adminProvince Chris Mushohwe has said.
In a speech read on his behalf at a National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped media sensitisation workshop in Mutare recently, Governor Mushohwe said health provisions were out of reach of people with disabilities.
“Lack of information is a veritable hurdle for the people with visual impairments who in the absence of brailed material cannot read conventional print therefore they are left out on critical information on HIV and Aids.
“People with hearing impairment also suffer the same predicament due to the inability of society to interact with them using sign language,” he said.
People with disabilities constitute 1 300 000 of the country’s population and they have no access to fundamental freedom and rights that other people enjoy.
“We do not have to look very far to find evidence of social exclusion of people with disabilities in society, in the education sector the issues of mobility, physical and attitudinal barriers,” said Governor Mushohwe.
“The reluctance to cater for the special needs of children with disabilities keeps them out of the education system.
“Only one percent of people with disabilities are employed in the public sector and none in the private sector.
“The doors of employment remain shut and bolted against people with disabilities,” he said.
The Governor urged the society to make an effort to change the negative attitude against people with disabilities.
“Negative attitudes result in social exclusion and the erection of multi-faceted barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing fundamental rights and freedom like anyone in the society.
“The built environment pauses additional accessibility challenges to wheelchair users as they fail to access most public buildings,” he said.
The Governor revealed that NASCOH through one of its member organisations, the Zimbabwe Association of the Deaf (ZIMNAD) was supporting a programme in Manicaland on enhancing the participation of people with disabilities in governance issues.
“This has seen people with disabilities assume positions as village heads and ward committee members, with a special councillor for disability being considered,” he said.
Most buildings have no access for those using wheelchairs and even new ones under construction lack that basic facility too.
This then hampers the mobility of physically challenged people in the communities we live.
Online Reporter