Harare, (New Ziana) -The United Nations (UN) has commended the Zimbabwe government for establishing mechanisms and frameworks to support persons with disabilities in the country.

UN resident coordinator Edward Kallon this in speech read on his behalf by United Nations Children’s Fund regional director for Southern Africa, Elena Constantinou at the launch of the Costed Action Plan, which seeks to address key challenges that persons with in the country disabilities face.

He said it was pleasing to see the progress that the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare was making in implementing the National Disability Policy.

“The Ministry is commended for its efforts for moving forward the disability agenda in Zimbabwe from policy to practice,” he said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the National Disability Policy in June 2021 and since then, the Ministry has made significant progress in establishing a National Coordination Technical Committee and decentralizing the National Disability Coordination Mechanism.

Kallon noted that the launch of the five-year Costed Action Plan is another milestone for Zimbabwe in strengthening its coordination, accountability, and governance on disability inclusion.

“It is a demonstration of the government’s pledge in adopting disability-inclusive budgeting approaches for the effective implementation of the National Disability Policy,” she said.

The five-year plan, which runs from 2024 to 2028, aims to address key challenges that persons with disabilities face, including limited access to education, healthcare, employment, and social protection.

It was developed with support from UNESCO, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), and the UNDP under the Global Disability Fund.

The UN has pledged to continue supporting the Zimbabwe government in implementing the Costed Action Plan and advancing the rights of people with disabilities.

New Ziana