Disability
March 2002
Japan International Cooperation Agency
Planning and Evaluation Department
Country Profile on Disability
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Table of Contents
Figures ....................................................................................................................................... ii
Tables ......................................................................................................................................... ii
Abbreviations............................................................................................................................ iii
1. Basic Profile........................................................................................................................... 1
1-1.Basic Indicators ............................................................................................................... 1
1-2.Indicators on Disability ................................................................................................... 3
2. Issues on Disability ................................................................................................................ 5
2-1.Definition of Disability in Pakistan ................................................................................. 5
2-2.Current Situation ............................................................................................................. 5
2-3.Documentation and Surveys on Disability ...................................................................... 6
3. Administration and Policy on Disability................................................................................ 8
3-1. Administration on Disability .......................................................................................... 8
3-2. Laws and Regulations on Disability ............................................................................. 10
3-3. Policies on Disability.................................................................................................... 11
3-4. Measures on Disability ................................................................................................. 11
3-5. Experts and Workers in the Field of Disability............................................................. 16
4. Disability-related organizations and Activities .................................................................... 18
4-1. Activities by Disability-related organizations .............................................................. 18
4-2. Cooperation projects on Disability Organized by International and Other Donors...... 18
5. References............................................................................................................................ 20
i
Figures
Figure 1: Disability-specific data....................................................................................... 3
Figure 2: Area-specific data by gender .............................................................................. 4
Tables
Table 1: Age-specific data, 0-18, and 18 and above. ......................................................... 4
Table 2: Percentage of Persons with Disabilities in the population ................................... 4
ii
Abbreviations
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1. Basic Profile
Population1
Population (total) 138.1 million 2000
% of women 48.2% 2000
% of urban population 36% 1999
Life Expectancy2 (total) 59.6 1999
Male 59.8 1999
Female 59.5 1999
Medical Care
Medical care personnel2
Population/Doctor 1,754 1990-99
Population/Nurse & midwife 3,125 1992-95
1
World Bank. World Development Report 2000-2001
2
UNDP. Human Development Report 2001
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Education
Education system3
Primary education 5 year
Compulsory education N/A
Adult literacy rate1
Male 58% 1998
Female 49% 1998
Enrollment ratio3
Primary education
(Net enrollment ratio)
Total 96% 1997
Male 91% 1995-99
Female 92% 1995-99
Primary education4
(Gross enrollment ratio)
Total 65% 1991
Male 87% 1991
Female 42% 1991
Secondary education
(Net enrollment ratio)
Total 61% 1997
Male 37% 1996
Female 39% 1996
Higher education
(Gross enrollment ratio)
Total 10.3% 1996
Male 10.0% 1996
Female 10.7% 1996
3
UNESCO. Statistical Yearbook 1999
4
USAID ESDS. GED2000 Retrieved February 21, 2002, from http//qesdb.cdie.org/ged/index.html
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Disability-specific Data
Physical Disability
40%
Overlapping
10%
Physical Disability
Mental Disability
20% Visual Impairment
Hearing Impairment
Mental Disability
Overlapping
Hearing Impairment
10% Visual Impairment
20%
Source: Oracle Research & Information Services. Country Profile Study on Persons with
Disabilities
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Age-specific Data
Table 1: Age-specific data, 0-18, and 18 and above.
Physical Visual Hearing Mentally Overlapping
Disability Impairment Impairment Disability
0-18 years old
2.82(million) 1.41 0.705 1.41 0.705
Area-specific Data
Figure 2: Area-specific data by gender
2000
1800
1600
1400
Number of PWDs
1200
Female
1000
800 Male
600
400
200
0
Punjab Sind Balouchistan N.W.F.P
Areas
Source: Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education, Pakistan
Retrieved March 7, 2002 from http://mowd.gov.pk/index.html
Grade-specific Data
N/A
Cause-specific Data
N/A
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2. Issues on Disability
Persons with disabilities also face multiple social, economic, physical and political handicaps,
hampering their freedom of movement in society. These barriers include stigmatization and a
misunderstanding of the abilities and aspirations of persons with disabilities. There is also a
pronounced lack of informational data, rules and regulations, rehabilitation centers, and
mainstreaming and specialized services for persons with disabilities.
In Pakistan, no single ministry or federal department deals with, issues related to disability.
There is only the ministry, responsible for social welfare, women’s development and special
education, which touches upon person with disabilities issues. However, at the local level,
there are no specific sections or departments responsible for person with disabilities programs
at the local level.
