Protecting the Well-being of the People with Disabilities in Achieving the Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

As the nation is leaning towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), it is pertinent and crucial to look into the plights faced by people with disabilities in this country. This study delves straight into the current socio-legal climate surrounding them. It adopts methods of content and critical analysis when analysing the data qualitatively. The findings show that even though the overall social acceptance and reception have improved over the years, some members of the people with disabilities community have faced unfair treatment during job scouting, job interviews or while at work. From a legal point of view, an ambiguity in a provision under the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 has resulted in inaccuracy and false interpretation by the local authorities, leading to poor and shoddy construction of public amenities for people with disabilities. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 in ensuring accessibility of public facilities for the people with disabilities remains questionable. In the concerted effort to achieve Goal No. 9 of developing quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure supporting economic development and human well-being and Goal No. 10 of reducing income inequality under the nation’s SDG, the above-mentioned socio-legal problems must be urgently addressed.