with disabilities, vulnerable children and adolescents.

The two-day negotiations with the World Bank for the interest-free credit concluded on Wednesday, said a statement on Thursday. The proposed Disability and Children-at-Risk Project (DCRP) seeks to improve health, education and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, including raising public awareness for their empowerment.

Three areas to be focussed under the project are disability services, awareness and capacity building; children-at-risk services; and capacity building of the Ministry of Social Welfare. National Foundation for the Development of Disabled People (NFDDP) would implement the first focus area, aimed at transforming the agency into a centre of excellence for disability services. NGOs with a disability focus would undertake awareness activities through area-based performance contracting, training and support to Partner Organisations, and innovation grants, to be approved by the NFDDP Board.

Under the children-at-risk services component, services for very vulnerable children and adolescents, primarily in urban and metropolitan areas, would be scaled up with the help of experienced NGOs.

It envisages supporting awareness campaign, including shelters for street children, drug abuse prevention and counseling, orphanages, foster care, campaigns against child abuse and hazardous forms of child labour.

The Social Welfare Ministry's capacity would be increased by undertaking activities such as surveys, censuses, and needs assessments of People with Disability (PWDs) and very vulnerable children; training for ministry staff and its social workers. It would also provide technical assistance for medium to long-term implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People, which Bangladesh has signed recently.