Blindness Certification and Benefits in Nepal

The Act Relating to Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2074 (2017) states that “Person with disability” means a person who has long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory disability or functional impairments or existing barriers that may hinder his or her full and effective participation in social life on an equal basis with others.

Blindness falls under disability and blindness has been categorized in three major groups:

1. Disability Category 'Gha or "D" 

Mildly Disabled: Low vision people who can read large letters (BCVA less than 6/18) 

The ID card issued for this category will have black letters in the background of white.

2. Disability Category "Ga" or C

Moderately Disabled: Two group of people will be entitled with this category:

• A person who uses both glasses and hearing devices, and 
• Person who needs magnifying lenses to read the near normal size letters (N8 - N12) 

The ID card issued by the government for this category will have blue letters in the background of yellow.

3. Disability Category Kha or B

Severely Disabled: Total Blindness (Total absence of sight):  falls in this category.  A person who cannot differentiate brightness or darkness or does not perceive light at all.

The ID card will have golden yellow letters written in the background of blue

4. Disability Category Ka or A

Completely Disabled: people who can't both see and hear completely

ID card will have golden yellow letters in the background of red.

The Process of Getting Blindness ID Certification in Nepal

          
The following points show: how to get a blindness certificate in Nepal?

1.         The applicant who thinks he falls under blind category, with or without the help of guardian (according to the age), apply for the blind or disability certification to the local level (rural municipality or municipality) along with the recommendation letter from concerned ward chairperson
2.      The local level will make inquiries upon the application about the applicant's disability condition. If it is obvious (eg. person is frankly blind and walks with difficulty with cane in social situation), then they may issue the certification. If it is vague, and they can't decide to which disability category the person belongs, then they will forward the case to coordination committee.
3.       Coordination committee can, upon discussion, issue the certificate but if they feel necessary they will send the applicant for necessary eye evaluation to the eye hospital.
4.      The eye hospital will issue a letter regarding his visual status. They will have to clarify the disability category and signed by NMC registered Ophthalmologist or NHPC registered Optometrist in the official seal/ hospital letter head with stamp
5.       If the visual status certified by the hospital is not below par to get the certificate of claimed category, the local level will inform the applicant and simply dismiss the certification process thereof.
6.      If the applicant is not satisfied with the local level decision, he should go to file complaint in the Ministry or official designated by the Ministry within 35 days.
7.      The final decision will be made by the Ministry or the official.

Rights for the people with Blindness in Nepal

    There are following rights provided by the government to blind persons:

1.     Right against discrimination

2.     Right to community life

3.     Right of protection

4.     Right of political participation

5.     Right of participation in policy making

6.     Right of making unions

7.     Right to participate in the cultural life

8.     Right of access to services, facilities and justice:

9.     Right to social security: (1) The persons with disabilities as prescribed shall have the right to obtain economic assistance or social security as prescribed from the Government of Nepal. (2) The persons with disabilities shall, in obtaining and enjoying any opportunity, have the right to get reimbursement for additional expenses incurred in the assistive services that they use.

10.          Right to Information

11.          Right to movement with necessary assistive devices or technology viz cane sticks

Education Benefits: Free education should be provided by GoN

Skill Development Benefits: free vocational training by GoN

Job Placement: provisions of fixed quotas for governmental jobs

Social Security for the Blind in Nepal

a.     To develop the community housing facilities, along with the safety and health services,

b.     To provide housing for the helpless children and for the persons with disabilities who have been abandoned by the family,

c.      To make life insurance, health insurance and accident insurance,

d.     To provide medicines and other necessary assistive materials,

e.      To provide unemployment allowance, livelihood allowance and elderly citizens’ allowance on the prescribed basis,

f.       To provide allowances to the attendants of the persons with disabilities who are in the prescribed situations,

g.     To support the development and use of universal design for the development of the persons with disabilities

Facilities and Concessions for the blind in Nepal

The owner or operator of a vehicle shall provide fifty percent concession in the passenger fare to such persons with disabilities as prescribed, while they travel by public vehicles such as bus, train and aircraft.

The Government of Nepal may provide full or partial exemption from customs, excise duties, local tax or other fees, in accordance with the prevailing law, to the assistive devices, equipment or tools to be used by the persons with disabilities, disability friendly motor vehicles and goods, machines, spare parts and raw materials that are used for education, training or self-employment of the persons with disabilities.