Staff Writer
The Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare launched a National Policy consultation on Persons with Disability Bill on Wednesday.
Marginalised Communities deputy minister, Royal /Ui/o/oo said the draft bill aims to incorporate principles enshrined in the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into Namibia’s statutory framework.
Ui/o/oo gave the keynote address on behalf of Minister Doreen Sioka.
According to the deputy minister, the consultation emphasises the significance of mainstreaming disability concerns as an inherent element of applicable plans for long-term development.
Furthermore, the procedure will ensure that Namibia not only complies with its international commitments, but also that Namibians with disabilities receive the necessary protection.
The Bill will also strive to establish that the ministry, and in particular the National Disability Council of Namibia, be proactive when it comes to topics and issues concerning people with disabilities.
He also stated that the consultation process will encompass and involve all 14 regions to guarantee that no individual with a handicap is left out, and that the ministry will interact with a variety of stakeholders.
National Federation of Persons with Disabilities in Namibia (NFPDN) Chairperson, Matheus Hashoongo, who also spoke at the same event, asked Members of Parliament to take the Bill and its revisions seriously.
“Please, Members of Parliament, hear my voice. I want you to take this seriously,” he advised.
“Namibia should break the chain of stigma and prejudice, such as unemployment and a lack of access to information for people with disabilities,” he said.
Hashoongo highlighted the need for a sign language provision in Parliament is necessary for the inclusion of people with impairments.
