Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu – [email protected]
GWANDA Municipality and Gwanda Rural District Council (RDC) have initiated steps to formulate and revise their existing disability policies to prioritise and address issues of disability.
Gwanda Municipality has been using a policy crafted in 2017, while the RDC has been operating without a policy, making it all the more essential for them to launch a revision of their practices.
Gwanda mayor, Alderman Thulani Moyo, underlined the necessity of an up-to-date policy for the two local authorities to effectively deliver services to their constituents.
To facilitate the review and formulation of their policy, the two councils have partnered with a local disability foundation called Nkomwa Foundation Trust, further boosting the collective effort towards disability inclusion.
“We have been using an outdated policy crafted in 2017. We crafted the policy in a bid to address the issue of marginalisation of people with disabilities,” said Ald Moyo.
“Back then and even now, there are still issues of people with disabilities being left behind or side-lined. We need to safeguard the interests of PWDs and ensure they are included in developmental processes. We realised that we had to review the policy so that it’s in line with modern trends and the needs of PWDs. That is in line with disability laws that have been put in place.”
Ald Moyo said an updated disability policy will help augment its other strategies to mainstream disability issues. He said the council has adopted a development policy, which stipulates that any new building should have ramps for easy access for PWDs.
He said 10 percent of stands are now allocated to people with disabilities.
He said the policy will also see PWD being employed by the municipality and represented in decision-making bodies of the municipality.
Gwanda RDC chief executive officer, Mr Ranganai Sibanda, said while his council has been cognisant of the needs of PWDs and included them in major processes, they had not yet formulated a disability policy.
He said the policy will guide the local authority in drafting programmes and activities that respond to the needs of PWDs.
Mr Sibanda said they will promote the inclusion and participation of PWDs in key sectors that include health, education, social support and protection, among others
Nkomwa Foundation Trust director, Mr Pick Nkomwa, said the aim was to ensure that the two local authorities have disability policies by February next year.
“As an organisation, we noticed that the two local authorities were not up to date with their disability policies and then we engaged the office of District Development Co-ordinator seeking permission to engage the local authorities,” he said.
“Both local authorities were receptive and noted that having disability policies was a long overdue process. A disability policy is integral to both institutions and the disability community. The policy assists in monitoring evaluation and holding the duty bearers to account for their obligation of not leaving no one behind as per the Government mantra.
“Without the policy, PWDs will remain helpless and their issues swept under the carpet,” he said.
Mr Nkomwa applauded the two councils for showing great interest in mainstreaming disability issues and urged other institutions to follow suit. — @DubeMatutu
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