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Consult us when making policies that affect us - PWDs
A man helping a physically disabled woman to cross a flooded road in Kampala recently.PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Ms Lydia Abenaitwe, the programme officer at Light for the World, a civil society organisation that fights for the rights of PWDs, said while organisations and government have made strides in including PWDs in economic activities and employment, many create solutions without appropriate consultation.
The government and private sector players have been urged to consult people living with disabilities (PWDs) when designing policies that affect the vulnerable group.
Ms Lydia Abenaitwe, the programme officer at Light for the World, a civil society organisation that fights for the rights of PWDs, said while organisations and government have made strides in including PWDs in economic activities and employment, many create solutions without appropriate consultation.
“It is very important to involve PWDs in these [economic and employment] programmes. Nothing for us without us. If we are not in the picture while you are creating services for us, then they may not work,” Ms Abenaitwe said during celebrations to observe the International Day for Persons with Disabilities in Kampala last week.
Justification
“For instance, I use crutches. If I tell you that this floor is slippery, I am talking about the floor in relation to the crutches. If you don’t have a disability, you cannot understand. If you start to assume, you will implement a solution that is not suitable for me,” she added.
The theme of the celebrations was “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities”.
Ms Abenaitwe said many organisations usually don’t know where to start when it comes to disability inclusion. She advised that in situations like this, it would be advisable to contact civil society organisations that work with and promote the affairs of PWDs. “Look out for organisations because they have the statistics, data and resources to help you find the right fit,” she said.
The event was hosted by Standard Chartered Bank Uganda in collaboration with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO). The two organisations are currently implementing the Youth Empowerment Entrepreneurship and Decent Employment (YEEDE) Project, which mostly supports PWDs.
The celebrations, which are usually celebrated on December 3, were brought back to November 28 due to coinciding programmes.
