adminPaidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
Newly-appointed senator representing people with disabilities Mrs Rejoice Timire has expressed concern over societal attitudes towards people living with disabilities, particularly women, regarding sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR).
These SRHR services include methods of family planning and information on sexual and reproductive health.
Speaking at a Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ)organised consultative meeting on disability inclusiveness in family planning programming, Mrs Timire said people with disabilities were not accessing SRHR services the same way able-bodied persons were doing.
“The attitude of health workers can be a barrier because they judge and make it seem as if people with disabilities have no rights to SRHR services,” she said.
“For example, when one goes to seek help on family planning and that person has a disability, they will ask you so many several unnecessary questions as if they do not expect you to be having sex.”
Mrs Timire said in cases where a person with disability is accompanied by an assistant to a health facility, health workers tend to ask more questions to the accompanying person than the disabled person.
“So, does it mean that because I have a disability, the next person knows more about my body than I do?” she asked.
“There is need for change of attitudes from communities, health workers and even available policies.”
Mrs Timire said cases of authorities making decisions on behalf of people with disabilities without involving them were also a cause for concern.
“Remember, there is nothing about us without us,” she said.
Speaking at the same occasion, Population Services Zimbabwe country director Mr Abebe Shibru said PSZ, in partnership with Government through the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), was working on addressing challenges faced by people living with disabilities in accessing SRHR services.
He said there was need for cooperation of all stakeholders and partnerships to fill some of the funding gaps hindering provision of these services.
“Budgets must be made for inclusion,” said Mr Shibru. “Policies and programmes must be budgeted realistically if they are to make a difference.”
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