Chapter XXII: Awareness Raising

1.  All appropriate governments shall adopt immediate, effective and appropriate measures:
   a) To raise awareness throughout society, including at the family level, policy makers, parliamentarians, police, judiciary, health professionals, architects and religious bodies regarding persons with disabilities, and to foster respect for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
   b) To impart accurate information about the disabilities so as to fight against the stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices relating to persons with disabilities
   c) To promote awareness of the capabilities and contributions of persons with disabilities.
2. Awareness can be spread through following measures:
   
   a) large scale public awareness campaigns using radio, TV and print media with the following focus:

   i) nurturing receptiveness to the rights of persons with disabilities;

   ii) promoting positive perceptions by sharing success stories about people with disabilities and the families

   iii) promoting recognition of the skills, merits and abilities of persons with disabilities, and of their contributions to the workplace and the labour market;

   (b) Fostering at all levels of the education system, including all children from an early age, an attitude of respect for the rights of persons with disabilities; facilitating change in vocabulary that is detrimental to this process
   (c) Encouraging all organs of the media including indigenous forms of communicative and creative expressions to portray persons with disabilities in a manner so as to eliminate prejudiced and stereotyped perception and sensitizing towards the barriers created by attitudes and lack of infrastructure services 
   (d) Promoting awareness-training programmes in all relevant professional courses including media studies regarding persons with disabilities and the rights of persons with disabilities. The same should be done with people with disabilities about their rights and the rights of other disabled communities so as to promote their growth and development.
   (e) Promoting awareness about the right to information about programs, schemes and benefits available and the freedom to make informed choices