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By Clayton Masekesa
MUTARE – The United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) has trained government social welfare workers in addressing issues that are essential for the effective implementation of inclusive disability concepts at a national level.
Within the framework of the new UNPRPD Project on “Strengthening Disability Rights Accountability, Governance and Coordination in Zimbabwe 2022-2023”, the UNPRPD implementing partners UNESCO, UNFPA and UNDP seek to support the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare’s (MoPSLSW) Department of Disability Affairs in addressing the preconditions that are essential for the effective implementation of the CPRD at the national level.
In an interview with this publication on the sidelines of the National Training of Trainers Capacity Building workshop for the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfares’ Department of Disability Affairs, Government Ministries and Relevant Stakeholders held at a local hotel recently, the UNPRPD national project coordinator Memory Zulu said the organization’s support to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare includes building the capacity of its staff on disability concepts.
“Part of this support to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare includes building the capacity of its staff on the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (CRPD), disability inclusion concepts so that they in turn effectively capacitate and support the 21 Government line Ministries as well as well as the Ministry’s SDG Coordination Committee on disability-inclusion,” said Zulu.
“Overall, the capacity building of Government staff is essential for raising awareness on the CRPD and ensuring that the support mechanisms from each of the line ministries are equipped with disability inclusion knowledge and skills,” she said.
“This will ensure that the government’s Department of Disability Affairs is capacitated to effectively carry out its coordination role on national disability inclusion as well as receive the required support from other key stakeholders for the implementation of the National Disability Policy, launched by his Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in June 2021,” Zulu said.
She said the main objectives of the capacity-building workshop on disability inclusion for the staff from the department of Disability Affairs were to unpack the National Disability Policy and introduce the CRPD.
“We want the trained staff to understand the CRPD and SDG Linkages. The training will also promote disability inclusion, accountability, coordination and governance,” Zulu said.
“The training workshop also looked at gender mainstreaming and intersectionality and addressed stigma and discrimination in women and girls with disabilities and under-represented groups,” she added.