persons without disabilities. The draft National Disability Policy provides the interventions required in construction and housing to make the Maldives from a disabling society to an inclusive one. Persons with disabilities were consulted extensively in the formulation of the draft National Disability Policy. Consultation workshops were held in two islands each in five different geographic regions of the Maldives. Persons with disabilities participated in and contributed to all consultation workshops. Additionally three persons with disabilities participated fully in the drafting of the policy as full members of the working group selected to prepare the policy. 5.2 Strategic Action Plan 2009-2013 The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) “Aneh Dhivehi Raajje” Strategic Action Plan 2009-2013 has several policies and strategies that are related to the rights of persons with disabilities, but the required clarity and sense of purpose is lost. The policies and strategies relevant to the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities are scattered across the broad Social Protection theme along with the more politically high profile policy areas such as pensions, health insurance, as well as social protection for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) personnel (President’s Office 2009). Some of the strategies included are: develop and establish a ‘minimum social protection package’ basing it on age, disability, gender and social assistance to reduce wastage and increase efficiency, access and equality; establish state care institutions including after care programs (age-appropriate and gender segregated) and community rehabilitation in selected locations for abandoned and maltreated children, elderly and persons with disabilities and a shelter for abused and disaffected children; and strengthen the legislative framework for alternative care. The education sector has included a specific policy on special education needs in the Strategic Action Plan 2009-2013. The 8th Policy of education sector is to: “increase and expand educational opportunities for children with special needs including the gifted and talented”. The planned strategic interventions to implement the policy are: develop a Special Education Needs Policy; establish a mechanism to identify children with special needs for early intervention; providing equitable access to educational opportunities for children with special needs; and strengthen the monitoring mechanism of inclusive programmes to ensure effective programme implementation. ACTIVITIES ADDRESSING RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES location disaggregated realities of Maldivian citizens; strengthen the delivery mechanisms of ... 39