Continued marginalisation of people with disabilities worries local NGO

Harare – A local non-governmental organization has expressed concern over the continued marginalisation of people with disabilities (PWDs), particularly in low and middle-income countries that are still being denied basic rights.

Sightsavers, an organisation that seeks to eliminate avoidable blindness and ensure people with disabilities can participate equally in society, is implementing an ‘Equal World Campaign’ that seeks to address unfair disability issues.

Addressing stakeholders at a recent seminar held in conjunction with the Poverty Reduction Forum Trust, Sightsavers Zimbabwe national campaign leader, Isaacs Mwale said over the years, Sightsavers’ campaigns have helped achieve the inclusion of disability in the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) although a lot still needs to be done.

“In 2013, we launched our “Put Us in the Picture” campaign, which later became the Equal World campaign, to call for the rights of people with disabilities to be upheld, and for an end to disability discrimination.

“We have been promoting equal opportunities for people with visual impairments and other disabilities,” said Mwale “So, we campaign because we know a more equal world is possible. If we work together, we can make it a reality.”

He said Sightsavers has been working in partnership with the African Union and the African Disability Forum which saw a new campaign last October calling on African governments to protect the rights of people with disabilities across the continent.

He called upon all stakeholders working on advancing the rights of PWDs to ensure that the political declaration of the SDG Summit taking place next September at the UN General Headquarters should focus on reaching those left furthest behind.

Zimbabwe has already made strides towards recognising the rights of persons with disabilities by ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the country’s constitution has a provision for the appointment of two elected Senators nominated by persons with disabilities to champion their rights.

The country’s economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1, has also aligned provisions in SDGs which also embrace the rights of persons with disabilities.