Documentary on disability

Herald Reporter
THE United States has praised Zimbabwe for being one of the first African countries to have disability legislation which provides for a progressive recognition of the physically challenged people. Zimbabwe enacted the law for people with disability in 1992 to become the second country in the world to have such law after the United States.

US Ambassador Mr Bruce Wharton said this while launching a documentary on physically challenged people living with HIV and Aids.

The documentary titled “Life through my eyes” explores challenges faced by people with disabilities when accessing health, particularly HIV and Aids services and is part of a long term plan by the Disability HIV and Aids trust (DHAT) to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in HIV and Aids programmes.

“The documentary comes at an opportune time when Zimbabwe needs to catalyse the expedient completion of formalities for the ratification of the UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities (CRPD).

I congratulate the Government of Zimbabwe for such efforts. Zimbabwe was one of the first countries to have disability legislation in Africa as far back as 1992 and the second in the world after the United States.

It is particularly interesting that the newly enacted Zimbabwe Constitution provides for a progressive recognition of the rights of People with disabilities,” he said.