Moreover, Pakistanis believe that persons with disabilities are a social burden and a curse on
the family. These beliefs lead to the misunderstanding of disability. They prevent people from
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obtaining appropriate information and being educated. Employment opportunities for persons
with disabilities are very limited and so they are a financial burden for their families.
Only limited categories of disabilities (physical disabilities such as amputations, foot and leg
deformities, visual and hearing impairments) have been surveyed nationwide and most of the
data has not been categorized by gender. Therefore, quantitative, nationwide, disaggregated
data, by gender and age, is required for comprehensive policymaking and an assessment of
progress. Person with Disabilities-related items taken up by the National Census, specific
theme and regional studies by regional governments, as well as governmental and
international organizations should be collected, and missing information or items should be
surveyed. At the same time, it is important to publish and disseminate the results of these
surveys to persons with disabilities themselves, policy makers, project implementators and aid
donors so that they can be utilized for policy making and international project planning.
The National Population Census is theoretically conducted every 10 years. The latest National
Population Census was conducted in 1998; its predecessor was in 1981.
National Census
【Title】 National Population Census of Pakistan
【Last published】 1998
【Items regarding Person with Disabilities】
Survey on demographic data. A number of persons with disabilities in a household was
identified. Disability was classified into five categories: visual, hearing, physical, mental and
psychiatric.
Other Surveys
【Title】 Census of Disabled Persons of Rawalpindi and Islamabad,
【Last published】
【Conducted by】DGSE, Government of Pakistan Islamabad
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Secretary
Additional
Secretary/
Director General
Deputy Director Deputy Director Accounts Officer Deputy Director Deputy Director
(P&D) (A&C) (Works) (SE-Ⅱ) (SE-Ⅳ)
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Local Government
【Organizational chart】
Local Governments have their own governmental body that includes a Governor, Provincial
Assembly, Provincial Cabinet, and Provincial Government. There are four local government
bodies in the Punjab, Sindh, Balouchistan and NWFP governments.
Organizational chart of Social Welfare Department in the Government of NWFP
Secretary
Social Welfare
Additional Secretary
Social Welfare
Deputy Secretary
Social Welfare
Supervisor HQR
Superintendent
HQR
5
Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education. Retrieved March 7, 2002,
from http://mowd.gov.pk/index.html
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Although a law on the employment and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities was passed
in 1981, there is currently no comprehensive legislation covering persons with disabilities.
Therefore, laws and regulations on disability-related sectors other than simply employment
and rehabilitation are required. Parallel to these efforts, governmental policies on person with
disabilities welfare must be strengthened with provision of information and responsibility
sharing amongst ministries outside the Ministry of Women’s Development, Social Welfare and
Special Education.
6
1 rupee = 1.788 yen (as of end March 2002)
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7
Muslims are required to pay a religious tax known as Zakat, which is two and a half percent of
year-end savings, cash or assets. Zakat is meant to benefit only the indigent. The state also deducts
Zakat on all savings bank accounts on the first day of Ramadan (the month of dawn to dusk fasting).
The 12-month Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar.
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disabilities.
1. Coordinates national efforts to prevent disabilities, plans and develops an integrated
referral system throughout the country and serves as a training center for those
involved in the prevention of disabilities;
2. Plans and develops an early disability detection system for children;
3. Plans and develops a multi-professional assessment and diagnostic system at the
district and divisional level;
4. Plans and develops a health surveillance system through existing institutions;
5. Coordinates and supports services for persons with disabilities through various
institutions;
6. Provides treatment to people with various disabilities;
7. Provides medical rehabilitation services for people with extensive disabilities;
8. Carries out research on artificial limbs (manufacture and assembly) and hearing aids;
9. Provides dormitory and convalescent facilities to 120 hospitalized patients;
10. Forming a primary health care system
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The Government does not impose duties or taxes on motorized wheelchairs and special
vehicles. Pakistan produces all prosthetic and orthotic devices indigenously and is able to
meet the “official” demand for these devices. However, many persons with disabilities,
especially in rural areas, have not been identified and are unaccounted for in the “official”
demand8.
Students enrolled in the national or provincial special education centers are fitted with hearing
aids, aids for visual correction, white canes, braces, corrective boots and crutches
free-of-charge.
Education
【Current situation】
The Directorate General of Special Education has established 46 special education centers,
and the National Trust for the Disabled has set up 3 special education centers. Assessment,
diagnostic and special education services are provided, personal aids and devices are
distributed, curricula are developed and sports and recreational activities are planned.
