News / National
Unicef conducts dialogue for persons living with Disability
20 Oct 2017 at 05:20hrs | Views
UNICEF Zimbabwe convened a meeting with organizations representing persons living with Disability, to allow members to talk about challenges they face on a daily basis.
Participating organisations included National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH), Federation of Organization of Disabled People in Zimbabwe (FODPZ), Danhiko, Zimcare - Chengetai Primary School and Zimbabwe National Association for Mental Health.
The dialogue which ran under the theme "Dialogue on disability: Towards an inclusive UNICEF strategy on disability" was a platform created for the stakeholders to highlight barriers being faced by persons living with disabilities and to see how to mainstream disability sensitive issues in programming and amplifying their voices.
"If you keep your heads down no one hears it and therefore allocation of resources, programming, and strategy is all out of the window," explained Dr Jane Muita, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Zimbabwe.
"We have brought you together because among yourselves you need to give your voices. We as the United Nations will help you project your voices," she added.
The forum also aimed at building disability sensitive capacity in the areas of Education, Child protection and Social Services, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Sexual Reproductive Health, HIV and AIDS, policy, livelihoods, financial inclusion, and nutrition where persons with disability are lagging behind in current policy framework.
Societal myths surrounding persons living with disability was one of the top priorities the plenary highlighted as a barrier to accessing health services.
"Dialogue is critical as persons with disability are still marginalised. Even in the New Curriculum they will continue to suffer stigma and neglect," said Tendai Mayuni, Programmes Manager of Zimbabwe National Association for Mental Health.
"We are grateful for what UNICEF has done to accord us an opportunity to have a dialogue. We hope the outcome will translate into more inclusive, operational and relevant policy framework."
The Government of Zim is currently developing a National Disability Policy for 2017-2030 to guide inclusive and equitable policy and programme development.
The Policy will complement efforts, such as this dialogue towards achieving a society that is inclusive and enabling, providing equality and the opportunity for each person to for each person to fulfil their potential.
Participating organisations included National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH), Federation of Organization of Disabled People in Zimbabwe (FODPZ), Danhiko, Zimcare - Chengetai Primary School and Zimbabwe National Association for Mental Health.
The dialogue which ran under the theme "Dialogue on disability: Towards an inclusive UNICEF strategy on disability" was a platform created for the stakeholders to highlight barriers being faced by persons living with disabilities and to see how to mainstream disability sensitive issues in programming and amplifying their voices.
"If you keep your heads down no one hears it and therefore allocation of resources, programming, and strategy is all out of the window," explained Dr Jane Muita, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Zimbabwe.
"We have brought you together because among yourselves you need to give your voices. We as the United Nations will help you project your voices," she added.
The forum also aimed at building disability sensitive capacity in the areas of Education, Child protection and Social Services, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Sexual Reproductive Health, HIV and AIDS, policy, livelihoods, financial inclusion, and nutrition where persons with disability are lagging behind in current policy framework.
Societal myths surrounding persons living with disability was one of the top priorities the plenary highlighted as a barrier to accessing health services.
"Dialogue is critical as persons with disability are still marginalised. Even in the New Curriculum they will continue to suffer stigma and neglect," said Tendai Mayuni, Programmes Manager of Zimbabwe National Association for Mental Health.
"We are grateful for what UNICEF has done to accord us an opportunity to have a dialogue. We hope the outcome will translate into more inclusive, operational and relevant policy framework."
The Government of Zim is currently developing a National Disability Policy for 2017-2030 to guide inclusive and equitable policy and programme development.
The Policy will complement efforts, such as this dialogue towards achieving a society that is inclusive and enabling, providing equality and the opportunity for each person to for each person to fulfil their potential.
Source - Byo24News
