08 Feb 2024

Botswana acceded to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in July 2021.

Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng said in September of the same year, Parliament approved the UNCRPD based revised national disability policy.

“The policy was meant to kickstart the implementation of the UNCRPD. Furthermore, Parliament passed the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2023 on December 11, 2023 with the main objective of giving effect to the UNCRPD,” said Minister Morwaeng.

He said the UNCRPD at Article 35 required each state party to submit to the secretary general of the United Nations for consideration by the committee of the rights of persons with disabilities, a report on measures taken to give effect to the obligations under the convention within two years after the entry into force of the convention for the state concerned.

Mr  Morwaeng said he was pleased that Botswana had complied with the above requirement, and that its initial report on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was submitted to the UN secretariat.

In relation to steps that had been taken to ensure effective implementation of the UNCRPD at district and national level, Mr Morwaeng said government through, the Persons with Disability Act of 2023, proposed to structure the national disability coordination office charged with coordinating the development and monitoring the implementation of laws, policies, programmes and strategies for improving the quality of lives of persons with disabilities.

Mr Morwaeng also said national disability council would be in place as the highest national coordinating body for disability with the mandate to oversee and advise government on matters relating to disability.

For every community, Mr Morwaeng said there would be a village disability coordinating committee working within existing village child protection committees.

“Its main function is to oversee disability matters at village level. A provision has been made for the Village Child Committee to be modified to apply to village disability coordinating committee,” he said.

He said the structures had been put in place as proposed by the act, and would ensure effective implementation of the UNCRPD at district and national levels. Mr Morwaeng also pointed out that the policies and structures that had been in place before the law was enacted served the country well.

Going forward, he said existing structures and policies would be revised in line with the provisions of the Persons with Disability Act of 2023.

He said it was important to note that government allocated a budget for sectoral plans and subventions to disabled persons organisations to facilitate implementation of the UNCRPD.

He noted that disability benefits included monthly allowances for persons with severe disabilities who could not perform day-to-day activities, adding that eligibility into the programme was based on assessment.

“The aim of the programme is to offset the low socio-economic status of persons with disabilities and to enhance their dignity,” he said.

The minister added that measures had been taken to implement the rights of persons with disabilities as provided for in the Revised Disability Policy including in the National Disability Policy implementation plan that was currently being put into effect through implementing sectors.

Furthermore, Mr Morwaeng said he was pleased that persons with disabilities had always enjoyed equal protection of the law, noting that section three of the Constitution guaranteed every person, including persons with disabilities, the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, notwithstanding their race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed or sex.

He added that section 15 of the Constitution on the other hand outlawed the enactment of discriminatory laws and the treatment of persons in a discriminatory way by an individual acting in pursuant of any statute, or in the fulfilment of the duties of any government office or authority.

He said government has been deliberate to ensure that persons with disabilities contributed to the country’s economy.

Mr Morwaeng also said the Persons with Disability Bill prohibited discrimination in work related matters or employment. He said the law promoted equal opportunities to employment for persons with disabilities in both the public and private sector.

He said the filling of the post of director, coordinating office for persons with disabilities had long been done, and that prior to the appointment, there was an acting director who coordinated activities of the office, adding that there was no gap in service delivery in that office at any point.

Member of Parliament of Serowe South, Mr Leepetswe Lesedi had asked the minister to update Parliament on the implementation of the UNCRPD, stating steps that had been taken to ensure effective implementation at district and national level.

He also asked the minister to give the definition of an individual with disability according to government, and why many presumably disabled persons were disqualified from receiving disability benefits as well as measures that had been taken at local level to implement national and international disability rights instruments.

Apart from the policy, Mr Lesedi also wanted to know steps that were put in place to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoyed full equality under the law and to unleash their contribution to the economy.

He also asked about filling the post of the former director, Coordinating Office for People with Disabilities. 

Finally, MP Lesedi asked when Botswana would rectify the African Disability Protocol. ENDS