As Pakistan is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee this year, Ripple Koncepts in collaboration with Engro Corporation has taken yet another exceptional initiative of producing Pakistan’s first Inclusive National Anthem which is sung by a group of kids & persons with and without disabilities together. Every line of the anthem is showing progress toward inclusion & empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in Pakistan.
“Determined Pakistan” is the vision of Ripple Koncepts which aims to facilitate multistakeholder partnerships for the inclusion and empowerment of PwDs in Pakistan, learning from the guidelines by the United Nations’ Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) – Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). The Vision is also encompassing various parts of the SDGs where Disability is directly or indirectly referenced.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan ratified the UNCRPD on 5th July 2011. The Country has witnessed an increasing commitment to bring PwDs into the mainstream but having over 32 million people living with some form of disability in the country (Source: WHO Pakistan), the challenge is much bigger than the efforts that are presently being made in this regard.
Hence, Determined Pakistan is striving to transform the energies being invested in silos into a concerted and efficient effort to achieve better results faster. Highlighting progress already being made in an inspirational way to create awareness is one of the key achievements of this mission.
Two of its unique initiatives have been resounding successes in past:
1. PODIEC Virtual – People of Determination International Virtual Exhibition & Conference held from 12-14 March 2021 inaugurated by H.E. the President of Pakistan. This was the first step towards building bridges not only among the Government and major entities but among all the Pakistani stakeholders from around the globe.
2. Seminar on “Pakistan – A progressive country towards inclusion & empowerment of persons with disabilities” held on 17th March 2022 in Pakistan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai attended by the first lady of Pakistan Mrs Samina Alvi as Chief Guest and presided by HE Sheikha Dr Hind Al Qassimi from the Royal Family of Sharjah.
While Engro Corporation is the Platinum Sponsor for this endeavour, the other partners and supporters in inclusion and diversity teamed up for this initiative are Pakistan State Oil Company Limited and National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) as Gold Sponsors, whereas Yunus Textile Mills, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd., Ronak & Iqbal Trust, Unilever and Riphah International University have supported the initiative as Silver Sponsors.
With the success of this initiative, Determined Pakistan pledges to accelerate its efforts and special emphasis will be on similar media initiatives for advocacy, awareness, acknowledgement and inspiration.
