Challenges and opportunities in achieving SDG 1 End

Challenges and opportunities in achieving SDG 1: End poverty for persons with disabilities in Bangladesh Albert Mollah Co-Founder & Executive Director Access Bangladesh Foundation

Highlights 1. Background 2. Bangladesh Government initiatives to facilitate Implementation of SDG #1 3. Major challenges to achieve SDG : 1 4. Opportunities

Background o Bangladesh is one of the densely populated countries of the world with around 164. 6 million people o Cost of exclusion of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh is 1. 7% of the GDP o Allocation in the safety-nets is 14. 21% of total budget. Disability allocation belongs only in the safety-nets o Disability allocation is 2. 19 % of the Safety-nets, (0. 21 % of the total budget) o Bangladesh Government assessed that an additional amount of US D 928. 48 billion would require for FY 2017 -2030 to implement SDGs in Bangladesh (Annual average cost US D 66. 32 billion)

Bangladesh Government initiatives to facilitate Implementation of SDG #1 o Number of Social protection schemes : 132 as per FY 2019 -20 (Disability specific schemes : 11) o 5% rebate on total tax if the taxpayer employer recruits at least 10% employees with disabilities. o 1. 54 million persons with disabilities will receive disability allowance (per month 750 Tk equivalent to 7. 15 GBP each person) o Stipends for 100000 students with disabilities ( GBP 7. 14 monthly for primary students, GBP 7. 61 for secondary students, and GBP 8. 57 for higher secondary students)

Cont… o Job quota (1% for 1 st and 2 nd grade, 10% for 3 rd and 4 th grade (including orphans) o 5% reserve quota for students with disabilities in TVET institutes o Persons with disabilities do not need to pay taxes up to annual income Tk 4 lac ( 3810 GBP) o Corporate organizations can make allowable medical expense up to Tk 10 lakh (9524 GBP) for an employee with disabilities while generally the limit for the average employee is Tk 4, 75, 000 (4524 GBP). o Corporate organization’s perquisite limit for an employee with disabilities is to Tk 25 lac (23810 GBP) (Meaning this amount will be deducted from income of any assesse)

Cont… o For companies, the donation they make for people with disabilities is considered for tax rebate under CSR. The rate of tax rebate is 10% of such contribution o Government job holder’s children with disabilities (maximum 2 children) will get the pension after death of their parents o Imposition of 5% additional tax on a medical service provider, schools, colleges, universities and NGOs who fails to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities o The government operates a specific micro-finance scheme for persons with disabilities at a 5% simple service charge

Major challenges to achieve SDG : 1 o The disability data which is available now is confusing as different authorities use different methodology - 9. 07% (Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2010) - 6. 94% (Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016) - 1. 41% (Census of 2011) - 1. 68 % (Disability Information system till August 2019) o Out of total 241 indicators, data of only 70 indicators are readily available, 108 are partially available and 63 are not available ( Out of 12 Poverty indicators : Radially available-5, Partially available 6 not available 1)

Cont… o Unavailability of disability data could be a big challenge for planning as well as monitoring progress on SDGs implementation o Absence of specific indicators on disability in the Development Results Framework of country’s 7 th Five Year Plan except education o There is no system of maintaining disaggregated social protection data by gender and disability

Cont… o Insufficient allocation in the social protection scheme particularly for persons with disabilities (2. 19 % of the Safety-nets, (0. 21 % of the total budget) o Inclusive social protection policies/programmes are not yet developed o Extreme poverty rate dropped to 12. 9% in 2016 from 44. 2% in 1991 but there is no study on how persons with disabilities have been addressed in this situation

Cont… o Lack of coordination among the ministries of Government is a challenge for achieving SDGs. o 89% children with disabilities are not enrolled in schools though literacy rate is 73. 2% [Source: Bangladesh Sample Vital Registration System (SVRS) July, 2018] o Due to unawareness, stigma, discrimination, inaccessibility, persons with disabilities are less likely to access skills and employment. o General health care system are not inclusive for persons with disabilities

Opportunities • o o o o o Strong legal framework Rights and Protection Act of Persons with Disabilities 2013 National Action Paln on Disability National Education Policy, 2010 National Skills Development Policy, 2011 National Strategy for inclusion of persons with disabilities in skills development Commitment of the Government Election Manifesto included disability issues Signing UN CRPD, ratifying its optional protocol Endorsing SDGs 7 th Five Year Plan

Cont… o Allocation is increasing gradually in the social protection scheme o Good number of safety nets proramme (132 schemes) o 103 Disability Support and Service centers are in operation country wide for providing therapy, hearing and vision tests, assistive devices and mobility aid supports o Bangladesh has a rich experience in administering microcredit programmes

Thanks