This issue relates to the people segment of the 5Ps of sustainable development. Therefore all the solutions presented here are to do with society and improving individual’s lives.
(SNRD Asia)
There are many possible solutions, some of which are only recommendations. According to COH, improvements must be made to the Singaporean healthcare system to address the physical consequences of some disabilities (“Understanding Disabilities”). Environmental and social barriers must also be dealt with in order to improve the quality of life of the disabled people of Singapore (“Understanding Disabilities”). SPD recommends that urban planning should take into account the concept of “Universal Design”, helping make areas of Singaporean society more accessible to it’s disabled population (“Barriers to Integrating People With Disabilities in Mainstream Society”). The SMU report contains testimonies from disabled people from Singapore, making them firsthand and based on personal experiences. Some changes they see as necessary for better lives include; a need for less paperwork when accessing services, more streamlined services, changing from assessing needs based on family situation to individual situation, alternatives to caregiving support and more flexible working hours (Raghunathan, Ranjana et al.).
The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) claims to be making progress in protecting the rights of disabled citizens (“Laws To Protect Rights of Pwds”). Some laws protect all people, including those with disabilities, such as laws which protect the rights of employees, while others have been amended to better protect this group of the population (“Laws To Protect Rights of Pwds”).
In 2017, the third Enabling Masterplan commenced, which is a “significant step towards empowering persons with disabilities to achieve their fullest potential as integral and contributing members of society” (3rd Enabling Masterplan). The masterplan identifies target areas and proposes a plan to build a more inclusive society (3rd Enabling Masterplan). SG Enable (SGE) targets adults with disabilities, and offers support to people with disabilities and their caregivers, focusing on employment opportunities for people with disabilities (Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities). They are also behind the Third Enabling Masterplan (“Enabling Masterplan”).
The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) organises an annual We Are Able! Event, aiming to raise public awareness and celebrate the contributions of people with disabilities (“We Are Able Conference”). NCSS also organised a Me Too! Club, to promote interaction between adults with disabilities to combat social isolation (“We Are Able Conference”). The event encourages a change in the public mindset, raises awareness of the CRPD and makes Singaporean society more inclusive (“Laws To Protect Rights of Pwds”).
Solutions I recommend to include people with intellectual and physical disabilities into Singaporean society are: improving legislation, and the public’s opinion, and level of awareness on the issue. I think these two possible solutions are feasible due to the evidence presented and will combat two of the large factors which contribute to this sustainability issue. The Singaporean government is already working on making it’s society more inclusive and are already implementing new legislation and improving the public’s mindset. It is for this reason that I believe that they will continue to work alongside VWOs and that through policy reform, increasing the number of services available and changing the mindset of the general population, this sustainability issue can be fully combatted.
