Govt tasked to revise Disability Act
Vibe Ghana-
January 4, 2015 | Filed under: Latest news | Posted by: VibeGhana
The Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD) has reminded the government to honour its promise of revising the Disability Act in line with international standards and address the discrimination against persons with disability.
The Federation noted that had been more than a year since the Government promised at the 68th United Nations (UN) General Assembly to review Ghana’s Persons with Disability A ct (Act 715, 2006), but nothing had been done.
Mr Isaac Tuggun, Focal Person of the Federation said this in a statement made available to the Ghana News Agency, over the weekend.
The Federation quoted the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, as saying at the 68th UN General Assembly in September 2013, that: “Government is reviewing the provisions of Persons with Disability Act 715 to realign it with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”.
According to the Federation, the Minister stated that the realignment was to “harmonise Ghana’s obligations under both local and International Law and that “a Legislative Instrument to promote the effective implementation of the Act has subsequently been drafted”.
The Federation said it described then described the promise as “good news and heart-warming information for persons with disability and organizations of Persons with Disability (PWDs) who found the Act to be woefully inadequate, and skewed, with ambiguous and discretionary provisions.”
“Unfortunately, PWDs’ hope and expectations have been short lived,” said the GFD.
“Despite the fact that GFD has produced and submitted a gap analysis report to the Government, through the Ministry of Gender, children and Social Protection, as its contribution to fast-track the review process of the Act, nothing has been done about the said review, after a year now,” it added.
It said an appropriate Legislative Instrument for the effective implementation of an Act could be best drafted after the Act had been reviewed and not while the Act was still being reviewed.
The Persons with Disability Act 715 came into effect in 2006, which preceded the UN Convention on the Rights of PWDs, which Ghana voluntarily signed in 2007 and ratified in 2012.
The United Nations Convention of Disability (CRPD), now part of the body of legislations in Ghana, in Article 4(b) under the general obligations, enjoins state parties to the Convention to harmonize their domestic legislations with the convention.
The GFD said the harmonization would eliminate the difficulties and confusion arising in the application of the two pro-disability legislations, with the same objectives, but which differed greatly from each other in context, enjoinments, and scope.
It said, though disability is an evolving concept, Act 715 had a close definition of a person with disability while the CRPD had an open definition to permit the inclusion of emerging categories of disability.
The GFD noted that CRPD recognized the different needs of women and children with disability and thus provided for them separately, but Act 715 lumped women, children, and men together as PWDs who had common challenges and common needs.
It also said the CRPD provided for political participation of and special needs for PWDs in national disaster management, however, Act 715 was silent on these issues.
“Act 715 has cursory provisions some of which are ambiguous while the CRPD has detailed and clear provisions,” the Federation said.
It said while CRPD promoted inclusive education at all levels, Act 715 prescribed the designation of schools or institutions in each region to provide facilities and equipment to enable PWDs to participate in education, thus limiting the opportunities of PWDs to participate in education.
“This is discriminatory, health care and employment provisions in Act 715 also suffer similar limitations,” it said.
“While the CRPD enjoins close consultation and active involvement of PWDs in decision-making processes, Act 715 prescribes nothing on the matter,” GFD added.
The Federation warned that given the amendment of the Act was an international requirement, and Ghana as a party to the CRPD, Ghana would suffer a “dented international image by signing and ratifying an international instrument only to violate its provision.”
The GFD, therefore, called on all relevant stakeholders to take keen interest in the promise by the government to review Act 715 so that together they could create the right legal environment to improve the disability situation in the country. GNA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://vibeghana.com/2015/01/04/govt-tasked-to-revise-disability-act/
Kumasi/Korea Importers donates to a disability training centre
spyghana.com
NewsJan 7, 2015 0
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The Physically Challenged Training and Rehabilitation Centre at Offinso has been presented with cash and food items worth over GH¢2,600.
DISABILITY LOGO
These included,10 bags of rice, a bag each of maize and sugar, one box of sardine, edible oil and large quantity of fruit drinks and were donated by the Kumasi/Korea Importers Association.
Mr. Yaw Anokye Sarfo, Secretary of the Association, said it was their contribution towards efforts at caring for the trainees.
He said helping the physically challenged to acquire trades to become economically self-supporting was a noble cause and something they were proud to be associated with and pledged further visits to the centre.
Mr. Barima Antwi, the Director of the Centre, said they were grateful for the donation, adding that it would give some relief.
GNA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.spyghana.com/kumasikorea-importers-donates-disability-training-centre/
South Africa: 'In Our Communities, Disabled People Are Rejected'
AllAfrica.com-
By Zimasa Matiwane
Holidays are synonymous with children spending time with their families, but there are many children who are forced to spend the holidays without their families. Ntshireletseng Molefe is a caregiver at a home for mentally and physically challenged children in Mount Fletcher in the Eastern Cape. She spoke to ZIMASA MATIWANE about the challenges of caring for children with disabilities.
I did not want to do this job, in fact I hated it, but I think God chose it for me.
It was hard at first to come here and take care of these children. It took time to love the job and, most importantly, to love the children as my own.
This is my 11th year looking after disabled children and although it is difficult work that requires a lot of patience, I have gotten used to it.
But one thing still breaks my heart - the attitude of our communities towards their children living with disabilities.
Out of the 20 children we care for here at Mount Fletcher Cheshire Home for Disabled Children only six were fetched by their parents for Christmas.
Seeing them here alone on Christmas when other children are with their families getting Christmas clothes breaks my heart. I take care of them, I love them, but I know nothing beats a mother's love. Disabled children need a mother's love too.
Those few who children do visit their homes during the holidays come back looking like they were neglected. They get here thin, their teeth looking like they were not brushed since they left Cheshire Home, some come back with sores, others with nappy rash. The parents do not even give them a haircut or remove pubic hair. They even bring them back with dirty clothes.
For instance, Nomonde* is a 22-year-old girl. I found her here, but she only visited home once. Her mother dropped her off, and when we tried to contact her we could not get hold of her. She was eventually traced by social workers, who found her alive and well.
She just deserted the child. That is when December visits stopped being compulsory. The home and social workers decided that those parents who do not want their children can just leave them and never come back.
As a mother I couldn't understand how one would just abandon their own child, but with time I realised that mothers do not have the support required to raise a disabled child. In our communities, disabled people are rejected. No neighbour or mother-in-law or father will change the sanitary pads or nappies of an 18-year-old to assist the mother. They say it's disgusting.
Some of these children eat their own poo. They need special care and without family and community support their mothers, most of them still young themselves, do not cope. It's a sad situation.
Every time I get home and spend time with my children I think of those children at the home whose parents are alive. Some can afford to buy them clothes or visit but don't - they can't even stand to spend a single day with them, or bring themselves to touch them.
It hurts; it is the hardest part of my job.
I wish our communities could be educated about disabilities. Maybe then they can understand that these children are not monsters, but little angels who are different and need love and support just like able children.
*Name changed.
-As told to Zimasa Matiwane
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501071078.html
Rachael Kachaje conquering disability with faith: Malawi ex-minister
Nyasa Times-
anuary 8, 2015
Tionge Ndau -Mana
At knock off time from Chichiri Secondary in Blantyre she thought the rain had receded and crawled with difficulty towards Naperi River to the rickety bridge she crossed on her way home.
Rain fell profusely and the river was swollen and upon reaching Naperi River she found that the bridge was gone except for a pole.
She hesitated for a moment and thought of going back to school, but it was late and her parents and relatives waited in fear with abated breaths.
She thought of the worst, but considered the best was to cross. And with her muddy hands and soaked uniform she clung to the pole and crawled afew steps, but slipped into the river.
Riding the muddy waves in trash, she gave up everything until someone grabbed her hand to safety.
That was the worst day for Rachel Kachaje former Minister of Disability and Elderly Affairs and cofounder of African Women with Disabilities organisation.
She lived in times when being physically challenged was brutally swoon upon and despite having the same or better qualifications than other people, chances of getting employed were close to none.
At age 3, in 1961 she lost use of her legs when she was attacked by Polio that struck Malawi.
Unlike other children who started their education earlier, she started at 8 and was being carried by her mother and sometimes sister to Kanjedza Primary School.
Her parents could not afford a wheel chair and it was some more gruesome years of mobility challenges through primary and secondary schools.
“In 1974 I was selected to go to HHI Secondary School which I attended only the first term due to mobility challenges and was transferred to Chichiri Secondary School where I finished my secondary education.
“And in 1979 after finishing my secondary was not successful to go to the university and I stayed at home for another year,” said Kachaje.
Her father worked for Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and her mother brew Kachasu to make ends meet. They had difficulty supporting 8 children.
She says her hardworking spirit and completion of secondary education was a gift to her family and they were anxious for a brighter future until more mountains arose.
“After I failed to go to university, I started looking for a job and it wasn’t easy to be employed, companies refused to employ people who were physically challenged.
“I stayed at home for a year and Malawi Council for the Handicapped announced on radio that they were looking for girls who had secondary school qualifications and I applied. But I wasn’t even successful, but after some days I was recalled to go to MACOHA that National Bank wanted to employ us,” said Kachaje.
Luckily this time National Bank employed two women and three men and she was employed as a telephone operator.
In 1981 she decided to further her studies at Malawi Polytechnic with the hope of getting a promotion.
Between 1981 and 1984 she attended evening secretarial studies classes, but upon completion, the bank did not immediately recognize her papers. She worked another seven years at the switchboard.
In 1986 she got married to Gibson Kachaje from Nsalu in Lilongwe and same year got promoted to typist and followed her husband to Lilongwe where she worked up to 2001, but was retrenched in 2001.
She has since 2001 been involved in activism for people with disability, Bible and books, born again CCAP, Born on 5 May 1958 as Rachel Kamchacha from Linga Village TA Mwase in Kasungu she has received several awards and recognitions for her work in disability issues in Malawi and Africa in general.
In 2001 Southern African Federation of the Disabled recognized her to be part of them. She was elected chair between 2002 and 2007 and first woman to be chair of the federation.
In 2002 together with friends established Disability Women in Africa an organisation that champions for the rights of disabled women in Africa.
Some of the members are Rwanda’s Matilda Umurza and Hatouma Gakou from Mali who have all inspired a lot of women in Africa.
In 2007 she was deputy chair for Disabled People International responsible for development and was in 2011 re-elected on same position.
And in October 2013 though not being a politician, she was appointed as Minister of Disability and Elderly Affairs.
She is currently working in activism and bemoaned the delays in the enactment of the Disability Act in Malawi as a major obstacle to the rights of the disabled.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.nyasatimes.com/2015/01/08/rachael-kachaje-conquering-disability-with-faith-malawi-ex-minister/
Zambia needs adequate law for the disabled
AllAfrica.com-
By Zimasa Matiwane
Holidays are synonymous with children spending time with their families, but there are many children who are forced to spend the holidays without their families. Ntshireletseng Molefe is a caregiver at a home for mentally and physically challenged children in Mount Fletcher in the Eastern Cape. She spoke to ZIMASA MATIWANE about the challenges of caring for children with disabilities.
I did not want to do this job, in fact I hated it, but I think God chose it for me.
It was hard at first to come here and take care of these children. It took time to love the job and, most importantly, to love the children as my own.
This is my 11th year looking after disabled children and although it is difficult work that requires a lot of patience, I have gotten used to it.
But one thing still breaks my heart - the attitude of our communities towards their children living with disabilities.
Out of the 20 children we care for here at Mount Fletcher Cheshire Home for Disabled Children only six were fetched by their parents for Christmas.
Seeing them here alone on Christmas when other children are with their families getting Christmas clothes breaks my heart. I take care of them, I love them, but I know nothing beats a mother's love. Disabled children need a mother's love too.
Those few who children do visit their homes during the holidays come back looking like they were neglected. They get here thin, their teeth looking like they were not brushed since they left Cheshire Home, some come back with sores, others with nappy rash. The parents do not even give them a haircut or remove pubic hair. They even bring them back with dirty clothes.
For instance, Nomonde* is a 22-year-old girl. I found her here, but she only visited home once. Her mother dropped her off, and when we tried to contact her we could not get hold of her. She was eventually traced by social workers, who found her alive and well.
She just deserted the child. That is when December visits stopped being compulsory. The home and social workers decided that those parents who do not want their children can just leave them and never come back.
As a mother I couldn't understand how one would just abandon their own child, but with time I realised that mothers do not have the support required to raise a disabled child. In our communities, disabled people are rejected. No neighbour or mother-in-law or father will change the sanitary pads or nappies of an 18-year-old to assist the mother. They say it's disgusting.
Some of these children eat their own poo. They need special care and without family and community support their mothers, most of them still young themselves, do not cope. It's a sad situation.
Every time I get home and spend time with my children I think of those children at the home whose parents are alive. Some can afford to buy them clothes or visit but don't - they can't even stand to spend a single day with them, or bring themselves to touch them.
It hurts; it is the hardest part of my job.
