Mauritius has signed the Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in September 2007 and we are now heading towards its ratification. However, much still remains to be done to create awareness among the public, particularly the young, about the Convention and its implication in the lives of people with disabilities.
Hence to raise awareness on this subject, the PR’s Office, organised a ‘‘Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” on Friday 20 March 2009 at the University of Mauritius. The conference was delivered by the guest speaker, Mr Coomara Pyneeandee, Barrister-at-law and part-time Advisor to the Ministry of Social Security Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizen Welfare and Reform Institutions on disability issues.
Students of the Faculty of Law and Management, together with their programme coordinator, Ms Odile Lim Tung were particularly interested by the subject and contributed considerably to the debate. Discussions focussed on the shift in mindset from a Medical model to a Human Rights model and whether Inclusive Education was an achievable goal.
Mrs Nivault, the PRO of the University and Chairperson of the Training Employment of the Disabled Persons Board (TEDPB), acted as moderator. The PR’s office with the collaboration of motivated UOM students intends to continue its awareness campaign so that in depth understanding of disability issues be made possible and thereby contribute to the welfare of the vulnerable and to the building up of an inclusive society.
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He was also Mayor of curepipe in 2009