Saturday, February 23, 2019

Chairman's Welcoming Speech: "Reaching beyond boundaries: Transcending Disability" - 15.10.2018


"The human spirit is one of ability, perseverance and courage that no disability can steal away." Anonymous.

Enhancing the rights of persons with disabilities does not happen in a vacuum. So much collaboration and commitment is required from everyone from the lawyers of the Malaysian Bar, NGOs, government, employers and other groups to build a deeper understanding of disability issues and to address the structural barriers that lie at the heart of discrimination. 

People with disabilities are routinely denied opportunities for work and education and face barriers in accessing places and services especially medical services that many of us take for granted. Too often, they are victims of violence, sexual abuse, harassment, humiliation, forced sterilisation and institutionalisation. 

This afternoon, the KLBar's GEDC committee are very fortunate to have a distinguished panel of passionate speakers, Dr. Amar Singh, Mr James Low and Ms Sangeet Kaur Deo with Amanda Kong as moderator. It should be noted that the last forum organised by the Bar Council on Disability Rights was in December 2010, so it's time to push the needle. 

I look forward to learning from them and moving forward, the challenge is to make the rights set out in the Convention a reality in the day-to-day lives of people with disabilities and for a more progressive, caring and inclusive Malaysia.

Goh Siu LIn
Chairman 2018/2019

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