I wish our communities could be educated about disabilities. Maybe then they can understand that these children are not monsters, but little angels who are different and need love and support just like able children.
*Name changed.
-As told to Zimasa Matiwane
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=16605
Human Rights Court Throws Out Case Against Disabled Federation
spyghana.com
NewsCrime
Jan 17, 2015 0
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An Accra Human Rights court has dismissed the conditional appearance suit filed against the Disabled Federation by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).Disable people
The Disabled Federation sued the GCCA, Antrak Air, Starbow and Africa World Airlines last year over their refusal to airlift a physically challenged person.
The Federation argued that the rights of persons living with disability would be grossly violated if domestic airlines denied them the opportunity to patronise their services.
Meanwhile, the GCAA has explained that it cannot be blamed for the incident.
In view of the above claims, the GCAA, therefore, filed a suit to counter the claims by the disabled federation.
However, the court, presided by Justice Kofi Essel Mensah, dismissed the suit on Friday, paving way for the hearing of the substantive matter.
Earlier in court, the GCAA, led by Mrs Joyce Thompson, counsel for the first defendant, said it wanted the writ to be set aside on the grounds that it did not reasonably disclose any course of action.
Referring to the claims, Mrs Thomson said the Federation was seeking for a declaration to the effect that the GCAA had failed in its duties under the GCAA Act 678 and Section 28(1) of the Persons with Disability Act 2006 (Act 715) to control airlines and regulate local aviation industry in Ghana and ensure that local airlines provide accessible services and facilities.
The GCAA is a regulator of the aviation industry and its Act mandates it to regulate a safe and secure aviation, ensure air transport is carried out in a safe and secured manner through its licensing and certification function, she said.
She said the GCAA regulated but did not provide access to aircrafts for persons with reduced mobility, explaining that they were not responsible for the management of aircrafts in Ghana.
“By law the GCAA’s focus should be on air space management and safety regulations,” she added.
The GCAA’s duty is to ensure safety of passengers, crew, property on board and air worthiness of the aircraft.
Dr Kweku Nsiah, Counsel for the plaintiff, said they vehemently opposed the application on the grounds of incompetence.
He said their application, in pursuant to their entry of conditional appearance filed on December 17, 2014, was another reason for the opposition.
Dr Nsiah said the GCAA was served with the writ on the said date and they had 14 days to move the court to set aside the writ, but their present application was filed on January 12 and, therefore, they were out of time.
Dr Nsiah said the conditional appearance had matured into an unconditional appearance and they could not ask the court to reverse the situation.
The substantive case was later adjourned to April 14.
The Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled has filed a motion on notice, praying the Human Rights Division of the High Court to restrain three local airlines from discriminating against persons with disability by way of refusing to sell flight tickets to them.
It is also seeking an interlocutory injunction against the respondents not to deny such persons who desire to travel on their aircraft services, pending the determination of a substantive suit.
The respondents are Antrak Air, Africa World Travel and Starbow Air.
Joined to the action is the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, who the applicant wish the court would restrain from overlooking, and or refusing to ensure that the other respondents comply with Section 28 (1) of the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715).
Section 28 (1) of Act 715 states that: “The Civil Aviation Authority and any other authority responsible for the management of a port shall provide facilities that will aid the movement of a person with disability at the port.”
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.spyghana.com/human-rights-court-throws-out-case-against-disabled-federation/
Match Made In Heaven! Deaf & Dumb Couple Wed In Lagos
Information Nigeria
Posted by: Deolu January 18, 2015
Just found this beautiful report on The Nation about love in its purest and a union between a deaf and dumbcouple..
Their meeting
Through a sign interpreter, Mrs. Helen Famuwagun the visibly elated bride said she lives in Owo and has been looking for a nice and responsible man, which she has now found n her heartthrob, Kunle.
“We met in 2013 and courted for over one year. I know his parents and they too know me and my parents very well,” Omolola announced.”
Asked if the suitors took some time coming, she replied that
“many suitors were coming, but I decided to choose Kunle, for his understanding and caring nature. Kunle is a man after my heart,” she gesticulated to her interpreter, who in turn explained to the reporters.
The couple who both attend GOFAMINT Church said they are happy to have scaled all hurdles to eventually solemnise their relationship. Through their interpreter, Kunle said he does not want any woman in his life, except his brand new wife, Omolola.
The Bridegroom
Kunle disclosed that he met his heartthrob at a friend’s place on May 10, 2013 and immediately took interest in her.
His words,
“I liked her immediately I saw her.”
Asked if he would someday take another wife, he shook his head, gesticulating to the interpreter that he would never consider taking a second or third wife.
He however declared that he would like to have many children, depending on God’s wish.
Their Teacher
My name is Helen Famuwagun (Mrs.), I am one of their teachers in GOFANMINT, what I’ve noticed is that most of them don’t marry normal persons but their likes. This is because they understand each other and are able to interact through sign language. In the church, we teach them that they should not ‘see’ each other before getting married. And this they obeyed because we monitor them very well. We also tell them that their bed must not be defiled, imparting in them the way of God. As a preacher and pastor, I preach to them that it is a sin to make love out of wedlock. Of course we relate with them through sign language, because of their nature and they are well receptive.
Famuwagun also revealed that by nature, people with such disabilities are special people and are very jealous. This she said is why they often married their likes, with whom they share good understanding, and compatibility. She said that such understanding is critical, because they could be very fatal when they get angry.
She also disclosed that this was not the first time such marriage will be taking place.
Boundless joy
The visually impaired sang danced and were all happy. One of them Temitope Ariyo, who is the leader of the School Band, said “we are happy to play for our colleague. Although we cannot see them, they see us. Today is another happy day for the couple “.
Olorunfemi Seun, and Tosin Oladapo, two back-up singers who are also visually impaired also expressed their joy on the occasion.
Bride’s parents
Chief Anthony Adeyeye Onipede and his wife,Taiye are Omolola parents.
According to them, their daughter was not born deaf and dumb, but suddenly observed that she could not talk or hear when she was a toddler.
“Omolola was born as a twin, but her twin sister died at infancy. She was still crawling when we discovered that she could not talk or hear,” the parents chorused.
Onipede said
“I am her father. I did not immediately know that she could not talk or hear. I was in Onitsha then as a soldier .It was my late father who first noticed the problem. We went to places; hospitals and even churches, thinking it was a spiritual attack, but no progress.”
“I made efforts to take her to school. She went to deaf and dumb school in Akure; she also went to Technical College, Owo, where she learnt Painting and decorating”
Asked whether her daughter was forced to marry a challenged person like herself, Mrs. Onipede said
“No, it was Omolola who said she would marry Kunle. They both went to the same school, and I think they would understand each other better. I am happy for their coming together and I am told their children will be normal when they begin to have children.”
Groom’s parents
The parents of the Bridegroom exhibited great joy throughout the occasion. When interviewed, Kunle’s father, Rufus Oluwadare, who is a Shepherd at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Akure said
“my son was not born like this. I am the happiest man today for my son to be getting married. I have done two weddings for my two children this year but this is the most interesting and most unforgettable among them all. Yes, they have challenges but see how God has compensated them with this crown? What I know is that if a bad person blocks their way God has a way of compensating them.”
Expressing her joy, the groom’s mother said
“He is very selective and does not seem to want anybody except this lady. They have introduced some divorcees and single mothers to him, but he always rejected them.”
She added that her son was not born with speech challenges. She however blamed her enemies who inflicted the condition on him, when he was a baby. She said
“I believe it is the handiwork of evil doers. But what do we do? We still thank God for everything.”
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.informationng.com/2015/01/match-made-in-heaven-deaf-dumb-couple-wed-in-lagos.html
S Sudan: conflict hinders War Disabled and Orphans Commission
Radio Tamazuj-
JUBA (19 Jan.)
Maria Gideon, director for South Sudan War Disabled and Orphans Commission, said they are facing enormous challenges due to the ongoing conflict in the country.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Gideon said the commission’s activities have been paralyzed due to lack of funds.
She said they have failed to assess orphans, widows, and war disabled since fighting erupted in December 2013.
“We could not go to the states to register the orphans, widows and disabled as a result of the war instigated by Riek Machar," she said.
Maria, who is also member of women bloc at the peace talks, said the 2012-2013 budget was passed by the parliament before the fighting erupted and that it is not yet received from the National Ministry of Finance.
She predicted the ongoing conflict could be more devastating compared to wars for liberation struggle between Sudan and South Sudan.
The director called on the two parties to the conflict to end to the ongoing civil war for the sake of peace and stability in South Sudan.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
https://radiotamazuj.org/en/article/s-sudan-conflict-hinders-war-disabled-and-orphans-commission
Ghana: Airtel Ghana Honours Promise to Visually Impaired Student
Ghanaian Chronicle-
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh
Airtel Ghana, multiple award winner for its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives has presented a full educational support package to Michael Kwasi Gator Ahedor, a Touching Lives recipient.
Michael Ahedor became partially blind after completing his Junior High School education and all attempts at seeking medical help for his condition failed leading him to become totally blind. The Airtel Touching Lives initiative offers a platform to celebrate humanity, whilst inspiring hope and enhancing people's quality of life.
It identifies extraordinary people from all walks of life with dire needs and aims at fostering a culture of giving selflessly and nominating extraordinary individuals, who ought to be given a gateway to a better life.
Speaking at the presentation, Airtel's Executive Operations Director for Africa, Christophe Soulet, explained that "Corporate Social Responsibility isn't just about giving to charities and the needy - it's about every aspect of our business and making it part of our DNA. He commended the Touching Lives Program which is making a great impact in Ghana and across Africa with its impactful and sustainable initiatives.
Lucy Quist, Managing Director of Airtel Ghana added that"Airtel Ghana's belief in empowering, enabling and unlocking the power of potential has been exhibited by Michael Ahedor who though visually impaired, did not succumb to his disability.
His zeal to be successful in a society that perceives people with disability as unable has kept him going. He accepted his fate, dared to dream again and reached out for help. His story reminded us that nothing can inhibit a mind that is determined to achieve".
Michael Ahedor, who was visibly moved, thanked Airtel for the kind gesture. The presentation consisted of a full educational support package which caters for the payment of his four year tuition fees, stationery and other school expenses.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501210946.html
Africa: Focus On Disability - Universal Healthcare Can Happen
AllAfrica.com
By Hannah Kuper
It's now just over two years since the UN endorsed the goal of universal health coverage (UHC). The first ever global day focusing on UHC was held last month (12 December).
The principle is simple: people should receive the healthcare they need without having to suffer financial hardship. But making that happen involves lots of development work, such as building and equipping health facilities, training staff, and designing healthcare systems and financing mechanisms suitable for local conditions.
As we begin an important year for global development - a year when UHC commitments look set to be adopted as part of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals - it's worth reflecting on progress towards UHC.
Philosopher and economist Amartya Sen did just that last week in a piece in The Guardian, writing that "there is ... plenty of evidence that not only does universal healthcare powerfully enhance the health of people, its rewards go well beyond health". [1]
So there are good ethical and economic arguments for working towards UHC. But, as this happens, will some groups be left behind? In particular, will people with disabilities benefit?
There is scant research about the extent to which disabled people are being overlooked by NGOs and others working towards UHC so far. But they almost certainly are.
Up to one in seven people in the world has a disability. My research group has repeatedly found that people with disabilities have greater healthcare needs. [2] They also find it harder to access healthcare, as the WHO has shown in their World Report on Disability. [3] People with disabilities give many reasons for this.
The health centres are too far away. They worry that staff will mistreat them. Many can't afford services or transport. This means people with disabilities often receive less healthcare than other people, and pay more for it. That same WHO report showed that households in poor countries with disabled members spend a third more of their income on healthcare compared with other households. [4]
Put simply, people with disabilities are the ones who need UHC the most, yet if they remain overlooked they are least likely to get the benefits.
There are clear, practical solutions. For instance, health services need to be designed to be accessible for people with disabilities. UHC must be understood to include rehabilitation and treatment of impairments as essentials, not added extras.
Cataract surgery is one example. Cataracts cause half the world's blindness and can be cured with a simple operation, but many people don't have surgery because they can't afford it. Why? They may need financial help, but for UHC to work there are broader issues for governments and aid organisations to consider too: for example organising transport to hospitals.
We also need to collect data on disability as well as health indicators, so countries can monitor whether UHC is reaching everyone. WHO director-general Margaret Chan may well be right when she said that "universal coverage is the single most powerful concept that public health has to offer". [5] Good health drives development, and UHC protects people from poverty.
But countries will not achieve UHC or meet other health-related development goals without recognising that 'universal' means disabled people too.
