PWDs seek inclusive representation in amendments to disability law

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Persons living with disabilities from parts of western Uganda have called for amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2020, to include their suggestions, which they believe will address the diverse needs of persons with disabilities.

The proposed joint amendments were presented to the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) offices in Ntinda on Thursday, November 13, by Wilson Lhughabwe, the principal community development officer for Kasese Municipality.

Members proposed that the assistive devices section be expanded to include battery-operated sensory toys for autism, visual timers, social skill videos, programmed robots, medical sunscreen lotions, sunglasses, and tinted lenses for persons with albinism.

They also recommended that children with disabilities be cared for and rehabilitated in childcare centres, with only those with mild complications cared for at home.

In addition, they want the government to establish inclusive schools with specialised units in all districts to handle special needs learners and programmes.

Regarding employment, persons with disabilities proposed recruitment across all security organs and institutions. They also suggested that the private sector be given incentives aligned with different levels of employment for hiring persons with disabilities.

Under infrastructure development, they want owners of buildings to provide proper access for persons with disabilities within six months.

The suggestions were made to the councils to enable them to continue coordinating and overseeing the review and validation of proposed policy amendments and recommendations developed by district-level policymakers from Bundibugyo, Kasese, and Bunyangabu.

According to Sinmyung Park, the project manager, the amendment exercises are supported under KOICA–IDI Uganda’s project “Support for Vocational Training for Persons with Disabilities and Raising Disability Awareness in Western Uganda.”

He added that the project is funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI).

Commenting on the development, Margret Ninsiima, who represented persons with visual impairment, said that while implementing the suggestion of creating jobs for persons with disabilities, employers should specify the exact tasks that a person with a disability can perform, as opposed to calling on them to apply when they cannot perform the task.

“I welcome the suggestion that persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply, but when you get to the interview panel, they ask you if you can ride, which is not possible for most persons. So employers should be open about whether they want to employ persons with a disability or not,” she said.

Lhughabwe, the principal community development officer for Kasese Municipality, added that when it comes to joining services such as the army or police, persons with disabilities who have skills in areas such as operating camera rooms or administration should also be considered instead of being excluded completely.

To ensure that the proposals are considered, the Executive Secretary of the Council, Osborn Turyasingura, said that the suggestions will be presented to the Council for further action.

“We shall present these amendments that we have received from KOICA to the Council, and a resolution will be made before we follow up to either proceed with these amendments and also engage relevant offices,” he said.