Zambia is one of the prominent and outstanding countries that have committed to respect and fulfil the rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities. This is demonstrated through the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities just within two years from the time it came into force in 2008.
After the
ratification of the Convention, the country went on to domesticate it through
the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2012. The National Policy
on Disability was also developed to guide the implementation of disability
inclusive programmes. Furthermore, the government went further to enact the
Mental Health Act of 2019 which partially adopts some of the principles of the
CRPD to advance the delivery of mental health services with the human rights
perspective with the recognition of the rights of persons with psycho-social
disabilities.
It is essential
that these efforts to promote disability inclusion in Zambia should be appreciated
and recognised. On the other hand, the actual and practical aspects of effective
disability inclusion whereas the welfare and livelihoods of persons with
disabilities are seen to improve towards a status of socio-economic parity with
the rest of the average Zambians are yet to bear desired fruits. This is all
the reason why the Government of the Republic of Zambia should scale up its
efforts to embrace disability inclusion by signing up to the Global Disability
Summit of 2022 with specific and deliverable Commitments.
The Global
Disability Summit 2022 (GDS 22) will run from the 15th to 17th
February, 2022 in Oslo, Norway. It should be noted that the GDS is part of the
global efforts to actualise the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD). Therefore, the Summit will mobilise efforts for the
implementation of the CRPD. The Summit will also strengthen the realisation of
the principle of leaving no one behind and on building back better and more
inclusively post-pandemic.
This is a great
opportunity for the government to sign up to the Summit and make specific
Commitments on its promise to implement the CRPD. The Commitments the
government will make will also directly reflect its thematic proposition on the
implementation of its national development framework of leaving no one behind.
The Commitments will further strengthen the government drive on building back
better and more inclusively post-pandemic. Therefore signing up to the GDS 22
with ambitious Commitments is a reasonable stride towards disability inclusion
in Zambia.
The opportunity
is now for the Government of the Republic of Zambia. Why? Zambia is in a
“political new dawn” period which is based on building on stronger democratic
principles, inclusion and leaving no one behind. The new dawn is all about the
political sunrise being driven by the administration of the United Party for
National Development (UNDP) whose entry to an equal Zambia is premised on an inclusion
agenda.
In our
perspective as Disability Rights Watch (DRW) inclusion is no inclusion at all
without the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities.
Persons with disabilities must be an unnegotiable integral part of national
development. This calls for visible disability inclusion.
But what is
disability inclusion? Many institutions, including government usually,
unknowingly, misinterpret disability to mean the presence of persons with
disabilities in a place, programme or service whether they are playing a
meaningful role or not. DRW interprets disability inclusion as a series of
practical steps and measures taken by the government to create a more
accessible physical environment and to adopt and effect adequate policies and
practices that will allow the free and effective participation of all persons
with disabilities in day-to-day socially and economically life roles and
responsibilities. This demands for positive attitudes among the society,
especially those individuals allowed to hold public and political office. In
the Zambian setting, disability inclusion means the full and effective participation
of all persons with disabilities in all the social and economic sector
activities like education, social protection, health, employment, sports and
culture without any form of discrimination. It also includes being actively
involved in family life including making free choices in relationships and
marriage. The government should cement its practical interpretation of
disability inclusion on this thinking as it draws up its Commitments towards a
disability inclusive Zambia.
So, which
specific thematic areas should the government commit itself to at the GDS22 as
it collaborates with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) in
Zambia? The Government of the Republic of Zambia does not require a long
‘fishing hook’ to clarify what specific thematic sectors it should draw its GDS22
Commitments on. It already holds commitments in its previous and current
National Development Plans and policies. So, it is not about re-thinking and
re-creating a new will. The will already exists.
The clear
Commitments are around inclusive education, inclusive employment and
livelihood, access to health, science and technology, climate change and humanitarian
action. The government is already carrying strong commitment on gender equality
with much focus on girls and women. In all these thematic sectors, the
government should have a huge Commitment to engage persons with disabilities
through their representative organisations through transparent and effective
consultations in all matters of development and in all aspects of life. This is
the master key to creating a disability inclusive Zambia! A disability
inclusive Zambia will contribute to creating a more equal world. An equal world
is a world for all! It is not only about persons with disabilities.
The Government of the Republic of Zambia and
persons with disabilities now are in grip of this great opportunity to making
Zambia a true inclusive democracy. This will be reflected in the leadership the
government will take at the GDS22 through the making of more ambitious and
deliverable Commitments with persons with disabilities in the forefront of
inclusive development. The government should be clear on the strong inclusion
of girls and women with disabilities throughout the development process of
making of the GDS22 Commitments. Usually left-out groups of persons with
disabilities like children with disabilities, persons with mental and
intellectual disabilities; persons with albinism, deaf-blindness, autism,
multiple disabilities should actively be involved and their voices heard and
taken into consideration for the GDS22 Commitments. Then, we shall be heading
towards creating a real disability inclusive Zambia. A real equal world.
The
implementation of the CRPD is critical for creating a more disability inclusive
Zambia. Zambia strides to be a more dignified country. A dignified Zambia
stands for the respect of inherent dignity for all! The respect for inherent
dignity for all means the respect for inherent dignity for all persons with
disabilities. Therefore Zambia believes in inclusive dignity! Inclusive dignity
creates a highly dignified disability inclusive Zambia. The government commits
itself to create a more disability inclusive Zambia. Only then shall the people
of Zambia will stand and sing of Zambia proud and free. Only then shall all
persons with disabilities feel included in the “One Zambia: One Nation: slogan
of dignity and real humanity! A disability inclusive Zambia is for TODAY!
Wamundila
Waliuya,
Director,
Disability Rights
Watch
13th
January, 2022.
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