Hannah Kuper is codirector of the International Centre for Evidence in Disability at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. The centre is on Twitter as @ICED_LSHTM, and Hannah can be contacted on hannah.kuper@lshtm.ac.uk
References
[1] Amartya Sen Universal healthcare: the affordable dream (The Guardian, 6 January 2015)
[2] Hannah Kuper and others The impact of disability on the lives of children; cross-sectional data including 8,900 children with disabilities and 898,834 children without disabilities across 30 countries (PLOS One, 9 September 2014)
[3] World report on disability (WHO, 2011)
[4] Lena Morgon Banks and Sarah Polack The economic costs of exclusion and gains of inclusion of people with disabilities (International Centre for Evidence in Disability, 2014)
[5] Margaret Chan Universal coverage is the ultimate expression of fairness (WHO, 23 May 2012)
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501220774.html
Malawi Council for Handicapped teach sign language relatives of the deaf
Nyasa Times
Malawi breaking news in Malawi
date">January 22, 2015
Malawi News Agency
In a bid to address communication problems between the deaf who learnt sign language at school and their parents or relatives, Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA), through Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Project in Mzimba, has started sign language training sessions for parents and relatives of such children.
One of the family members Left trying to get sense from a brother who has some hearing impairment-Pic by Henry Nkhata
CBR Project Officer in Mzimba, Jackson Chimowa, said his office started organizing such training sessions recently.
“We target parents, relatives or guardians of deaf children who learnt sign language at school such as Embangweni. We want them to start understanding each other,” Chimowa told Mana in an interview.
The CBR Project Officer said apart from understanding each other at household level, those who undergo such training sessions will also act as interpreters wherever they go with such children.
Chimowa said for example, such children would start enjoying church services because they are accompanied by parents or relatives who understand the language they acquired at school and are capable of interpreting what was happening at church.
In her remarks, Shalom Ndovi said she was one of those who attended the first sign language training organized by CBR last year.
She said since that time, communication between her brother Philip Ndovi who is deaf, has greatly improved.
Shalom said she understands her brother better than her father and mother. She is the only one who attended the sign language training session from that family.
“For example at church, Philip sits close to me so that I explain what is happening there for him to enjoy the church service like anybody else,” she said.
She however said the current three day training session was not enough for one to master sign language alphabet among others.
Philip Ndovi said sign language was the only language of the deaf, hence the need for parents, relatives, guardians and even service providers to learn the language.
“Such training sessions should continue for the benefit of the deaf,” he said.
There were 28 participants during the sign language training session at Mzimba boma. Commenting on the duration, Chimowa said his office would look into the matter.
He also said his office would organize another training session for parents, relatives or guardians of deaf children in Mzuzu and Mzimba north.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.nyasatimes.com/2015/01/22/malawi-council-for-handicapped-teach-sign-language-relatives-of-the-deaf/
South Africa: Strategic Disability Policy Framework Needed Urgently, Says Minister
AllAfrica.com-
Pretoria - Higher Education and Training Minister, Blade Nzimande, has reiterated the importance and urgency of developing the Strategic Disability Policy Framework in the post-school education and training (PSET) system.
Minister Nzimande said this during a meeting with the Ministerial Committee on the Development of the Strategic Disability Policy Framework for the Department of Higher Education and Training.
This was the first meeting of the ministerial committee after it was appointed in December last year by the Minister.
It was mandated to identify key challenges in transforming the post-school education and training institutions to universally accessible sites that are disability-friendly and recommend solutions to those.
It will also conduct an overview on the available disability policies at departmental and institutional levels and identify gabs in the provisions of services for persons in the PSET system, among other things.
There are approximately 425 095 opportunities available to applicants within the PSET system, this is an increase of 28 646 opportunities on the 396 449 opportunities provided in 2014. - SAnews.gov.za
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501221182.html
TB Joshua connects pipe to Savelugu school for the deaf
GhanaWeb-
Justice Ajet Nassam SCOAN1
Founder and General Overseer of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOANS) headquartered in Nigeria, Prophet TB Joshua has provided pipe-borne water to the Savelugu School for the Deaf in the Northern Region.
The church's decision was informed by the unwholesome water used by students and staff of the school.
The contractor connected pipelines from the main Savelugu water treatment plant to the school.
The project, which was facilitated by the Prophet's right-hand man, an Accra High Court Judge, His Lordship Justice John-Ajet Nassam cost GHC23, 000, 00.
The project was executed at the request of the school's management in May 2014 when a delegation from the SCOANS led by Justice John-Ajet on behalf of Prophet TB Joshua donated food items, detergents and other valuables to the school.
Commissioning the project on Thursday, His Lordship Justice John-Ajet Nassam exclusively told Citi News it was meant to alleviate the plight of students and staff there.
He said Prophet TB Joshua by the project demonstrated that he was indeed father for all regardless of one's geographical location.
Click here for more photos
His Lordship Justice John-Ajet Nassam promised that the SCOANS will continue to bless more souls by providing basic amenities to the destitute in society.
He commended the contractor for a quality work done and challenged management of the school to maintain the facility.
The delegation on behalf of Prophet TB Joshua organized Christmas party for the students.
Assistant Headmistress of the school, Madam Amenyoku Akuvi commended Prophet TB Joshua and the SCOANS for the gesture.
She confessed saying, "Getting water to bath and clean our places has been a very big problem for us here but since this intervention has come we get water, we drink, we clean, we are so happy: we have no words to quantify our happiness but all that we have to say is Jehovah who is in heaven has seen the good work he has done for us and will continue to support us."
Since its establishment in 1978, the Savelugu School for the Deaf lacked pipe-borne water.
In a related development, His Lordship Justice John-Ajet Nassam's team organized Christmas party for the Nyohini Children's Home in Tamale.
He gave an undisclosed amount to the mother of the Home for the inmates' upkeep.
His Lordship Justice John-Ajet Nassam took notice of their teething problems and assured them of Prophet TB Joshua's intervention early 2015.
He asked the management of the Orphanage to nurture the inmates to be responsible citizens.
Mother of the Home, Betty Aba Anan on behalf of management thanked the SCOANS for the blessing.
She requested for detergents, diapers, potable water, beds and other valuables.
The team further touched the souls of street beggars around the Tamale Picorna Hotel by providing them lunch.
His Lordship Justice John Ajet-Nassam inspired the beggars to have faith in God that all was not lost in life.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/religion/artikel.php?ID=343566
Somaliland:First Lady Donates 30 Laptops to Togdheer School of Deaf
SomalilandPress-
By Goth Mohamed Goth
Burao-Somaliland First Lady Amina Sheik Mohamed Jirde today handed at least 30 laptops and one printer to Burao School of deaf focused on empowering them with skills and training through education so as to better serve their community in the future.
Also addressing the handover ceremony were members of the national deaf association stated the challenges facing the school and for the need to establish a fully-fledged training center for deaf students aimed at providing training in Computer Courses, Typewriting, English and Various Vocational Skills so as to provide a platform to deaf girls to show their talents, and confidence.
The committee stated that the amount of $50,000 would be need to establish such facility and that local businessmen had already pledged to contribute $20,000 but lacked the remaining $30,000 , this prompted the Minister of Presidential Affairs Hon Hersi Ali Haji Hassan speaking on behalf of the current administration to pledge to contribute the reminder $30,000.
Lastly the hearing impaired students presented certificates of appreciation to the First Lady Amina Mohamed Sheik Jirde and the Minister in Charge of Presidential Affairs Hon Hersi Ali Haji Hassan.
On the other hand the First Lady visited the Togdheer home of less fortunate children and orphanage to inspect the ongoing construction of a new building, the first lady donated $100 towards the building on behalf of the government.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.somalilandpress.com/somalilandfirst-lady-donates-30-laptops-togdheer-school-deaf/
Malawi: MACOHA in Sign Language Training for Relatives of the Deaf
AllAfrica.com
By Henry Nkhata
In a bid to address communication problems between the deaf who learnt sign language at school and their parents or relatives, Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA), through Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Project in Mzimba, has started sign language training sessions for parents and relatives of such children.
CBR Project Officer in Mzimba, Jackson Chimowa, said his office started organizing such training sessions recently.
"We target parents, relatives or guardians of deaf children who learnt sign language at school such as Embangweni. We want them to start understanding each other," Chimowa told Mana in an interview.
The CBR Project Officer said apart from understanding each other at household level, those who undergo such training sessions will also act as interpreters wherever they go with such children.
Chimowa said for example, such children would start enjoying church services because they are accompanied by parents or relatives who understand the language they acquired at school and are capable of interpreting what was happening at church.
In her remarks, Shalom Ndovi said she was one of those who attended the first sign language training organized by CBR last year.
She said since that time, communication between her brother Philip Ndovi who is deaf, has greatly improved.
Shalom said she understands her brother better than her father and mother. She is the only one who attended the sign language training session from that family.
"For example at church, Philip sits close to me so that I explain what is happening there for him to enjoy the church service like anybody else," she said.
She however said the current three day training session was not enough for one to master sign language alphabet among others.
Philip Ndovi said sign language was the only language of the deaf, hence the need for parents, relatives, guardians and even service providers to learn the language.
"Such training sessions should continue for the benefit of the deaf," he said.
There were 28 participants during the sign language training session at Mzimba boma.
Commenting on the duration, Chimowa said his office would look into the matter.
He also said his office would organize another training session for parents, relatives or guardians of deaf children in Mzuzu and Mzimba north.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501230140.html
Ensuring disability-friendly facilities
Zambia Daily Mail-
Posted in Editor's Choice, Features on January 24, 2015 by Online Editor
disability wheel chair stroke
GODFREY CHITALU
MORE than one billion people in the world today live with some form of disability; that is one in seven of all of us. Almost everyone alive on the planet will, in his or her life, experience temporary or permanent disability of one form or another.
Before I progress however, it’s important to realise that the term disability is misleading. Human beings can become impaired through physical, mental or sensory limitations; but that does not become a disability until that impairment stops them from participating in community life.
The term is also used (wrongly) as a broad catch-all for a diverse group of people, and used with the conviction by which we categories gender. We say (usually) with some certainty that a given person is male or female.
Unfortunately, we are also just as quick to categorise an individual as disabled or not.
By doing this, we oversimplify and perhaps trivialise the fact that disability ? rather than being something looked upon as a ‘condition’, is really a phenomenon that occurs at a complex intersection between our humanity, policy, society, culture and the environment.
The complexity of the topic combined with significant political and social blindness towards it, has led to disability becoming one of the most significant un-addressed issues of modern times.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed on December 10, 1948 supposedly expressed the baseline level of rights to which all human beings are entitled.
For many groups who were marginalised, even this was not enough to defend them.
Specific conventions defending against discrimination on the basis of race, gender and youth were adopted in 1969, 1979 and 1989 respectively.
It was not until the 21st century, however, in 2006, where the United Nations formally agreed on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, aimed “to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity”.
The word disability is the embodiment of pure negativity and when it is used as a catch-all such as ‘the disabled,’ it is even worse.
Everyone is an individual, and those individual personalities should shine through, not the labels.
Ask a person who is getting older and may have a visual, hearing or mobility impairment if they are disabled? They will throw that title off vehemently! They view disability as being a community they do not belong to.
When we talk of disability, we are referring to over one billion people; 80 percent of whom are in the South, the poorer countries of the world.
Here we are in the 21st century, and we have practically nothing in place for them to protect their rights when it comes to accessibility, education, social-living and more.
We need to shift our mindset, and the world needs to catch up. The past cannot be wiped-away, but the future can be written.
We have to make a pledge that no building in the world will ever be constructed without considering access.
It does not cost a single penny extra, it is a design issue. The world, and our world leaders and opinion makers are yet to realise the full potential of universal design. We need to have a world with infrastructure, built environmentally and services that all of us whether old, young, tall, short, man, woman or otherwise can use with dignity and safety.
Unless there is political will, no change will happen. Most issues facing disabled people can be solved with the stroke of a pen, they do not even need resources. You need resources to correct the damage of the past, but I am writing, we should put that aside for the time being - all the buildings that are not accessible, let us put blinkers on - but why is it so difficult for any government to pass law that means that for the future ? no public building will be constructed without accessibility. When you buy a new bus or new transport system why can it not be accessible.
The reason that some policy makers do not look at disability with the seriousness it deserves is because they do not see disabled people as a potential vote-bank. Historical failures mean that many disabled people are virtual prisoners inside their own homes.
If you go to an average country in the South, you just don’t see that many disabled people.
Is it because they don’t exist? Are there less disabled people in the South than the USA? My contention is that there are more! Because the disabled are not able to step out of their homes, because they have not been able to access education they are unemployed, because they are unemployed they are not empowered. And that’s 1:7 of all humanity that remains unseen, unheard and unaccounted.
The writer is a disability rights activist-E-mail caredisamedia@gmail.com
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=18068
Zimbabwe: Disability Levy On the Cards
Zimbabwe Independent-
ZIMBABWEAN taxpayers must brace for yet another levy should government approve the ruling Zanu PF party's proposed tax to cushion the country's disabled population estimated at two million.
