Myanmar reaffirms commitment to equal rights, opportunities for persons with disabilities

THE National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities held its first meeting of 2026 yesterday afternoon at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement in Nay Pyi Taw, with Committee Chair and Vice-President of the Republic of the Un­ion of Myanmar Nan Ni Ni Aye delivering the opening remarks.

In her address, the Vice-President said per­sons with disabilities are an important part of soci­ety and should have equal rights and opportunities. She stressed the need to fully implement laws, rules and policies concerning per­sons with disabilities and to ensure equal access to education, healthcare, em­ployment and transport.

She called for greater public awareness of the rights, needs and available support services for per­sons with different types of disabilities, while also urging efforts to eliminate discrimination and mockery against persons with disabil­ities and promote a human-rights-based approach.

The Vice-President em­phasized the importance of accessibility in public facili­ties and called on ministries and committees responsi­ble for development affairs to prioritize accessibility measures in accordance with the Myanmar Nation­al Building Code. She also highlighted government ef­forts to provide education and care for persons with disabilities, noting that nine schools are being operated by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettle­ment and that a new school for children with disabilities has recently been opened in Ottarathiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw.

She further called for cooperation between the government and private sector to create employ­ment opportunities suited to the abilities of persons with different disabilities and to promote their participation in business, community life, culture, sports and the arts.

In the healthcare sec­tor, she said persons with disabilities should receive priority services at hospitals and clinics, including emer­gency care, laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging. She also stressed the need to include persons with dis­abilities in disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness measures, as they are particularly vulnerable during natural disasters.

 

During the meeting, Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Reset­tlement Dr Soe Win, who is also Vice-Chairman 1 of the committee, reported on measures undertaken to promote the rights of persons with disabilities, while Deputy Minister Dr Thant Zaw Lwin reported on progress in implement­ing decisions from previ­ous committee meetings.

Committee members and representatives of dis­ability organizations then discussed ongoing activi­ties, plans and measures needed to further protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities. The Vice-President pro­vided additional instruc­tions and coordination before delivering closing remarks and concluding the meeting. – MNA/ST