IN 2010, for the first time, The Indian Academy of Cerebral Palsy, Hyderabad, had proposed 3rd October to be celebrated as National Cerebral Palsy Day to create awareness about the disability. Celebrating any occasion as a National Day is to create:
 Awareness generation and information sharing in the community about cerebral palsy.
 To create awareness and bring attention of government officials towards the entitlements of children with cerebral palsy.
 To gather support and common will among community members for families living with cerebral palsy.
 I, as Secretary North Zone of National Confederation of Parents Association, would request Parents of Cerebral Palsy to unite and make their platform as our children cannot represent themselves; it’s we, the parents have to come out and represent them. Although, Indian Government is signatory to UN Convention on the rights of persons with Disability (UNCRPD), it is now obligatory upon the Centre and as well as State Govts to incorporate the essence of the convention in our planning, implementation, monitoring and review process. So far, in the eleventh plan not much has been done as expected.
 Parents have to take the responsibility to come forward and see that the Govt delivers rights to education, health, shelter and ……….so on. Today our media has changed the entire scenario; they do the job what citizens of the country were doing. Parents must bring out their special children weather they are Cerebral Palsy, Autistic, Multiple or learning disable and create awareness by celebrating National Day by organising functions at public places to get the right of inclusion weather it’s education, health, shelter, adult’s rehabilitation or job placements.
 My earnest request to all parents is if you want to achieve and create bright future of your special children than you must work jointly, and we will definitely create an example for the rest of the world.
 This is my personal experience for the last 2 decades I have devoted for the cause, being a father of 25 year old Down syndrome daughter.
Amarjit Singh Anand, Prsident Chaanan Assn for M.R Children, Jalandhar
and State Executive Member of Special Olympics Punjab Chapter.
Email: amarjitsinghanand@gmail.com.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 6 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST