The Ramon Magsaysay Awards: Empowering the disabled

MANILA, Philippines – In Bangladesh where there are an estimated 13 million people with disabilities, one man has found a way to empower them and make them productive citizens despite their handicap.

A.H.M. Noman Khan, among this year’s Ramon Magsaysay awardees, is recognized for his “pioneering leadership in mainstreaming persons with disabilities in the development process of Bangladesh and in working vigorously with all sectors to build a society that is truly inclusive and barrier-free.”

Khan believes in the abilities of the disabled despite their limitations.

“Persons with disabilities have dreams which they want to fulfill like everyone else – to work, to sustain a future, to exist side by side with others. All they need is the proper environment to work in and lead life equal to everyone else,” he said.

Despite the meager resources and lack of attention for the disabled, Khan worked against the odds and in 1996, with seven colleagues in the development field, organized the Center for Disability in Development (CDD) and became its executive director.

Under his leadership, Khan introduced a unique twin-strategy they called Community Approaches to Handicap in Development(CAHD which focuses on “strengthening the capacities of communities to serve the needs of their disabled members.”

A major vision of the program is to mainstream disability as an important part of the development work of government and non-government organizations, so that disability issues are tackled more seriously and given more attention, a task considered gargantuan by some NGOs in Bangladesh.

But Khan and his group were determined to push their ambitious and revolutionary program.

Despite problems like having to network a large number of people and organizations, Khan proceeded in implementing the program and fortunately, it made good progress.

Since its establishment 14 years ago, CDD has trained over 10,000 development workers from 350 organizations in Bangladesh, who can now provide services and create inclusion opportunities for persons with disabilities.

With seven service and training centers and tie-ups with other organizations, CDD has reached out to 52 of the country’s 64 districts, carrying out innovative, disability-inclusive projects in education, food security and disaster risk reduction.

The CDD also operates centers and mobile units that provide information, counseling and therapeutic services and even established a National Resource Center in Assistive Technology, manufacturing and distributing Orthosis and prosthesis devices, and training craftsmen to produce these devices.

To further the cause of the disabled, Khan has also pushed for policy advocacy and initiatives for a disabled-friendly society.

With great success, he and his group have transformed the ways a society can address the issue of disability and today, the program is being used as a model for other countries.

Khan happily reported that CDD has trained organizations from other countries and its CAHD strategy has been replicated in Nepal, India and the Philippines.

He expressed the dream that all disabled people will feel empowered as well and governments will be more attentive to their needs.