Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe’s renewed push for disability inclusion took centre stage in Harare on Wednesday, as senior Government officials, legislators and disability rights advocates convened for the review of the African Disability Protocol (ADP) — a key continental framework aimed at advancing the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
The high-level workshop, organized by Sightsavers Zimbabwe — an organisation that works to prevent avoidable blindness and promote equal opportunities for persons with disabilities — brought together several disability organisations from across the country, Government representatives, line Ministries and Members of Parliament, underscoring a growing national consensus on the need to align Zimbabwe’s policies and practices with regional and international standards on disability rights.
Addressing delegates, Mr. Macnon Chirinzepi, Special Advisor on Disability Issues (Director) in the Office of the President and Cabinet, said the country , under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership has entrenched the inclusive mantra of “leaving no one and no place behind” as a practical philosophy of governance rather than a slogan.
He said the administration’s unwavering commitment to empowering persons with disabilities reflects a broader national vision anchored on inclusive economic growth and social justice.
He highlighted several empowerment initiatives spearheaded under the President’s leadership, including the provision of assistive technologies and livelihoods projects such as the Presidential piggery, poultry, goat rearing schemes, farms, boreholes and residential stands extended to persons with disabilities.
These interventions, he said, are practical measures designed to ensure that persons with disabilities are not passive beneficiaries but active contributors to economic transformation.
“Enhanced production by everyone and improved productivity at all levels can help our country to gain urgent economic growth,” Mr. Chirinzepi said, adding that persons with disabilities “should be active subjects who help to drive the economy to greater heights.”
He called for collective collaboration among Government, legislators, development partners and civil society to strengthen social inclusion, improve accessibility to resources and remove barriers that hinder full participation in economic development.
The workshop comes at a time when Zimbabwe is transitioning into the second phase of the National Development Strategy 2, which builds on gains made under National Development Strategy 1 in pursuit of the country’s Vision 2030 agenda to attain upper middle-income status.
Mr. Chirinzepi urged stakeholders to move away from mere verbal rhetoric to practical actions in implementing disability-inclusive aspirations contained in international conventions and the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has progressively strengthened its legal framework on disability rights.
The 2013 Constitution explicitly recognizes the rights of persons with disabilities, including provisions for access to education, healthcare, public buildings and participation in political and public life.
In addition, the Disabled Persons Act established structures to promote equal opportunities and guard against discrimination, while ongoing policy reforms seek to harmonize domestic laws with the African Disability Protocol and other international instruments.
The Harare workshop therefore marks not only a review of a continental protocol, but also a reaffirmation of Zimbabwe’s commitment to embedding disability inclusion at the heart of national development.
New Ziana