(Harare 090.09.08) Disability activists have
called for more representation in local authorities and
the need to promote sign language for information
dissemination.
Speaking at a two-day Disability Activists Advocacy
workshop, which ended in Harare last week, National
Association of Societies for the Handicapped programmes
officer for research and advocacy, Mr Tsarai Mungoni said
the representation in local authorities, Parliament and
Government departments have been ineffective so far.
"There have been gaps in the provision of service to
the disability constituency due to under or no
representation," said Mr Mungoni.
He said his organisation is lobbying the Ministry of
Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development
under the Local Government Act to appoint special
interests councillors with disabilities to spearhead
issues to do with disabilities.
Mr Mungoni said people with disabilities were left out
in a number of programmes such as land reform and
indigenisation which give impetus to black
empowerment.
Another disability activist, Mr Nyamayabo Mashavakure
said sign language should be promoted and raised to the
status of a national language just like other languages
such as Shona, Ndebele and English.
"People who are deaf and dump have no chance to learn
sign language in schools and therefore grow up with no
language," he said.
He said newspapers should also be written in Braille
to make information available to the visually
impaired.
Mr Mashavakure said all these issues were not being
addressed because there is no national disability
policy.
He called on Government to come up with a national
disability policy and also implement the Nziramasanga
Commission recommendations on special education
expeditiously.
Disability activists from around the country attended
the workshop, which sought among other things to sharpen
their advocacy skills in issues to do with
disabilities.
Source: http://allafrica.com/
