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In conjunction with various partners, Arua City has launched a five-year Local Inclusion Action Agenda plan to address challenges affecting people with disabilities (PWDs).

The launch at Alua Primary School playgrounds in Oluko was during the belated International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) in Arua city over the weekend. The day is usually celebrated every December 3.

Local Inclusion Agenda is a five-year legal framework document that plans to include PWDs in mainstream development programmes for both private and government.

The legal framework addresses seven key priority areas increased access to agriculture services, health services, finances and commercial services, land for PWDs, education services, assistive technologies, and creating effective leadership for PWDs.

Moses Bayo, the co-ordinator WE ARE ABLE, said the framework aimed at strengthening PWDs and their co-ordination structures so that they can represent the views of PWDs to ensure that the Government provides inclusion services in all sectors.

“The practice and mindset have been that PWDs can only get services within community-based service. Therefore, we used the local inclusion agenda approach where PWDs and other partners come together to represent issues that affect PWDs so that the Government can provide inclusive services at all levels,” Bayo added.

a group of persons with disabilities dancing during their celebration

Arua City Union of PWDs chairperson Jacinto Angutoko appreciates the document and hopes for full implementation in various sectors.

“The lunch shows a commitment by various stakeholders so we hope that the local government of Arua city will use this document sector to integrate Arua PWDs,” Angutoko said.

The commissioner for PWDs in the public service ministry, Anguyo Richard Roy, emphasized the periodic review of the document to include new inclusive innovation.

“This is a good document, but we need to review it with time so that if innovation inclusion is missing then it should be incorporated to serve PWDs,” Anguyo said.

Arua City community development officer Judith Drate said they will need sh2.2b to undertake different programmes to address challenges of PWDs.

“We expect to raise sh2.2b and it will be addressing issues of building capacity of women, men, girls, and boys on social-cultural activities and to address the stick norms that affect our communities,” Drate revealed.

The day was also used to crown the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) by launching an LAP local action plan a legal framework geared towards fighting GBV in the city.