On the occasion of World White Cane Day, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that support for people with disabilities, like many other human rights issues, has been undermined in Afghanistan.
The HRW’s report published today (Saturday, October 15, 2022) states that people with disabilities in Afghanistan face discrimination, limited services, and the lack of a legal or institutional framework to guarantee their fundamental rights.
For example, the Afghan constitution, which was ratified in 2004, contains no provisions prohibiting disability discrimination or legal obligations to provide accommodations, the report said. The Taliban have currently suspended this law.
The HRW said that despite the current situation in Afghanistan, human rights advocates will continue to raise their voices on behalf of the 4.4 million Afghans with disabilities.
World White Cane Day was recognized on October 15, 1964, to raise awareness of how visually impaired people in America can walk.
Six years later, this occasion turned into a worldwide event.
Afghanistan celebrated this occasion for the first time in 2011 and it has been celebrated in recent years as well. This year, under Taliban rule, it is doubtful if the occasion is going to be celebrated.
