18 Dec 2024

It is important for government, organisations and communities to promote inclusion and take action to improve the lives of persons living with disabilities

This was said by Kanye District Health Management Team principal health specialist Dr Christopher Chembe when delivering a keynote address at a commemoration day of people living with disabilities recently. 

The day, which was attended by people living with disabilities was held in Kanye under the theme; Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.  

Dr Chembe said disability was a big word and may mean different meanings for different people. He said there could be a person with a total or partial loss of a body part, which may not be functioning normally, or one could have had an illness, which has rendered them in another way that has disturbed what we normally call normal, because of that illness, their function structure has been altered. 

“It is very easy for these people to be left behind. These are people who are living with another normal ability and therefore should not be left behind but be included, they must be part of us,” advised Dr Chembe.

As such, he said government had taken a deliberate step to make sure that there was an Act, enacted in Parliament in 2024 following the United Nations 2006 Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, meant to protect people living with disabilities.

He further said the Act had ensured that any laws or regulations in practices that instituted discriminations against any persons with disability were abolished.  The other objective of the Act, he said was to prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities in the workplace. Dr Chembe emphasised that people who go against the Act, could be charged and face  imprisonment. 

“It’s an offence to discriminate any person with disability, it could be in giving out scholarships, provision of posts or accommodation,” he said.

He further said it was important to celebrate the day as it served as a reminder of an ongoing need to break down the barriers, which stood on the way of people living with disabilities. 

“As a society, sometimes we can have negative stereotypes. We must create a world where individuals with disabilities fully participate and thrive,” Dr Chembe said. 

Kanye Deputy District Commissioner and also District Disability Committee chairperson, Mr Norman Patlakwe said the process of operationalising the Act has started. He said some people had already been trained on how the Act would operate. 

He further said the National Coordination Office had  started employing and deploying some people living with disabilities to different districts including Kanye. He said the officers would serve in committees of people living with disabilities. He therefore encouraged the disabled communities to be expectant of improved service delivery.

He also thanked Giyani Metals Corp for their Community Social Responsibility initiatives in the village for the past four years.  Already, he said Giyani Metals Corp had sponsored people living with disabilities with P100 000 which had been used to buy some wheelchairs for those in need and Christmas food hampers for them and their guardians.

Speaking on behalf of people living with disabilities, Mr Ame Motlhanke said they were faced with a number of challenges and abuse from their caregivers. He said they were called names and shunned by some service providers when seeking for assistance. Mr Motlhanke said they lacked necessities while some were living in poverty.

Although some received disability allowance, he said it was not enough hence, he called for its review.  Also, he highlighjted that they were victimised when looking for employment opportunities and during tender awarding processes. He said some tenders should be reserved for people living with disabilities. ENDS