The Education Ministry in collaboration with UNICEF Bhutan launched the first-ever Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) study on children with disabilities in Thimphu, on Saturday.
The study provides an insight into attitudes of Bhutanese people towards children with disabilities. According to education officials, the survey was carried out in nine districts where responses were asked based on sex, age, and education status among others.
“One of the key findings under the Knowledge on disability is very limited. And educated people are more aware of disability issue and their attitude towards children with disability is more positive than those who are uneducated,” said Tshering Lhamo, Deputy Chief Programme Officer of Education Ministry. “Under practices, it was discovered that access to services for children with disability is poor, mainly in rural areas.”
UNICEF Bhutan hopes the study will be instrumental in making policies and programmes to address the needs of one of the most marginalised groups and help identify priorities on social inclusion of children with special needs. The KAP study is also expected to guide relevant stakeholders in improving and reforming policies to support disabled children.
“There are number of recommendations and UNICEF is fully committed to work with various partners to help families, to help institutions and to also improve the knowledge because if people have the right knowledge, already the effort has been made in order to improve the lives,” said Rudolf Schwenk, Representative of UNICEF Bhutan. “This will lead to much more inclusive society,” she added.
Government officials present at the report launch also agreed that the attitude of Bhutanese people towards disabled children has improved in recent years.