In its report presented to the party's sixth elective congress in Harare last month, Zanu PF's department for the welfare of the disabled and disadvantaged persons recommended government introduces a disability levy, along the same lines as the Aids levy.
Zimbabwe introduced a compulsory 3% Aids levy to all employees with taxable incomes and their employers in 1999 to fund Aids mitigation programmes.
"... Government was exhorted to establish a disability levy, modelled along the lines of the Aids Levy, as this would assist to ensure that meaningful relief to the economic problems of people with disabilities is introduced," the department wrote in its report.
If introduced, this would add to a long and onerous list of taxes being levied on the country's ever-dwindling workforce by a government whose revenue base continues to shrink.
These include the Aids Levy, National Social Security Authority (Nssa) pension and a high Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax.
Already workers are unhappy with Nssa which has dismally failed in its stated objective of cushioning pensioners from economic hardships by providing a monthly pension. On average pensioners receive about US$40 from Nssa which is grossly inadequate to pay rentals, water and electricity as well as medical treatment, among a host of bills.
In 2012, former Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere pushed for the introduction of an indigenisation levy, but his successor Francis Nhema, fired by President Robert Mugabe last month, opposed the move saying "the country has too many levies and it is not appropriate as of now to bring more levies".
Acting ZCTU secretary-general Gideon Shoko said while catering for the disabled is a noble idea, ZCTU is against adding any more taxes as this "stretches the meagre resources of the already over-burdened workers".
"You are talking about taxing the same worker that is already over- burdened with so many other taxes including the Aids levy. You are taxing the small amount that the worker is supposed to remain with," said Shoko on Wednesday, adding government should find other means of funding its cause.
Attempts to obtain a comment from the Public Service ministry were unsuccessful as ministry officials kept referring this paper to different departments and ultimately demanding written questions which they said could only be attended to after permission from the relevant minister, Prisca Mupfumira.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501240430.html
Watch disabled man on whelchair joggle the ball just as well as Ronaldo, Messi
Pulse Nigeria-
A man sitting on a wheelchair, without movable hands shows his skills with the round leather ball.
Published: 27.01.2015Macaulay Maduwuba PrinteMail
Homeless man shows off football skills (Pulse)
This video on Instagram would inspire the thoughts of the right thinking individual who believes that disability is no limitation to what a human can do.
A man sitting on a wheelchair, without movable hands shows his skills with the round leather ball.
He kicks the ball up and down without it dropping, exerting full control such that a little young boy standing and watching could only marvel at his talent.
His skill on the ball could be likened to that of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and many other football stars on their feet.
Kenya: Special Fund Appeal for Parents With Disabled Kids
The Star
By Nganga Thairu
The government has been urged to help people living with disability and parents of disabled children.
Ambassadors of Goodwill director Sicily Njeri said the disabled are discriminated against in job appointments despite guidelines favouring them.
She gave out second-hand clothes to parents of disabled children at Makongeni, Thika Town, on Sunday.
Njeri said parents and caretakers of children with disabilities have little time to engage in income generating activities.
She said there is a need for a special fund for parents with disabled children.
Njeri called on well-wishers to donate, and facilitate government efforts to help the needy.
She said the Ambassadors of Goodwill group gives the disabled food, wheelchairs and crutches.
Njeri said the caretakers need permanent sources of income instead of handouts.
Speaking at the same event, Rev George Njoroge of Hope and Victory Christian International called on the well-to-do to assist the less fortunate.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201501281367.html
Koforidua Hospital strategize to better communicate with hearing impaired patients
spyghana.com
HealthJan 28, 2015 0
SEO Company USA, Website Designing USA, New York | SEOFIED
The management of the Koforidua Regional Hospital is to engage the services of a sign language interpreter to enable the hospital to better interact with patients with hearing impairment who visit the hospital.
HOSPITAL WARD
This is in line with the objective of the hospital for 2015 to ensure that, all clients of the hospital are received as very important personalities (VIP).
This was disclosed by the Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Kwame Anim Boamah at a media briefing after the 2014 annual review meeting of the hospital at Koforidua.
He explained that, currently, educated patients with hearing impairment communicated with the health authorities through writing, while the non-lettered ones who visited the hospital spoke through their relations who comes along with them.
Dr Boamah explained that the current arrangement would help the health authorities to communicate with patients who were hearing impaired and visited the hospital alone.
He said current medical practice required that the health officers communicated effectively with the patients for the patients to understand what was wrong with them and the type of medication that was being prescribed for them.
Dr Boamah advised clients of the hospital to ask of the name of medical personnel who treated them and also the name of the drugs that were prescribed for them.
He explained that when the patients were engaged by medical personnel and made to understand what was wrong with their health and the support that the prescription given them could offer, it made them to comply better with the directives of the medical officer and also help speed up their recovery.
GNA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.spyghana.com/koforidua-hospital-strategize-better-communicate-hearing-impaired-patients/
幸せの学び:＜その１１９＞ 悠久のナイルから
スーダン障害者教育支援の会代表のヒシャムさんが、学習院女子大学で行った授Senegal: APP for Handicapped Children in Semi Finals of Ericsson Innovation Awards
AllAfrica.com-
Team Handi'Educ from Senegal has emerged a semi-finalist in the Ericsson Innovation Awards representing sub-Saharan Africa.
The team, comprising three engineering students, developed an educative web/mobile application to support handicapped children in a learning environment.
HANDI'EDUC is an educative web/mobile application for handicapped children. The application addresses challenges faced by children who have vision, speech, hearing and mobility disabilities. Some of the features of the innovation include converting text to audio for the visually impaired and converting speech by educators to text for learners who may be hearing and speech impaired.
It will be developed in a multi-platform environment and it will run on all devices. According to the type of handicap it will offer different functionalities to support the handicapped.
Fatou Diop, Team Lead, Handi'Educ says: "We are thankful that we made it to the semi-finals of this competition. Our team is committed to helping children from all over the world, irrespective of economic background, gain access to quality education and we appreciate the platform to achieve this".
Started in 2009, the competition began as the Ericsson Application Awards, a research and development initiative to spark app development and boost innovation.
In 2015, the competition's name was changed to the Ericsson Innovation Awards, and the scope was broadened to target university talent globally. It has moved from being a competition based on app development to one focusing on innovation.
Tumi Sekhukhune, VP and Head of Strategy, Marketing and Communications, Ericsson, says: "The Ericsson Innovation Awards creates a platform for inspired undergraduates with a vision of the future to share their insights. This year, several exciting ideas were received on the future of learning from sub-Saharan Africa and around the world. We are proud that one of the ideas that emerged from our region is in the running to showcase their ideas to a global audience."
With education playing a key part in the move toward Ericsson's vision of the Networked Society - where everything that can be connected will be connected - the 2015 theme is The Future of Learning.
The competition has been open to students from any academic institution, and in 2015, 270 teams from 43 countries have entered.
The finalists will be announced on March 16. They will then gather at Ericsson's headquarters in Sweden, where the winners will be revealed on April 15.
Each team was required to provide a product description document, a business case and a description of why their idea should be chosen, along with contact information.
Ten semi-finalists have been chosen by a mix of an Ericsson jury and an open voting process. The Ericsson jury will now whittle down this group to the four teams that will make it to the finals.
A finalist jury will then decide who gets first, second and third place.
The prizes are EUR 25,000 for first place, EUR 10,000 for second place and EUR 5,000 for third. All 10 semifinalists will be invited to an interview with Ericsson, with the possibility of landing either a job or an internship with the competition after their studies.
The evaluation criteria for 2015 are: CSR positive impact (Technology For Good); Global versus local (multimarket potential); Value argumentation (potential revenue or cost reduction); whether the idea can be easily developed; User benefit (can the idea be easily deployed?) and Innovativeness of the solution.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502040307.html
Tanzania: Inspiring Disabled Children With Inclusive Education
AllAfrica.com-
By Harriet Kiama
CHILDREN living with disabilities in Coast Region are finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel following the launch of Inclusive Education project.
The project is jointly implemented by the government through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training in collaboration with Action to Disability and Development International (ADD) and Tanzania Federation of Disabled People's Organisation (SHIVYAWATA).
This five year project which is part of Modelling Inclusive Education (M.I.E) focuses on identification and enrolment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools and is currently piloted in four districts of Kibaha Town Council, Kibaha Rural District, Mkuranga and Kisarawe.
Before the introduction of this project which focuses on enrolment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools in the region, a large number of school age children disabilities were left at homes without going to school, according to Kibaha Town Council Education Officer (Special Needs) Mr Leonard Henerico.
Through joint efforts, enrolment number of children with disabilities in the region reached 706 in last year, which he says is a big achievement. "Before this project, a big number of children with disabilities were kept at homes while their fellows attended schools.
They were also given bad names and some were totally ignored by their parents or guardians but having the project in place, positive changes are slowly taking place in the areas," he says. Expounding, Mr Henerico says that the project is a transition from Special to Inclusive Education which allows children with vision impairment, deafness, autism, mental and learning disabilities to mainstream schools with other children.
However, he clarifies that for children with mental disability only those with mild and moderate situation are being included in the programme, and not those with severe and critical situation who need more medical care. Having the project in place means more Special Needs Education teachers are needed.
Each centre is supposed to have three experts one for the blinds and vision impairment, another one for the deaf and hearing impairment and the third one for those with learning disabilities. To minimize the serious shortage of the teachers, in job training has been adapted whereby the teachers are equipped with teaching methodologies on Special Needs Education.
Through joint initiative by the government, ADD International and SHIVYAWATA a total of 30 teachers, 15 from Kibaha Town Council and 15 others from Kibaha rural district have received trainings on Special Needs Education to minimize the shortage, according to Mr Henerico.
Asteria Gwajima, ADD International Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, says that the project has created awareness on rights of children with disabilities in the communities. "Some parents and guardians used to hide their children for a number of reasons, mainly being lack of understanding while others cited poverty being the reason for them failing to take their children to schools. We have seen the situation changing in these three years of the project in the districts," she says.
Despite the fact that the project is facing a number of setbacks one being limited funds and lack of teaching equipments and materials, she admits that it has already produced fruits, seeing enrolment number of children with disabilities in mainstream schools increases each year.
"Limited funds and budgets are our biggest challenges. The children's centres lack basic teaching and studying equipments and materials. On the other hand, environment and infrastructures in schools where the centres are located are not friendly for these children", she says.
Ms Gwajima goes on to advice that the government should have in place a system whereby all teachers will receive courses on Special Needs Education to fight the serious problem of teachers.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502040373.html
2015 polls: How will the blind, cripple, deaf vote?
National Mirror
by AISHA TITILAYO on Feb 5, 2015 | No comments
Posted under: Insight
Political parties and their candidates are engaged in electioneering and holding rallies for the 2015 general elections expected to begin in nine days time, but none bothers to carry along persons with disabilities. AISHA TITILAYO reports that this is a further demonstration of government’s lack of policy for PWDs and the physically-challenged in Nigeria.
It was the 31st day of December, the last day of the year and the church auditorium was filled to capacity. Worshippers moved in and out of the church premises; some couldn’t even take their eyes off the clock.
They waited impatiently for 12 midnight, in readiness for the New Year. Aderoju Toriola (not real name) sat quietly at a corner where his brother had dropped him. The brother had gone out of the church with some of his friends to shoot some fireworks.
Although Aderoju had no one beside him to talk to, he was however feeling the vibes of the moment, happy and thankful to God to be alive. It was joy without bounds. Then the Pastor started, “Pray to God, tell Him what you want. It is some minutes to New Year.
You can’t remain jobless in this new year. Tell Him you are due for promotion at work, it must happen this year. Don’t you know it is a sin to be blind? Ask God for a perfect sight. Tell him those things you don’t want anymore.” It struck Aderoju really hard. Then his happy mood went bad. He began to cry.
“What is my sin, oh God? Where did I go wrong? What have I done to deserve this? Aderoju celebrated the New Year in great grief as a blind person. Olabisi is another secondary school student. She recounted her ordeal.
“My classmates don’t like sitting with me in class or in the library. One of them even said it to my face that I and my crutches smell. I felt bad when she said it, but there was nothing I could do. My mother can’t afford the metal crutches; my mum is a small scale fish seller while my dad is only responsible for my feeding and school fees.”
Olabisi’s legs are crippled; she uses the wooden crutches which have a pile of foam attached to the top and her armpit rest conveniently on the foam. Coupled with that is that she can spend close to an hour at the bus stop on a daily basis before getting a merciful driver to pick her.
“I don’t know why some bus conductors deny me boarding their buses’ after all I have my fare with me. They would scream at me and say ‘no more space.” The physically-challenged are often victims of discrimination, victimization, sexual and physical abuse.
All these they describe as humiliating and dehumanizing. They are cut off from numerous parts of society. For example, most of today’s buildings are storeys without ramps. As a result, people with disabilities have limited number of places they can go, which in the end makes them even more marginalised than before.
