Editor, RE: “The rights of handicapped people” (The New Times, November 15). We should try to know and use the right terminology while talking or writing about issues of persons with disabilities. The said UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities decided which terminology should be used and also Rwandan laws prescribe the use of “persons with disabilities, either mental, physical, or visual”. Handicap or disabled are no longer used. They have other meanings which degrade persons with disabilities. On the other hand, I want to thank the writer for this good article. The media should help a lot in awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities in Rwanda. Maybe this will help many to hear the voice of these Rwandans with different disabilities. Also, in next articles, try to give persons with disabilities a place in your article to talk about issues around them. This will make it more significant. The National Council of Persons with Disabilities in Rwanda may want to help in awareness about right terminologies to media personnel and journalists in general because you are playing a very important role in portraying the image of persons with disabilities to the public. Celestin
