Disabled need to be empowered with education: President

People with disabilities, especially children, must get access to education and disabled friendly technology to get gainful employment and lead a life of dignity and respect, President Pranab Mukherjee said Tuesday.

Speaking at Vigyan Bhavan here as he presented the National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on International Day of Disabled Persons, Mukherjee said "education can equip the differently- abled to be strong enough to face the world".

"Children with disabilities should get adequate opportunities to pursue education which can enable them to get gainful employment in future for leading a life of dignity and respect," he said, stressing on the need to disseminate information to the disabled.

"It is imperative to have websites in accessible format for reaching information to the differently abled ensuring the provision of information and disabled friendly technology will enhance the opportunities for progress of persons with disabilities," he said.

Mukherjee further said that the country was committed to the full empowerment of people with disabilities though specific schemes, programmes and facilities must be formulated particularly for the empowerment of children, women and senior citizens with disabilities as they need special consideration.

"This is necessary in order to bring them into the mainstream of society and improve the quality of their lives," he said.