Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu – [email protected]
GOVERNMENT has said it will upscale the distribution of assistive devices in all provinces in the country to ensure that people with disabilities (PWDs) in marginalised communities are not deprived.
Scores of PWDs in various provinces have received assistive devices that include wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, mobility aids and orthotic devices, which were locally assembled by Leonard Cheshire Disability.
The programme is part of Government’s fulfilment of its mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.
Speaking at the official opening of the just ended 11th Edition of the National Disability Expo, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima urged families and communities to support PWDs in obtaining these devices.
“There are a number of programmes which my ministry has undertaken to assist and empower people with disability. We have been moving across different communities distributing assistive devices to people with disabilities in rural areas,” he said.
“This programme will be up scaled so that it reaches as many places as possible.”
Prof Mavima urged communities and families with people with disabilities to ensure they benefit from these programmes.
“Let’s not hide people with disabilities. Let them be assessed so that they can get appropriate assistive devices that will make their lives easier. People with disabilities should be given an opportunity to participate as other citizens in the development of the country,” he said.
Prof Mavima said other programmes which were being implemented by his ministry included the access to health care at public health care institutions through the Assisted Medical Treatment Order (AMTO], economic empowerment loans through a partnership with the National Building Society, per capita grants and administration grants to institutions where PWDs live.
Others include the payment of school fees for learners with disabilities, payment for vocational training.
Minister Mavima urged the disability affairs department to partner with various organisations that are offering livelihood support to persons with disabilities.
He said there is a need to increase the resource bank which has already been created by Government to support PWDs.
“In the past we haven’t been able to do enough for people with disabilities due to limited resources and as such we need to continue advocating for more resources so that we can improve the livelihoods of people with disability,” said Prof Mavima.
He said there were over two million people living with disabilities who needed to be empowered hence the need to engage as many stakeholders in order to raise more resources.
“I would like to encourage all persons with disability to look into the National Disability Policy, which is also available in braille,” said Prof Mavima.
He said this will help PWDs to understand not just their own rights but the obligations that Government has towards people with disabilities.
He urged people with disabilities to fight for their representation in every institution, department and organisation.
The country successfully held its 11th edition of the National Disability Expo in Gwanda, Matabeleland South.
The disability expo was held under the theme “Holistic Empowerment of Youth and Children with Disabilities towards the attainment of Vision 2030. A better and brighter future for everyone.”
Under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa, the Second Republic has made great strides towards the creation of an inclusive society that recognises the rights of people with disabilities such as opening up of opportunities for them in empowerment programmes.
In June 2021, President Mnangagwa launched the National Disability Policy. This was followed by the setting up of the Technical National Coordination Committee in 2022 to provide guidance on the implementation of the policy.
The launching of the committee was also aimed at addressing the preconditions necessary for the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention of the rights of the persons with disabilities in 2013. Since the ratification of the convention, Zimbabwe has adopted a raft of measures to advance the rights of people with disabilities.
The National Disability Policy came at a time when Zimbabweans are collectively moving towards achieving the national vision of an empowered and prosperous upper-middle income society by 2030.
The policy calls on Government and other stakeholders to ensure access to employment for persons with disabilities and strive to ensure that 15 percent of their workforce in all sectors comprise people with disabilities. — @DubeMatutu
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