Places of worship are also not left out as most churches and mosques cannot be accessed by people with disabilities. Some of them give all it takes to attend higher institutions of learning. Often times you see some on wheelchairs being pushed to classes on campuses.
You see one or two visually-impaired with his or her Braille in classes attending lectures with many of them however, not getting jobs at the end of it all, since most jobs require someone to talk and the deaf/dumb are basically out of luck, thereby making it hard for them to live on their own and become more independent.
Toyosi Adeyeye lamented her crippled mother’s inability to secure a job, despite having attended a higher institution of learning. In addition to this marginalisation, is their exclusion from exercising their civic right when it comes to voting during general election.
Some of them find it difficult to get to registration or voting centres. National Mirror investigations found out that more than 60% of persons with disabilities (PWDs) are 18 years and above, with more than 80% of them living in the rural areas with minimal access to information, education and communication resources required to participate effectively on equal bases with others in the electoral process, knowing the stress those who are able-bodied go through, even to get their Permanent Voter Cards.
Just as the low employment level of PWDs represent a waste of economic resources, their low percentage of voting and participation in several political activities represent a waste of political and social resources. One of the many reasons some PWDs don’t go out to vote is about their safety.
When violence breaks out in polling venues, persons especially those with severe vision impairment or the crippled, may be the worst hit considering their peculiar challenges.
Lack of transportation during restriction of movements on election days marginalises many people with disabilities since they can’t get to polling units, thus, making them second-class citizens who cannot publicly join others in exercising their right to vote. This weakens their sense of connection to fellow citizens and mainstream society.
The particularly low voter turnout among those who have difficulty going outside alone, suggests lack of access to polling places can affect the outcome of voting and sense of civic responsibility. Prior to 2011 general elections, a political summit of the physically-challenged persons was facilitated by Transform- Naija, a non-governmental organisation, but nothing has changed since then.
Chairman of the Nigeria Association of the Blind, Lagos State Chapter, Opeoluwa Akinola, said the physically-challenged persons have the right to fulfill their civic responsibilities as their ablebodied compatriots. But when it comes to the all important and sensitive issue of voting, they are either excluded outright or the situation makes it impossible for them to participate fully in the process.
Akinola said this must stop. “Firstly, we have performed all our responsibilities and we see our voting as part of our responsibility that is being taken away from us.
Now what we want from government is to create an environment in which we have access to and full participation in the electoral processes,” he said. As the country prepares for the 2015 general elections, Akinola laments that the environment for PWDs to have access to materials for electoral process is yet to be created.
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, even said it during a two-day conference on mainstreaming PWDs into electoral processes, organised by the commission and the UNDPDemocratic Governance for Development project that INEC lacks requisite legal framework to provide equitable participation for PWDs in Nigeria’s electoral processes.
Stressing the challenges persons with disability face during election, President, Association for Comprehensive Empowerment of Nigerians with Disability (ASCEND), Mr. Cosmas Okoli, reflected on his experience in the 2011 general election when he contested for the Federal House of Representatives for the Amuwo-Odofin Federal Constituency in Lagos State.
“The most significant challenge I faced was architectural and attitudinal barriers which threatened to slow my movement and limit the places I could visit for campaign. It was impossible for me to get to the venue of the primaries as the crowd was too much and the party had no plan to ensure that I had access to the venue.
The crowd was so much that I could not move with my wheelchair. So I was outside for about three hours, while other aspirants were inside the venue campaigning. I made several attempts to go in, to no avail. I later had to get mobile policemen to get me through the large crowd.
This is what most of us pass through on occasions like that because they don’t make provisions for us.” According to Sunday Ogunyemi, visually- impaired person, “Although they said we can come out with someone to assist but how am I sure that my mandate has not been taken away from me when somebody helps me with voting exercise.
The person may not belong to the same party with me or like the candidate that I like and he or she may just make me cast my vote for the candidate they prefer.” President of the National Handicapped Careers Association, Mr. Adewale Adeyanju, a hearing-impaired person, lamented politicians’ inability to provide interpreters during their campaigns or rallies.
“How then do they expect the deaf to be carried along in that situation? Even during election, nobody is there to explain anything to us.
They have to be sensitive when it comes to issues that relate to the physically-challenged per sons; their programmes should be allinclusive. ” The Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), David Anyaele, told National Mirror that Nigerians with disabilities are excluded in electoral processes and other areas of national life due to institutional, attitudinal and environmental barriers.
“In as much as the 1999 Constitution (section 42) as amended is silent on discrimination on the grounds of disability, state and non-state institutions are at liberty to discriminate, exclude, and marginalise Nigerians with disabilities in the electoral process with impunity. Also, the attitude of state and non-state actors, INEC inclusive, addresses disability issues as a charity or medical matter.
As such, they call them persons with special needs. What that means is that they do not have solution to disability issue. Whatsoever they provide for PWDs must be accepted with gratitude, which is pure deceit of the actors.
“An average Nigerian politician has minimal understanding of disability rights, governance and development as such they hardly make promises to them or make and not fulfill them. Part of the reasons is that there is this mindset that PWDs are unwanted in governance.
This attitude brews discrimination and stigma. Recently, a politician had a meeting with PWDs in Lagos State; the only thing I had the man saying was that he will integrate them into the society. How? Politicians see PWDs as inconsequential,” Anyaele stated. The CCD director continued, “Importantly, we must ask ourselves to what extent is the INEC environment accessible to PWDs in Nigeria.
A visit to INEC offices nationwide shows minimal access to the offices and programmes to Nigerians with disabilities. The question again is how can you advocate for change when access to the environment that hosts INEC activities is not available to PWDs?
That’s why at CCD, we are calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill into an Act. (It has been assented). The bill has made robust provisions for the protection of Nigerians with disabilities from discrimination and harmful practices.”
He concluded that PWDs participation in elections is a human rights issue, not charity and all citizens have the responsibility to demand the effective participation of PWDs in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, Ngozi Iwere of the Community Life Project (CLP) has condemned Nigeria’s inability to make conscious effort to integrate PWDs into the system despite their huge population.
“This is most evident in the struggle by different PWD organs to get the National Disability Bill passed into law. Though the Bill was presented three times to the President before he eventually assented to it, Nigerian politicians rarely make promises that touch on the lives of PWDs.
It was, therefore, noteworthy that political parties must begin to obey a signed Memorandum of Understanding to open up the space and ensure that women, youths and PWDs take up elective positions during the primaries, vote and be voted for and to ensure that their votes count,” Iwere said. In other countries, the issue of PWDs is taken seriously and legislated into the Constitution.
For instance, in Rwanda, provision is made in their Constitution to ensure that specific number of seats is reserved for PWDs. But in Nigeria, it is disheartening to see PWDs struggling to participate in the electoral process. Efforts to get INEC to produce voter education materials for the blind and deaf or get political parties to produce voter materials for blind and deaf did not yield any fruit. Few days to elections, the situation remains largely the same.
National Mirror found out that virtually at all ongoing electioneering and rallies, no political party has shown any sensitivity to the plight of PWDs, especially the blind and deaf.
There are no sign language interpreters except on Lagos Television (LTV) and recently at the presidential debate forum in Abuja and no voter education materials in Braille so the blind can read.
The question Nigerians are asking is if politicians cannot bring themselves to take care of these basic needs, how then will they be expected to improve the lot of PWDs? It is hoped that the new law, which seeks to protect the rights of PWDs, shall be vigorously applied and that it helps to mainstream PWDs into the system.
Nigeria has signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, including its optional protocols.
Article 29 of the convention states as follow: “State parties shall guarantee to persons with disabilities political rights and the opportunity to enjoy them on an equal basis with others, and shall undertake to: Ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives, including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilities to vote and be elected, inter alia, by: Ensuring that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand and use; Protecting the right of persons with disabilities to vote by secret ballot in elections and public referendums without intimidation, and to stand for elections, to effectively hold office and perform all public functions at all levels of government, facilitating the use of assistive and new technologies where appropriate.”
Also, available world report has it that about 15% of the population of any country is living with disabilities. What this means is that 15% of Nigerian population is presently living with disabilities and urgent steps must be taken to remedy the situation.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/2015-polls-how-will-the-blind-cripple-deaf-vote/
『テキストブック 開発経済学 [第3版]』刊行
アジア経済研究所の若手・中堅が一緒に作って最初のものが1997年に出た開発
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.yuhikaku.co.jp/books/detail/9784641184220
Zanzibar disability laws for review
Daily News-
Details Published on Thursday, 05 February 2015 00:57 Written by ISSA YUSUF in Zanzibar Hits: 428
THE disability law is being reviewed to meet the needs of people with disabilities in the Isles, Minister of State (Environment and Disability), Ms Fatma Abdulhabib Fereji has said.
“The government is also planning to have inclusive policy in society so that people with disabilities are included in social activities and programmes,” Ms Fereji said at the launch of the plan, asking people to give their views.
She said that the changes aim at meeting international conventions on people with disabilities so that all obstacles in life of people with disabilities are removed or minimised.
Ms Fereji said that the planned review will help improve the policy, planning, and services provided by the government, private sector, and individual institutions.
Ms Salma Haji Saadat, Executive Director of Inclusive Development Centre said that the planned review will help in implementation of the laws and policy for the development of people with disability
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/41195-zanzibar-disability-laws-for-review
Districts decry poor funding for the disabled
New Vision
Publish Date: Feb 05, 2015
Mityana district Chief Administrative Officer Anthony Yiga described the poor funding as challenging especially when budgeting for the money.
By Derrick Kyatuka and John Agaba DISTRICT leaders have expressed concern over the sh3 million they receive for community based rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities (PWDs), quoting the sum as “very inadequate.
” The leaders referred to the amount, which they receive quarterly, as peanuts that cannot enable them to fully coordinate and implement PWDs programs at the district level, requesting government to look into the matter.
Mityana district Chief Administrative Officer Anthony Yiga on Thursday described the poor funding as challenging especially when budgeting for the money.
“How do you budget for sh3million? That is what the case has been.
That is what government can afford to give for PWDs.
But, it is very inadequate,” the former Kalungu West legislator said.
A community development officer in Iganga district who preferred anonymity told that their CBR (Community Based Rehabilitation) Programme for PWDs used to boom prior to 2002, “when we stopped receiving CBR funding from NAD (Norwegian Association of Disabled) and the Central Government.
” “The District Disability and Elderly Desk is financed through local revenue which has immensely diminished.
I only receive sh2m per annum to facilitate my travels to purchase some assistive devices and to run the office with all its stationary and sundries.
This is a tenth of what I require to successfully undertake my duties,” he said.
A report by the CBR Africa Network released at the Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi, Kampala, shows that districts get as low as sh3m per quarter for rehabilitation services of PWDs.
And the money is available in only 26 of the 112 districts in Uganda.
“This poses challenges of ensuring every PWD has access to education, health services and the other social rights,” Anthony Enyogu said presenting the report conducted in 46 districts in Uganda in 2014.
“There is a funding gap.
And these have to be harmonized.
We need to know the exact number of PWDs in every district so we can plan better for them,” he said.
The plight of PWDs in Uganda is not a new song.
In 2013, state minister for the elderly and persons with disabilities Sulaiman Madada revealed that Cabinet had approved amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act 2006, including a section punishing education institutions that fail to provide learning materials to children with special needs.
But this has remained a far cry.
A 2012 survey by Phylis Kwesiga, architect with Uganda Society of Architects, on the state of accessibility of Kampala buildings shows that only one percent of the buildings in the capital have accessibility features for PWDs.
Enyogu said there is a need for more funding and harmonization of the revenue going into the PWDs basket and the implementation of the law so PWDs can access their rights.
Grace Musoke, the head of the CBR Africa Network, said “where Government fails we have other actors like the religious and other NGOs that come in to cushion the gap, but there is need for more funding.
” Fred Onduri, the commissioner for youth and children’s affairs in the gender ministry said Government was committed to the plight of PWDs.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/664507-districts-decry-poor-funding-for-the-disabled.html
ECG to disconnect School for the Deaf over unpaid bills
GhanaWeb-
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has threatened to disconnect power supply to the Ashanti School for the Deaf at Jamasi in the Sekyere South District over GH¢ 93,000 unpaid bills.
The power distributor is demanding that the amount is settled immediately and that they would not countenance any further delay.
Mr. Ofosu Boakye, Headmaster, said the uncomfortable situation they find themselves had been caused by the lack of funds, adding that, for some time now, the inflow of government’s subvention to run the institution had ceased.
He said things were rough and the going, getting pretty tough by the day.
He complained about inadequate accommodation and problems with water supply.
Mr. Boakye was receiving assorted items costing about GH¢ 6,000, donated by the ‘New Era Acappella”, a singing group within the New-Tafo Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Kumasi, in support of the upkeep of the students.
These included 10 bags of rice, two bags of maize, a bag each of “gari” and beans, five boxes of key bar soap, 72 pieces of flashlight, large quantity of sandals, bags of sachet water, loaves of bread and margarine.
