Mongolian Government forgetting the disabled amidst coronavirus pandemic

On Friday (24 April), T.Tuyajargal, director of the ‘Eeltei Ertunts’ (Favorable World) NGO for protecting rights of children with disabilities, held a press conference to highlight demands to the Mongolian Government. According to T.Tuyajargal, some 90 percent, or more than 105,000 people with disabilities, live below the poverty line. Unfortunately, the outbreak of coronavirus has pushed them into an even more difficult situation. However, the government seems to be forgetting its people with disabilities. So, the Mongolian Forum for Protecting the Rights of People with Disabilities has presented its demands to the President, the Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister. The following three themes need to be addressed:

• The import of much-needed anti-seizures drugs for people with disabilities have run-out due to the nationwide restrictions against the coronavirus outbreak

• Children with disabilities have become unable to study as all schools are closed. Mongolia does not possess enough special equipment for children with disabilities to study online.

• Only a small number of people with disabilities have jobs or businesses in Mongolia. However, this group is facing extremely tough financial difficulties amid coronavirus restrictions.