Disability Issues
Dr Christine Peta
A ramp or an accessible school toilet may seem like a small feature, but each can remove a significant barrier to participation.
A ramp enables a wheelchair user to enter a community centre and attend a local meeting.
At school, an accessible toilet helps a student with disabilities manage their needs safely and comfortably, making it easier to stay for the entire school day and engage in lessons.
Accessibility is not a luxury; it is fundamental to ensuring that persons with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else.
Consider what happens when a wheelchair user arrives at a clinic only to find steps at the entrance: the doctor is ready to assist, but the patient cannot enter the building independently.
A home with narrow doorways, steep steps or an inaccessible bathroom can make daily tasks difficult for someone with a disability. Installing a ramp, a handrail or wider doorways allows individuals to move around safely and independently.
New homes should be designed with accessibility in mind, whereas older homes may require practical adaptations.
Even if you do not have a disability today, none of us knows what the future holds.
Anyone can acquire a disability at any time due to an illness, a road traffic accident, a fall or another unforeseen event.
Therefore, it is best to build your home with accessibility in mind — not only for yourself and your family, but also for visitors with disabilities.
A home should be accessible to everyone, whether they have a disability or not. Communication matters just as much.
A public announcement made solely by voice will not reach a deaf person, while a website that is incompatible with screen-reading software presents a barrier to someone who is blind.
Public information can be made far more accessible through captions, sign-language interpretation, large print, audio and clear, simple language. In emergencies, accessible warnings and evacuation plans can save lives. Zimbabwe has taken important steps to recognise and promote the rights of persons with disabilities.
The country ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, committing to advancing equality, participation and accessibility.
Furthermore, Zimbabwe’s Constitution, National Disability Policy and Persons with Disabilities Act protect the rights of persons with disabilities, calling for measures that enable them to participate fully in society.
These commitments provide a strong foundation for improving access across public life.
Zimbabwe has introduced sign language interpretation in several public settings to improve access to information for deaf people.
For instance, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) provides sign language interpretation during many programmes, including national news broadcasts, helping deaf viewers stay informed and take part in national discussions.
Disability awareness and inclusion have also become more prominent across various sectors, including public debate, healthcare, education and community programmes.
These efforts matter because laws and policies are most effective when people understand them and help put them into practice.
Improvements should be systematically planned, implemented and maintained — not added as an afterthought when someone complains.
For example, before rebuilding a bus station, planners can invite wheelchair users, people with visual impairments and other residents to test the design.
Their feedback may reveal that a ramp is too steep, signs are difficult to read or announcements are hard to hear.
Listening early prevents costly mistakes and leads to better outcomes.
Ultimately, accessibility benefits the entire community. A ramp helps wheelchair users, older people, parents pushing prams and anyone carrying heavy luggage.
When streets, buildings and services work for all residents, communities become safer, fairer and more welcoming.
A community is fully accessible when everyone can enter, navigate, understand and participate.
Sometimes that begins with a simple change — such as repairing a broken pavement or installing a ramp.
The impact, however, can be life-changing: bringing greater independence, dignity and opportunity to persons with disabilities.
Dr Christine Peta is a disability, public health, policy, international development and research expert. She can be contacted on: [email protected]
