13 Dec 2023

 People with disabilities (PWDs) should be included in all societal spheres to ensure they benefit equitably from all economic sectors, Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng has said.

Officiating at the commemoration of International Day for People with Disabilities  in Mochudi on Tuesday, Mr Morwaeng said the recent Persons Living with Disability Bill that was passed by Parliament would provide for establishment of Disability Coordination Office and the National Disability Council.

The two, he said, would serve to prohibit discrimination against persons on the grounds of disability and promote equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in all spheres of the economy.

He said the legislation was also envisaged to assist the country to attain an inclusive and conducive environment for people with disabilities, thereby promoting their active participation in all spheres of life.

“The legislation will assist in the promotion and protection of rights of persons with disabilities to avert the stigma and marginalisation that they continue to experience,” he said.

Mr Morwaeng highlighted that the country was implementing the Revised National Disability Policy, whose main objective was to mainstream disability issues as an integral part of national development priorities including laws, policies, plans and programmes.

He said the policy was consistent with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability and the African Disability Protocol, which has adopted an inclusive multi sectoral and rights based approach that support the achievement of Vision 2036, the National Development Plans, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the call to leave no one behind.

He emphasised the formulation of deliberate strategies specific to persons with disabilities to be implemented, noting that preliminary findings of the forthcoming United Nations Disability and Development Report of 2023 has observed slow accomplishment of SDG targets.

Mr Morwaeng hailed Kgatleng District Council for long adopting the agenda of inclusion in its programming, especially for persons with visual impairment.

“I am reliably informed that a number of non-governmental organisations are also complementing government’s efforts here in Kgatleng. 

It is worth noting that we do recognise and appreciate your efforts,” he said.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry for State President, Ms Goitsemang Morekisi said Botswana had made significant societal transformation strides towards treatment of PWDs.

She said meaningful strides had been made in such areas as increased accessibility to services by persons with disabilities, better advocacy for their rights culminating in their active participation and their inclusion in the national legal and policy frameworks.

She said commemoration of the day had been set aside to not only promote and acknowledge the role played by PWDs as a way of reducing stigma associated with disability, but to mobilise support for critical issues relating to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society and development.

Ms Morekisi urged the community to have a paradigm shift in the way they view disability issues.

United Nations resident coordinator, Mr Zia Choudhury said Botswana’s efforts to rescue the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities needed to be intensified and accelerated, given that persons with disabilities had historically been marginalised and had often been among those left furthest behind.

Mr Choudhury emphasised that sustainable development for persons with disabilities required a laser like focus on their needs and rights, not only as beneficiaries, but as active contributors across social, economic and political devide.

“We need to ensure that PWDs are at every decision-making table in line with the Convention on the Rights of PWDs, and across countries’ efforts to achieve the SDGs from poverty eradication, health, education and climate change,” he said.

Chairperson of the Botswana Council for the Disabled, Mr Kgosi Tlhowe said PWDs continued to face systemic discrimination and barriers that restricted their meaningful inclusion in all areas of the society.

However, he commended government for passing the Persons with Disability Bill that would serve to prohibit discrimination against them.

Mr Stephen Sekhobo, who is a person with disability, said the disability bill should be availed in braille to cater for the visually impaired.

Mr Sekhobo encouraged fellow PWDs to attend kgotla meetings so that they get information on government initiatives and programmes. ENDS