Mr. Boakye said the donation was a welcomed relief to the school and thanked the group for the gesture.
The school, established in 1973, has a population of 595 students made up of 258 girls and 337 boys.
Elder Wilfred Nana Asabre Mensah, Public Relations Officer of the Group, said it was their contribution towards caring for the socially disadvantaged.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=345627
Disabled people’s woes need holistic approach
Zambia Daily Mail-
Posted in Editor's Comment on February 09, 2015 by Online Editor
SCORES of deaf and dumb people in Kitwe have petitioned President Lungu to address the challenge they experience in accessing information of national interest through Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation. PICTURE: NKOMBO KACHEMBA.
FOR some time now the plight of people living with disabilities has been a topic of discussion at different forums.
It is not a secret that people living with disabilities face numerous challenges in accessing services in both public and private institutions.
Last week one the bodies dealing with the welfare of these citizens bemoaned the difficulties students have to encounter on a daily basis at institutions of higher learning.
At many of these institutions ? universities, colleges and skills training centres ? students are required to attend lectures and attend tutorial open discussions in multi-storey buildings.
Sometimes the lectures and discussions are conducted on the first, second or third floor.
Most of these buildings do not have lifts, which makes it nigh impossible for students with disabilities to attend such academic sessions.
The issue of people living with disabilities has become a global concern.
This is why the United Nations has come up with an international convention that guarantees the rights of these people.
Zambia has been making efforts to domesticate the convention by integrating it in the legal framework, policies and programmes.
But lately the focus of the debate on the rights of people living with disabilities has been access to information of national interest.
During the campaigns for last month’s presidential election and the announcement of the results people living with disabilities complained that they were being denied the right to follow what was happening through the media.
Zambia’s national broadcaster, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) has come under increasing pressure to use interpreters so that the deaf could as well follow what was happening.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) had come up with an arrangement to with ZNBC to ensure that there was always an interpreter during the broadcast of election results and media briefings, but it fell through for reason or another.
But even before the presidential election complains about alleged discrimination against people living with disabilities had persisted.
This prompted ZNBC to use interpreters during the main news casts and important State announcements.
However, things came to a head last Friday when a group of people living with disabilities staged a public protest in Kitwe against what they described as discrimination by the national broadcaster during the electoral process.
They demonstrated against ZNBC’s alleged failure to provide sign language interpreters during the inauguration of President Lungu on January 25, 2015.
The protesters have petitioned the government to harmonise the ZNBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) with the Persons with Disability Act No. 6 of 2012.
They have also accused the national broadcaster of failing to provide sign language interpreters for programmes of national interest such as The Sunday Interview and Focus contrary to the Act on disability.
In the petition the persons with disabilities have appealed to President Lungu to create a desk at State House which will look into their welfare.
They marched to the office of district commissioner Elias Kamanga to present their petition.
Looking at the issues contained in the petition, it appears ZNBC is a sacrificial lamb, which the affected people have used to vent their frustrations at what they perceive to be lukewarm response to their plight.
The challenging the people with disabilities are facing require a holistic approach when coming up with interventions.
What we mean is that the rights of these citizens should be mainstreamed in our legal and judicial systems, all the government’s policies and programmes, which should be extended to the private sector.
One of the grievances is that qualified professionals living with disability are sidelined in preference for their ‘abled’ counterparts with the same or lower qualifications and experience.
We feel that there is need for a multi-partner consultative process to come up with effective ways of increasing the persons with disability’s participation in national affairs.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=19643
MAMA 2014's Best New Act celebrates birthday with the disabled
Pulse Nigeria-
Published: 09.02.2015Joan Ngomba PrinteMail
February 8 with the disabled in Yaounde - Cameroon.
The award winning artist earlier promised his fans via a Twitter post that he had "a big surprise" for them ahead of his anniversary.
Stanley's "surprise" didn't involve popping bottles of champagne in a nightclub but to spend his day performing and talking with disadvantage people at the Little Heights Foundation in the country's capital city.
Through the Stanley Enow Foundation, the rapper reportedly donated gift and food items to the children as well as took photographs and signed autographs on every clothing item he gave out.
The supervisors at the home for the disadvantage told reporters, "Stanley has given a reason for these people to smile and have some fun...
He really surprised all of us and we appreciate him a lot for doing this."
Stanley tells Pulse.ng, "it made me feel like i did something really great and fulfilling... It's never a bad thing to give when you have and that's what my mind told me to do.... it wasn't for fame or anything like that."
On whether he had a great time, he responded, "yes of course!"
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://pulse.ng/celebrities/stanley-enow-mama-2014s-best-new-act-celebrates-birthday-with-the-disabled-id3469945.html
Zambia: Up Employment, Education Opportunities for Disabled
AllAfrica.com-
TODAY we are looking at the best practices of promoting sustainable rehabilitation for persons with disabilities through creation of employment and ensuring that they have access to education.
Most African countries take a trial and error approach to this matter and as a result, persons with disabilities are left out.
Africa must learn from American approach to disability who has believed that for disability programmes to work well, it must start with the Preident.
American President Barack Obama is committed to expanding access to employment for people with disabilities by ensuring that his administration hires people with disabilities; enforces existing laws; provides technical assistance and information on reasonable accommodations.
To ensure that the vision for the disabled is fulfilled, President Obama issued an Executive Order to make the federal government a model employer of persons with disabilities.
The Order requires agencies to create hiring plans and holds agencies accountable for their hiring practices as a result the following department responded as follow;
The Department of Labor and the Department of Defense made available the 2011 Workforce Recruitment Program Database to help college students and recent graduates with disabilities find jobs in the public and private sectors.
The US Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) launched a new initiative, designed to identify and develop strategies to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities within small businesses owned and operated by minorities.
In February 2009, for the first time, the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics began reporting the employment situation for people with disabilities.
The Administration hosted a Disability Job Fairto bring qualified candidates with disabilities and agencies together to help increase federal employment for people with disabilities in the federal government.
The Office of Personnel Management created a series of quick training videos to encourage the use of Schedule A for disability hiring in the federal government.
The President issued a memorandum supporting the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program, which requires qualified blind individuals be given a priority to operate vending facilities on Federal properties. The program provides high-quality entrepreneurial opportunities for blind business managers, who, in turn, have hired thousands of workers.
The Department of Labor proposed a new rule to strengthen requirements established in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act that would require federal contractors and subcontractors to set a hiring goal of having 7 percent of their workforces be people with disabilities. The proposed regulatory changes detail specific actions contractors must take in the areas of recruitment, training, record keeping and policy dissemination -- similar to those that have long been required to promote workplace equality for women and minorities.
On expand educational opportunity; President Obama supports improved educational opportunities for people with disabilities.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization proposal will increase support for the inclusion and improved outcomes of students with disabilities, ensuring that teachers are prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners and that assessments more accurately and appropriately measure the performance of students with disabilities.
President Obama also supports expanded funding and increase enforcement for programs like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that ensure all Americans have access to the tools to succeed.
The US Department of Education allocated more than $19.9 million in grants to help prepare education personnel to improve services for persons with disabilities more especially children.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502092058.html
Supreme Court Oks disabled persons eviction
New Zimbabwe.com
10/02/2015 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
THE Supreme Court Monday gave the green-light for the eviction of eight disabled persons from a half-way house which houses people with disabilities.
The Court granted an order that paved the way for the forced removal of the eight from Leonard Cheshire Home in Harare.
The group had been resisting removal and their case had been strengthened by a High Court decision that had ruled they could stay.
Leonard Cheshire’s trustees applied to the Supreme Court seeking a rescission of the High Court order.
The eight disabled persons were identified as Robert Chiite, Togarepi Chimbaranga, Artmore Dembezeke, Lewis Garaba, Barbra Katonha, Rudo Maphosa, Junior Mavhiyagudo, and Majecha Tapfumaneyi.
Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba, who was representing the institution, argued that High Court judge, Justice Tendai Uchena’s ruling was erroneous.
Magwaliba argued that in November 1999 and July 2004, the institution’s trustees had made a resolution to evict all tenants who however refused to leave the premises leading to the litigation.
For the eight respondents, Advocate Thabani Mpofu argued that the High Court’s ruling was correct as the institution had no legal standing to evict his clients.
He submitted that the trustees had no moral ground to evict the respondents as they no longer had the mandate to represent the institution as their terms of office had expired.
However deputy chief justice Luke Malaba in concurrence with justices Paddington Garwe and Susan Mavhangira ruled in favour of the institution arguing that the eight disabled persons be evicted forthwith.
The Supreme Court also set aside justice Uchena’s ruling.
The eight disabled persons had been residing at the institution from the early 1990s before a legal battle emerged after the trustees of the institution served the tenants with notices of eviction.
The High Court then ruled that the disabled persons with varying degrees of disabilities be spared from eviction before the institution appealed the decision.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-20465-Court+Okays+disabled+persons+eviction/news.aspx
Disabled women fight for rights
The Zimbabwean-
Disabled Women in Africa (DIWA) has launched a sexual and reproductive health rights campaign for women and girls with disabilities in Bulawayo.
11.02.15
12:23
Women with disabilities continue to suffer sexual and reproductive health violations despite the government having accepted the United Nations convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Females with various forms of disabilities are at high risk of abuse due to stigma, discrimination lack of support structures, lack of information pertaining to their rights and how to protect themselves.
In a recent interview DIWA co-ordinator Xoliso Msebele said the campaign would target a referral hospital in the city as well as other health centres.
“The major objective is to advocate for the dignity and respect of all women and girls with disabilities. Special focus will be on sexual and reproductive health rights. We want to demystify the sexual myths surrounding women and girls with disabilities,” said Msebele.
During the year-long campaign, the organisation expects to come up with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with at least two health institutions focusing on access and communication for women and girls with disabilities.
“Over and above this, we hope to engage and learn from each other on issues of access, pertaining to disability through the lenses of social model and come up with ways of how we
can domesticate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) which Zimbabwe endorsed in September 2013,” she said.
DIWA will also hold nurses training workshops on Basic Sign Language (BSL). They also want to produce a position paper which will be shared with various ministries on access of sexual and reproductive health service for women and girls with disabilities.
“I hope this campaign will improve the facilities for people with disabilities at health centres and positively change the attitude of some medical staff. For a long time now we have been encountering challenges in accessing family planning and maternal facilities in public health institutions, “said Irine Moyo, adding that HIV positive and disabled women suffering from sexually transmitted diseases were harassed and booed when they seek treatment at public hospitals and clinics.
DIWA, formed in 2002, is an independent organisation of disabled women operating throughout Africa. The organisation‘s sole responsibility is to empower African women and girls with disabilities through research, information sharing, networking and partnership as well as capacity building.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/politics/gender-equality/74826/disabled-women-fight-for-rights.html
Airtel Supports Visually Impaired Student
spyghana.comNewsFeb 11, 2015 0
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Airtel Ghana has partnered Osei-Kusi Foundation (OKF) to Make a Change in the life of Grace Annabi a level 200 visually impaired student studying education at the University of Cape Coast.
Panyin Benefo, Osei Kusi Foundation; Donald Gwira, Head of Corporate Communications & External Affairs; Grace Annabi, Recipient; Kakra Benefo Asante, Project Manager, Osei Kusi Foundation; Panyin Benefo, Osei Kusi Foundation; Donald Gwira, Head of Corporate Communications & External Affairs; Grace Annabi, Recipient; Kakra Benefo Asante, Project Manager, Osei Kusi Foundation;
Make your Change is an initiative from Airtel which encourages everyone including employees to get involved in their local communities by identifying sustainable projects which they are passionate about including areas such as health, education, philanthropy and sustainable environmental initiatives.
The Make Your Change initiative has seen Airtel staff collaborate with orphanages, Metropolitan Assemblies and philanthropic organisations to carry out sustainable projects such as tree planting, recycling projects and donations that have brought ease to many in various communities.
Donald Gwira, Head of Corporate Communication and External Affairs at Airtel said the Make your Change initiative offers a platform for staff to engage in sustainable CSR in the communities where they live while inspiring hope and enhancing people’s quality of life.
“At Airtel we also believe in the capability and not disability of an individual. Grace’s story is compelling and emotional and tells us all what determination and self-will can do regardless of ones circumstances. In 2002, I met Grace at Volta Home an orphanage in a small village called Ve Deme near Hohoe in the Volta Region,” he said.
” Grace Annabi, An orphan and one of eight siblings, she was being raised by her grandparents whose meagre income from the sale of local medicine put the family income at a subsistent level. At the time I met her, Grace was 13 and trying to adjust to her new life of visual impairment a year after becoming visually impaired. She was also in class four which meant that she was probably one of the oldest children in her class. Due to the stigma associated with disability and the lack of disability-friendly facilities, many visually impaired children go to school very late. Unperturbed by her circumstances, Grace had a positive outlook to life. She had big dreams, wanted to pursue an education, wanted to become a journalist. I lost track of Grace after that visit until a couple of weeks ago when I was reading an e-mail from OKF about their work. One of their most senior recipients mentioned in the email is Grace who is aspiring to become a journalist. Out of curiosity I asked what her last name was and was told Annabi. Immediately it all came back. Flash back after flash back”.
