รายละเอียดกระทู้

http://www.observer.org.sz/index.php?news=56699 The Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental organisations in Swaziland would like to join the commemorations held globally for the International Day of People Living with Disabilities celebrated annually on December 3, 2013. There are currently over one billion people, or approximately 15 percent of the world’s population, live with some form of disability. People living with disabilities are disproportionately represented among the world’s poorest, and they lack equal access to basic resources, such as education, employment, healthcare and social and legal support systems as well as have a higher rate of mortality. In spite of this situation, disability has remained largely invisible in the mainstream development agenda and its processes. The UN General Assembly in the recent years has repeatedly emphasised that the genuine achievement of the millennium development goals (MDGs) and other internationally agreed development goals, requires the inclusion and integration of the rights and well-being as well as the perspective of persons with disabilities in development efforts at national, regional and international levels. LIVING WITH A DISABILITY IN SWAZILAND. It is estimated there are more than 115 000 people living with a disability in Swaziland. This figure continues to increase due to the incidence of chronic disease, injuries, car crashes and violence. People with disabilities are “marginalised, discriminated against and socially excluded from mainstream activities with limited access to opportunities available to non-disabled persons such as education, health, employment, public facilities and transport. Nearly half of disabled persons aged 10 years or older have received no formal education and only 15% have post-primary education. Three quarters of people with disabilities aged 12 or older are not economically active, while only 17% are employed in waged employment. And those who work generally get “menial and poorly remunerated jobs”. This can be explained by the widespread belief that people with disabilities are unemployable. People living with Disabilities in Swaziland People living with disabilities still face enormous challenges in Swaziland including: n Equal opportunities in employment and education and training. n Transport, disabled people have serious challenges accessing public transport. n The lack of effective consultation and involvement on country development issues. n The lack of material for visually impaired people in public institutions such as libraries, hospitals and clinics. n The lack of interpreters for sign language and braille interpreted documents, even within government structures such as home affairs offices, schools, clinics, revenue payment areas and others. Most service providers public and private sector institutes do not understand sign language thus people with disabilities have major communication problems within main service delivery centres in Swaziland. n Women living with disabilities are facing gender based discrimination. n The lack of access to vocational training for people living with disabilities. n Physical and emotional abuse faced by disability organisations. In joining the 21st globally commemorations of the International Day of People living with disabilities, the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations in Swaziland calls for the following: g The involvement of people living with disabilities in all the country’s development discourse. g The need to increase disability grants. The disability grants must take in to recognition the needs of people living with disabilities in Swaziland. g Public transport must be made easily accessible for people living with disabilities. g Provision of interpreters in service delivery offices both in the public and private sector. g Sign Language must be part of schools curriculums. g The full participation of disabled people within government disability projects in Swaziland. CANGO would like to encourage all private sector organisations, non-governmental organisations, diplomatic agencies, donor agencies, government departments to provide employment opportunities for people living with disabilities. Also, there is a need for the full participation of people living with disabilities in policy and decision making bodies in the country.