Tinaye Agere
Theseus Shambare
THE recently announced 2025 National Budget falls short of addressing the specific needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs), as it “lacks concrete commitments,” disability activists have said.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail Online, director of Signs of Hope Trust, an organisation that advocates for the rights of PWDs, Ms Samantha Sibanda, said the budget needs to be more inclusive.
“There’s a significant gap in the budget when it comes to addressing the unique challenges faced by persons with disabilities,” she said.
“While the budget mentions mainstreaming disability rights into social security programmes, there is a lack of specific allocations to support these initiatives.
“These demands are essential for empowering persons with disabilities and enhancing their quality of life.
“The budget should always be more inclusive and responsive to the needs of all citizens, including persons with disabilities.”
Mr Taurai Chako, a Disability, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant with the Disabilities and Development Pathways said persons with albinism have also been left out.
“During the budget formulation, there was need to come with measures for the local sunscreen lotion production.
“This has to be prioritised because importing these involve high costs. This has seen many people from low-income households being left behind.
“We need to see tangible actions and dedicated resources to ensure that disability rights are upheld,” said Mr Chako.
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Bongani Ndlovu