Speaking at the short ceremony, Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Hannah Agbozo said expressed satisfaction at the whole project.
He said the donation goes to emphasize the impact of our “Make your Change” campaign and the need for each of us to brighten the corner wherever we find ourselves with our widow’s mite”.
Grace expressed her gratitude to Airtel Ghana for their Make your Change initiative.
Source; spyGhana.com
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.spyghana.com/airtel-supports-visually-impaired-student/
Ghana: Airtel Brightens Visually Impaired Student's Future
Ghanaian Chronicle
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh
Airtel Ghana has partnered Osei-Kusi Foundation (OKF) to make a Change in the life of Grace Annabi a level 200 visually impaired student, studying education at the University of Cape Coast.
Make your Change is an initiative from Airtel which encourages everyone including employees to get involved in their local communities by identifying sustainable projects which they are passionate about including areas such as health, education, philanthropy and sustainable environmental initiatives.
The Make Your Change initiative has seen Airtel staff collaborate with orphanages, Metropolitan Assemblies and philanthropic organizations to carry out sustainable projects such as tree planting, recycling projects and donations that have brought ease to many in various communities.
This very donation has been birthed out of another partnership with a not for profit organization, the Osei Kusi Foundation, to assist a visually impaired yet passionate young lady to realize her dream.
Donald Gwira, Head of Corporate Communication and External Affairs at Airtel added that "our Make your Change initiative offers a platform for staff to engage in sustainable CSR in the communities where they live while inspiring hope and enhancing people's quality of life.
At Airtel we also believe in the capability and not disability of an individual. Grace's story is compelling and emotional and tells us all what determination and self-will can do regardless of one's circumstances.
In 2002, I met Grace at Volta Home an orphanage in a small village called Ve Deme, near Hohoe in the Volta Region. Her visual impairment started at the tender age of four and degenerated into total blindness by the time she turned 12.
An orphan and one of eight siblings, she was being raised by her grandparents whose meagre income from the sale of local medicine put the family income at a subsistent level.
At the time I met her, Grace was 13 and trying to adjust to her new life of visual impairment a year after becoming visually impaired.
She was also in class four which meant that she was probably one of the oldest children in her class. Due to the stigma associated with disability and the lack of disability-friendly facilities, many visually impaired children go to school very late.
Unperturbed by her circumstances, Grace had a positive outlook to life. She had big dreams, wanted to pursue an education, wanted to become a journalist.
I lost track of Grace after that visit until a couple of weeks ago when I was reading an e-mail from OKF about their work. One of their most senior recipients mentioned in the email is Grace who is aspiring to become a journalist.
Out of curiosity I asked what her last name was, I was told it is Annabi. Immediately it all came back. Flash back after flash back.
Speaking at the short ceremony, Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Hannah Agbozo said We are proud to support Donald to make his change by this donation to Osei-Kusi Foundation on behalf of Ms. Annabi.
This goes to emphasize the impact of our "Make your Change" campaign and the need for each of us to brighten the corner wherever we find ourselves with our widow's mite".
Receiving the award on behalf of OKF, Kakra Benefo Asante, Project Manager said the Foundation was inspired by Grace's eagerness to pursue a higher education despite her disability.
She said that Grace is a very intelligent student who learns very quickly. She further added investing in Grace is a move in the right direction as it resonates very well with the values of the OKF Foundation which is passionate about investing in young people.
Grace expressed her gratitude to Airtel Ghana for their Make your Change initiative.
Photo caption: Panyin Benefo, Osei Kusi Foundation; Donald Gwira, Head of Corporate Communications & External Affairs; Grace Annabi, Recipient; Kakra Benefo Asante, Project Manager, Osei Kusi Foundation;
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502111505.html
Disabled in Chilubi receive 12 wheelchairs
Zambia Daily Mail
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Posted in News on February 12, 2015 by Online Editor
wheelchair man
NKOMBO KACHEMBA, Kitwe
GOVERNMENT under the Department of Social Welfare has dispatched 12 wheelchairs to Chilubi Island for distribution to people with disabilities.
Chilubi district commissioner Francis Mutale, in an interview yesterday, that the 12 wheelchairs will soon be distributed to beneficiaries.
“The year 2015 for Chilubi Island has started on a good note. we have just received 12 wheelchairs for persons with disabilities in the district. We will make sure that the intended beneficiaries receive the wheelchairs,” Mr Mutale said.
He said Government is aware of the challenges that people with disabilities face in their daily lives and it has bought wheelchairs for them to ease their suffering.
Mr Mutale also said Government is committed to improving the welfare of persons with disabilities because they are citizens who should have a fair share of national resources.
Mr Mutale also said he is working with the department of social welfare to ensure that people with disabilities also benefit from youth and women empowerment funds.
He urged people with disabilities to access information on how they can benefit from Government’s empowerment programmes.
Mr Mutale also said Government is working tirelessly to deliver development to Chilubi Island.
He said Government is implementing numerous development projects on the outskirts of Chilubi Island to improve the lives of residents.
Mr Mutale also urged the people of Chilubi to work with Government to identify urgent areas of development.
He also urged investors to consider investing in the tourism sector in the area to help create jobs for local people.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=19951
SWEB Foundation initiates construction of disability remedial centres
Vibe Ghana
The Samuel Wellington Botwey (SWEB) Foundation has begun the construction of ultra modern disability rehabilitation and remedial centres designed to provide children with disabilities critical intellectual and hands-on training for their effective integration in society.
The centres, which would be equipped with modern computers and disability learning and training materials, are to serve as excellence of post clinical and rehabilitation education centres in the country.
Mr David Norden Botwey, the Executive Director of SWEB Foundation, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency said Ghanaian children with disability deserved better education and training to enable them to realise their dreams.
He said the Foundation aims to scale up the centres in all the ten regions and gradually expand to cover the 216 districts in the country.
He expressed regret that a large number of parents, who have children with disabilities, often locked up the children at home and go to work or do not work at all because they had to often stay back to take care of the children.
“The ultimate aim of this project is to free parents, who have disabled children, so that they too can go out to do some work or perform some economic activity and earn extra income to support their families,” he said.
The Director also said the centres were designed in ways that allow the children to learn and play as well as interact with their social environment towards effective inclusion in the society.
Each of the centres will have study rooms, kitchen, store, rest room, rehabilitation space, two offices, staff common room, toilet facilities and playing ground.
Mr Botwe, however, said looking at the enormity of the project the Foundation was under resourced and appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to support the Foundation execute the project to offer the needed services and skills development assistance to the disabled children to realise their talents.
The Michael Essien Foundation has already donated GHS20, 000 towards the building of one the centres located in Atwere in the Amansie West district of Ashanti, while the Sisala East district assembly has also given out an abandoned edifice to house the children.
The chiefs and people of Atwere provided six building plots and offered free labour to support the construction of the centre there, which the SWEB Director said, was at the roofing level.
The SWEB Foundation is a disability focused non-governmental organization committed to promoting the rights and social inclusion of persons with disabilities in Ghana.
The Foundation became the strategic partner organisation of Liliane Foundation of the Netherlands in 2012, to collaborate to implement the Direct Child Assistance programme for children and youth with disabilities in Ghana, through partner organizations. GNA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://vibeghana.com/2015/02/14/sweb-foundation-initiates-construction-of-disability-remedial-centres/
Governorship candidate donates bus, mobility devices to disabled
Nigerian Tribune
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16.Feb.2015 DISQUS_COMMENTS Biola Azeez - Ilorin
The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Kwara State, Dr Mike Omotosho, has donated a bus to the association of people living with disability in the state to aid their mobility.
He also donated mobility aids such as wheel chairs, crutches and artificial limbs to the physically challenged persons.
Speaking during a get-together for physically challenged persons on Valentine’s Day in Ilorin, Dr Omotosho said the gesture was to give them a sense of belonging.
He said that if elected as the next governor of the state, he would create a special office for people with special needs, in order to bring them closer to government.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the physically challenged to contribute to the national development, saying that being disabled did not imply they are second class citizens.
The governorship candidate also said that his administration would prioritise the welfare of the disabled since they were known to be naturally creative, adding that he would work with them.
“When there is will, there will be a way. We want to create special unit where people with special needs will be attended to, where you can prevent stigmatization within the society, where we can ensure that they have access to their basic needs as human beings, as individuals, where you are assured they can get the things they desire and deserve,” he said.
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【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/news-headlines/item/29608-governorship-candidate-donates-bus-mobility-devices-to-disabled
Nigeria: CCD Calls on Pres Jonathan to Assent to Disability
AllAfrica.com
By Bill Umeh Kalu
THE Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to assent to the disability bill recently passed by the National Assembly without delay so as to reduce the pain and agony of the people living with disability in Nigeria.
The group in a press conference held in Elomaz Hotel, Maryland, Lagos commended the National Assembly for transmitting the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill to Mr. President for his assent.
Addressing the conference, CCD executive director, David O. Anyaele said: "Interestingly, this is the second time this bill is coming to President Goodluck Jonathan's table and third time we will be begging for assent on the bill. This bill provides prohibition of discrimination against persons with disabilities, right to access to public premises, accessibility aid in public building, provision for situation of risk and humanitarian emergencies, service at queues, Prohibition of use of Person with disabilities in soliciting for alms and penalty, freedom of movement, right to free education, inclusive education, free education for special education personnel, participation in politics, and establishment National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, among others."
Anyaele noted that the bill will be a legacy bill as no President has ever signed such bill in the history of the country.
Also, the group expressed worry that issues affecting people with disabilities are not being raised in the ongoing electioneering campaign.
Anyaele said: "CCD is worried that political parties across board and their candidates are silent on issues of concern to Nigerians with disabilities in their electioneering campaign, even when you see on the television a sign language interpreter for Presidential candidates campaign, yet we continue to observe a culture of silence among political party candidates on issues of critical concern to Nigerians with disabilities.
"Issues such as disability law, inclusive and accessible education, and unhindered access to healthcare, vocational training, access to job opportunities, rehabilitation and integration of Nigerians with disabilities are some of the issues of critical concern to Nigerians with disabilities that are missing in the electioneering campaigns among political parties.
"CCD calls on National, State and Local Government Chairmen of all the political parties to advise their candidates to mainstream disability issues in their electioneering campaign by addressing issues of concern to Nigerians with disabilities."
The group expressed shocked that INEC is doing little or nothing to enhance equal access to eligible Nigerians with disabilities in the 2015 general elections.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502160354.html
Disabled Cape Town man: Cop told me to ‘voetsek’
News24-
2015-02-16 14:41
Lauren Hess, News24
Cape Town - A Cape Town mother has laid a charge against police after her son, who is physically disabled, was allegedly assaulted by a police officer on Friday night.
Tas Rashed told News24 that her 19-year-old son, who is deaf and has a rare bone disorder, was arrested by an officer who assaulted and verbally abused him.
The son, who wishes to remain anonymous, said in a statement that he was driving on his scooter down De Wet Road in Grassy Park on Friday afternoon when he noticed a police van following him. He turned left as directed by the traffic lights and soon after the police van signalled to him to pull over.
“I immediately pulled over... and the police van screeched to a halt in front of me cutting me off. I switched my [scooter] off and took off my helmet.
“As I was getting off my [scooter] the driver of the police van came running over to me. He was verbally abusing me shouting ‘jou naai, jou poes, voetsek’ and other abusive things.
“He pulled me, tearing my shirt and pushed me up against the police van where he smacked me twice across the side of my head by my ear and started hitting me in the ribs. He proceeded to search me and my schoolbag which was still on my back,” said the young man.
Fined for disobeying traffic light
He said the officer pulled him off his scooter while continuing to spit obscenities at him.
After pushing over the man’s scooter, the policeman dragged him to the back of the police van and threw him inside. He said the officer had still not told him why he was being apprehended.
The officer later told him he was being arrested “because I drove away from them when they were trying to pull me off. I said I heard no siren and saw no emergency lights. He said he was hooting at me”. When he asked the officer why he hit him, the policeman said he hadn’t hit him and said “as ek jou will gemoer het sal jy nou vrek gewees het [if I wanted to hurt you then you’d be dead now]”.
The young man said the officer fined him R500 for “disobeying a red traffic light”.
Rashed said her son is a “skinny kid” and he was chucked into the van “like a bag of bones”.
Despite his disabilities, Rashed said her son “has fought against all odds to be able to be a normal functioning human being. He was adamant to try mainstream education... [in] high school”.
“My son has been taught all his life that hard work, honesty and doing the right thing will [make him] prosper. This incident has now affected him adversely and he is questioning all that he has been taught.”
