— Women and children with disabilities abused in Eastern province – Mulenga.

Women and children with disabilities abused in Eastern province – Mulenga.

Chipata, December 3,2014, ZANIS —-  Government says women and children with disabilities face a lot of challenges of abuse in Eastern province.

 Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Dr Chileshe Mulenga says persistence of certain cultural, legal and institutional barriers make women and girls with disabilities, victims of discrimination and violence.

This is contained in a speech read on his behalf by Chipata District Commissioner Kalunga Zulu at the commemoration of this International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) held under the theme: “ Sustainable Development, the Promise of Technology”.

The PS stated that women and girls with disabilities also face particular disadvantages in the areas of education, employment, family and reproductive rights and Health.

Dr Mulenga said as the Province intensifies response to the spread of HIV infections as a way to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in the society, it is important for an inclusion and involvement of persons with disabilities.

“We have to ensure that Persons with Disabilities (PWD) have access to sufficient information to enable them make informed decisions about their lives with regard to HIV/AIDS” he said.

He also noted that the theme offers an opportunity to highlight the barriers that come as a result of limitations due to unfriendly environment caused by lack of an accessible technology in the country.

He stated that Ministry of Works, Supply, Communication and Transport and Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA)  ensure that all gadgets such as phones, ATMs, computers elevators, internet cafes are accessible and user friendly.

He stated that government will continuously monitor the mainstreaming of policies adding that government will also ensure national policies, plans and legislative pieces facilitate provisions of reasonable accommodation as per act No 06of 2012 for PWD so that they live independently.

And IDPD organization Committee Chairperson Courdy Banda urged public workers to accommodate persons with disabilities when they visit their offices to seek a service.

Mr Banda said there was no need to discriminate person with disabilities as they too are Zambian citizens with sober minds who should be also be involved in programmes.

He stated that the visiting of offices should not be considered as a problem or shocking but way of accessing services and a demand for equitable resource distribution.