Gérald Oriol Jr., the Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities, held talks last month to Quito [Ecuador], with Dr. Alex Camacho, Assistant Secretary of State for Disabled People of Ecuador on opportunities for joint actions between the two countries.

The meeting was part of a partnership with the Ecuadorian government where possible areas of cooperation were considered. It is the technical and financial support to the achievement of a specific census on the disabled population of Haiti and the training of statisticians ; of a prevalence survey on disability ; of a system of prevention of disability from birth ; of a pilot project on specialized transit.

On the other hand, this partnership could include a technical contribution for the establishment of a mentoring program of families with one or more members in situation of handicap very cumbersome, requiring support ; the training of technicians in support of people with disabilities in situations of natural hazards and major events.

Mr Oriol, has reported the difficult situation in which disabled people are evolving in Haiti: poor access to physical infrastructure, education, health services, employment. However, he emphasized the efforts of the Haitian state to promote social and economic integration of these persons, such as the ratification by the Haitian parliament of Conventions of the UN and OAS on human rights of disabled people, the vote of the Act on the Integration of Disabled Persons, the financial support to students with special needs, the technical and financial support of associations and institutions working in the disability field.

This June meeting in Quito, Ecuador, has proved successful and resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Lenín Moreno Garcés, Vice President of Ecuador, the Secretary of State Gérald Oriol Jr and the World Bank, with the aim to combine their efforts to improve living conditions of disabled people of both Republics.

HL/ HaitiLibre