The Directorate General of Special Education runs 11 centers for persons with visual
impairment, 12 for those with intellectual disabilities, 12 for those with hearing impairments
and 11 for those with physical disability. Provincial governments have also set up special
education institutions.
The National Institute for Special Education (NISE) was established in 1986 to develop expert
training programs, long-term and short-term certification courses, build partnerships with
universities, research centers and international organizations as well as develop and publish
instructive materials.
Special education faculties have been established within the Universities of Karachi and
8
United Nations, Production and Distribution of Assistive Devices for People with Disabilities.
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Punjab. At the same time, school teachers were trained and integrated education promoted
despite some objections from parents of non-disabled children.
There are private Braille libraries in Lahore and Karachi. In Islamabad, there is a National
Talking Book Center and similar private sector centers in Lahore and Karachi. In addition,
there are governmental Braille publishers in Karachi and Bahawalpur as well as a modern
publishing facility in Islamabad.
Social Service
【Current situation】
N/A
【Policy/program title】 Unknown
【Implementation year】
【Description】
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society.
The NTCD provides vocational training and rehabilitative services to Persons with
Disabilities in various trades, assisting successful trainees in finding suitable jobs.
Two vocational training centers have also been established in Karachi and Lahore, providing
the same services as the NTCD9.
The NCRDP was established in 1982 to coordinate policies on employment, rehabilitation and
welfare for persons with disabilities. The Disabled Persons Employment and Rehabilitation
Ordinance coordinates and evaluates the implementation of these policies.
Managed by the private organization Pakistan Retintis Pigmentosa Society, is the vocational
rehabilitation center for women in Darakhshan, women with visual, physical and light
intellectual disabilities are taught daily routine skills, income generating skills, mobility skills,
adult and religious education for half a year and is the only facility that targets women with
disabilities.
【Policy/program title】 Office Directive for "Enhancement Quota for Disabled Persons"
【Implementation year】
【Description】To raise the quota for Persons with Disabilities in the government sector
from 1 to 2 %.
9
United Nations. Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons: Mid-Point ~ Country Perspectives,
1999.
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Communication Tools
【Current situation】
No information available.
Training of guides for the visually impaired takes place at a national center for mobility and
self-training10.
10
Nakanishi, Yukiko. Ajia no Shougaisha (PWDs in Asia) Gendaishokan. 1996
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11
Matric is 10 years of high school
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In 1992, the ILO and UNDP started the “Project of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
of Disabled Persons” in order to improve employment opportunities for Persons with
Disabilities. It is an innovative project in terms of shifting the policy from disability-benefit,
charity-based services, to the integration of Persons with Disabilities in the local labor market.
The programs and activities of this project are13:
12
ILO. Thematic Evaluation: ILO Projects on Training for Employment. Retrieved from
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb280/pdf/tc-1-ax.pdf
13
Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare, and Special Education. Vocational Rehabilitation
and Employment of Disabled Persons. Retrieved from http://mowd.gov.pk/social_welfare/vredp.htm
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Assistance by Japan
Japan’s assistance in FY 2000
1. Project-type Technical Cooperation: The Maternal and Child Health Project in Pakistan
2. Grant Aid: The Project for Expansion of Immunization against Neonatal Tetanus
3. Grant Aid: National Disability Research Institute Construction Project (18 million yen)
14
See: http://www.jica.go.jp/english/publication/annual/2001/pdf/216_234.pdf
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5. References
Main source:
Oracle Research and Information Services. Country Profile Study on Persons with
Disabilities.
Other references:
International Labor Organization. Thematic Evaluation: ILO Projects on Training for
Employment. Retrieved from
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/gb/docs/gb280/pdf/tc-1-ax.pdf
Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education, Pakistan. Retrieved
March 7, 2002, from http://mowd.gov.pk/index.html
United Nations. Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons: mid-point ~ country
perspectives, New York: United Nations publication. 1999.
United Nations, Production and Distribution of Assistive Devices for People with Disabilities.
Retrieved March 8, 2002, from http://www.dinf.org/doc/intl/z15/z15002p2/z1500201.htm
UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) Report on the Global HIV/AIDS
Epidemic, June 2000
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Statistical Yearbook. 1999
U.S. Agency for International Development. ESDS. GED2000 Retrieved February 21, 2002,
from http//qesdb.cdie.org/ged/index.html
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