Rashed said the case has been sent directly to provincial commissioner General Arno Lamoer’s office and has given her details to the Independent Police Directorate (IPID).
“Once this office receives a report from the Grassy Park police, we shall then be in a position to give comment thereto,” police spokesperson Colonel Tembinkosi Kinana said in a statement to News24.
Attempts by News24 to get comment from the IPID were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
- Have you been a victim of police brutality? Send us your story
- This article was updated at 15:23 with comment from Colonel Kinana.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Disabled-Cape-Town-man-Cop-told-me-to-voetsek-20150216
TNM sets up disability inclusive classrooms in Lilongwe
Nyasa Times
Malawi Nyasa Times – Malawi breaking news in Malawi
February 16, 2015 Nyasa Times Reporter
Premier mobile service provider TNM has donated K2.8 million to the Malawi Council for the Handicapped (Macoha) to help set up a disability inclusive environment at Kalambo Primary School in Lilongwe's Area 25.
The money will be used to transform the school’s environment into an inclusive one for children with disabilities.
Speaking during the cheque presentation ceremony in Blantyre, TNM's Head of Marketing Sobhuza Ngwenya said the mobile operator is committed to ensuring that children with disabilities access quality education and become self-reliant
"lt is TNM's belief that every child despite their physical condition must be given opportunity to access education. Inclusive education as advocated by MACOHA is one key approach to achieve self-reliance for the physically challenged," said Ngwenya.
Ngwenya said the donation was in response to request by Macoha during the 2014 MACOHA flag week held under the theme "inclusiveness is the key to education of children with disabilities".
“TNM believes that to attain an inclusive society and have persons with disabilities that are self-reliant; there is need for inclusiveness to start from children with disabilities being included in the classrooms which should eventually ensure their participation in social economic activities,” he said.
He appealed to teachers to show love and compassion to children with disabilities so that they feel not to being left out.
"While our donation goes towards the infrastructure and equipment, let me also appeal to the special needs teachers to go out their way to show love and compassion to the physically challenged children to ensure they remain in school," said TNM's Head of Marketing.
In his remarks MACOHA acting executive director Peter Ngomwa described TNM’s donation as timely since the institution is still in fundraising for the same initiatives.
“During the flag week, Macoha sought to raise funds to rehabilitate five primary schools in Lilongwe into disability inclusive facilities and this donation from TNM will really have great impact in our interventions” said.
The donation will cater for building ramps and rehabilitation of doors, buying assistive devices such as wheelchairs, clutches and hearing aids.
TNM also sponsors 20 visually challenged girls with their secondary school education needs through an NGO, Hope for the Blind.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.nyasatimes.com/2015/02/16/tnm-sets-up-disability-inclusive-classrooms-in-lilongwe/
Wheelchair-bound Players Challenge Ugandas Perceptions of Disabled
KAMPALA
Ugandan Doctors Aid Victims of Sudan's Civil War
Critics Decry Brain Drain in Uganda Healthcare Secto
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Lizabeth Paulat
February 16, 2015 1:33 PM
KAMPALA-
For many disabled Ugandans, life is incredibly hard. A lack of accessible buildings, transport and activities means the disabled end up spending most of their time at home.
But thanks to Uganda’s parasport teams, athletes’ lives are slowly improving.
Joan Nagujja, a volunteer with Uganda's Paralympic Committee, says she found self-confidence through sports.
Naguija says because her hand and leg are paralyzed, she had felt self-conscious. As she grew older, she looked for ways to challenge herself and she discovered sports and that changed how she felt about herself.
She was no longer afraid to talk to talk to people and she now feels proud.
Disabled athletes play basketball as part of Uganda's Wheelchair Basketball Association.
Basketball group
That is the goal of Uganda's Wheelchair Basketball Association, where the aim is to keep disabled athletes fit, both physically and mentally, while instilling a sense of pride. The Uganda Disabled Basketball Association began in the northern town of Gulu in 2007 and now has teams across the country.
The goal is to expand their reach internationally. In coming months, the association hopes to travel to Somalia to train teams, and there's also talk of an international match between Uganda and Kenya. Their coach, Edwin Mulima, who used to play basketball on Uganda's national team, says he had to learn how to play in a wheelchair when he became their coach.
The team uses special sports wheelchairs for quick maneuvers and to prevent falls.
However, Mulima says it wasn't always this way. He says it was very tough in the beginning with old style wheelchairs, which were hard to control and the players would often fall.
Funding issues
He says that changed after the Lion's Club of China donated new wheelchairs, which make maneuvering around the court much easier.
Along with the basketball association, there are disabled sports associations for rowing, football and swimming. Although they are part of the Uganda Paralympic Committee, they receive very little funding from the government, relying on NGOs for funds.
The associations are hoping that as their groups expand across East Africa, so will their budgets.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.voanews.com/content/wheelchair-bound-players-challenge-ugandas-perceptions-of-disabled/2646210.html
Kenya: Disabled Matungu Family Inspires Village Groups
The Star
By Shaban Makokha
A SLIP in 2004 was all it took to change Rose Chibwire's life. She lost her right leg and has been on crutches since.
She had travelled to Nairobi to stay with her husband, who worked for the UNHCR, when she slipped in a bathroom injuring her right knee.
"I was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital where I was treated and discharged. But the knee problem persisted with a lot of pus flowing out and in 2005, my leg had to be amputated at St Mary's Hospital in Mumias, " she says.
"This became the turning point and most frustrating part of my life because I had to learn to use one leg and crutches. By then I had three children - two girls and one boy," Chibwire recalls.
She particularly found it difficult taking care of her daughter Jemimah Muruka, who was born with spina bifida - a permanently disabling birth defect where a baby's spinal column does not close all of the way.
"My family now had two people with disability and later on I gave birth to a boy, John Murenga, who had a similar problem of spina bifida, and the number of disabled members of my family increased to three," she says.
The parents took Murenga to Kiambu District Hospital where he was fitted with a shunt to enable him move.
"But it never worked and he was left to crawl down unable to stand up and walk on his own," she says.
"The two have a problem of passing urine and stool without a break and we introduced them to use of diapers. But because I cannot afford money for constant purchase of the tissue, they developed bedsores, which have grown to chronic wounds."
She said some members of her family deserted her, "but my late husband remained strong with me and tirelessly supported his family as the breadwinner".
Jemimah completed Form four in 2013 - the same year her dad died - at Joyland Secondary School in Kisumu and attained a mean grade of C- (minus).
She practises singing and has compiled gospel songs which she is appealing for well-wishers to help her record.
"Besides producing music, I aspire to be a teacher for the physically handicapped lot so that I can help them acquire quality education," Jemimah, now 21, says.
She appeals to the government and the private sector to help create awareness about the importance of education and facilitate access to schools.
"It is important to promote the concepts of inclusive education in the rural schools, which can help in promoting local nursery schools and ensuring that young children with impairments have access to these schools."
Murenga is now in class six at Ngairwe Primary School in Matungu where he was transferred to from Lunganyiro Special School after his sponsor pulled out.
His legs are paralysed and filled with septic wounds because a sensory impairment has left him numb, and he doesn't feel when he is injured.
His mother says he sometimes unawares sits on fire. "I am highly challenged by movement in school especially when my assisting devices break down. I am forced to crawl until I am picked by good Samaritans," Murenga says.
Chibwire, now 43 and mother of six children - three deceased- is the current chairperson of Matungu Disability Network Organisation and manages more than 77 groups in the district.
She says the network helps enhance the quality of life of disabled people by improving service delivery, providing more equitable opportunities and by promoting and protecting their human rights.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502161073.html
Malawi govt to hire 'stand still'; lawyer for persons with disability
Nyasa Times
February 17, 2015 Yankho Msukwa - Nyasa Times
The Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati has said government will hire at least a legal expert solely to render legal assistance and cases involving persons with disabilities and other vulnerable people.
According to her, the lawyer her ministry is planning to hire will also pursue reported cases of killings of person with albinism in the country.
Kaliati said this when she commenting on calls to ban witch-doctors in the country.
Albinos faced attacks for their body parts, which witch-doctors believe bring good luck and wealth.
"As a remedy, we need to have a our own lawyer; a stand still lawyer in our ministry so that he might be assisting the very need people who cannot access justice because they don't have money.
"If we have a lawyer, abused children, women and men will be offered legal assistance and services to access justice,"; said Kaliati.
The ministry's "stand still"; lawyer will be ready mid March, according to the Minister.
Kaliati further said her ministry is working closely with law enforcers in doing everything possible to ensure security to all people, including persons with albinism.
She also admitted that murder cases of albinos have instilled fear in persons with albinism, observing that such acts are not a violation of right to life but also the right education, health, development and economic activity.
"I also call upon all persons with albinism to avoid being in isolation. As for guardians with children with albinism do not leave the children all alone,"; said Kaliati.
There has increased reported murder cases of persons with albinism in the country. The recent case involved a 68 year-old woman, Malita Makolija from Masali village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwambo in Zomba.
This was preceded by a number of incidents such as a missing of a two year-old girl and killing of a 25 year-old woman.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.nyasatimes.com/2015/02/17/malawi-govt-to-hire-stand-still-lawyer-for-persons-with-disability/
Persons living with disability benefit from fund
GhanaWeb
Twenty-eight persons living with disability have received monies from the Tema Metropolitan Disability Fund to improve their lot.
Twenty-seven of the beneficiaries, who are traders and artisans, received GH¢ 500 each while one other person received GH¢ 950 to pay his medical bills.
Mr Baba Abu Abdulai, Chairman of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly's Disability Fund, said a total of Gh¢ 13,795 was disbursed to the 28 beneficiaries.
Mr Abdulai said the beneficiaries were made up of the physically disabled, visually impaired and hearing impaired.
He said over the past two years, over 400 persons with disability had been helped with their businesses, medical bills and school fees in fulfillment of the disability fund, Act 715.
He explained that the Act required every assembly to set aside two per cent of its share of the District Assembly's Common Fund as seed money for activities to improve the lives of the disabled.
Baba Abdulai said the fund committee would monitor the businesses of the beneficiaries to reward the best in various categories of disability which are; physically disabled, hearing impaired and visually impaired.
He said special allocation of monies would be awarded to these persons as prizes to help expand their businesses to enable them to employ some of their colleagues.
Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, urged all disabled persons in the metropolis in small scale businesses to contact the assembly to pick and fill a form to enable them to benefit from the fund.
Mr Odamtten encouraged them to take advantage of educational programmes and seminars organised for them to build their capacity.
He gave the assurance that Government would continue with all its social intervention programmes despite some financial challenges.
He tasked the fund managers not only to disburse the monies but must help bridge gaps between the disabled and the assembly and other establishments.
Madam Christiana Nkrumah, Financial Secretary of the Ghana Society for the Physically Disabled, Tema Branch, and a beneficiary, thanked the TMA for the support.
She called for more to be done to make the lives of the disabled, especially the poor ones, a little comfortable.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/artikel.php?ID=347050
Sierra Leone News: National Commission for disability donates food items to DPOS in Kenema
Awoko
The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disability in Sierra Leone Fredrick Kamara has donated food items to Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) in Kenema district.
Among the items donated included rice, cooking oil, onion and Maggie.
In his statement the regional commissioner for persons with disability east Eku Scotland stated that the commission is trying to complement the efforts of government inorder to help disable persons of Sierra Leone, adding that the donation is not only meant for Kenema district but similar events have taken place in Kono district and it will soon happen in Kailahun district and it will be extended to different areas across the country. He added that the quantity of the commodity donated does not matter but that it will show how they as a commission care for their colleague disabled.
Formally presenting the items to beneficiaries at the regional office at 2 B Sumaila street in Kenema, the chief commissioner for persons with disability Fredrick James M. Kamara said this is the first time for him to meet with a cross section of people living with disability in Kenema district. He added that disabled persons across the country have faced a lot of discrimination in terms of education, access to building and employment among others. He said that the Act that was passed in Parliament in June 2012 gave authority to persons with disability to have free medical care, education and employment. He noted that the commission is there to seek the interest of persons with disability in the country. He says that the establishment of the commission is to discourage the negative attitude of people towards persons with disability. He further emphasized that the Act that established the commission made a lot of provisions, which include taking legal action against anybody or an institution that denied job opportunity to disable person. The chief commissioner reiterated that the commission was set up to support and engage persons with disability in different occasions. He added that as a commission they will make sure that Rights and equal opportunity are given to disabled persons which warrants them to donate some basic food items to them. Mr. Kamara noted that after Ebola there are plans to support projects for disability persons and called on all disabled persons to make use of the opportunity.
Finally the chief commissioner Fredrick James Kamara however warned disabled people to take precautionary measures against the Ebola virus as many of them are vulnerable to the disease.
The ceremony was chaired by Ishmeal A. Kamara Commissioner in the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs
By Saffa Moriba
Thursday February 19, 2015
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://awoko.org/2015/02/19/sierra-leone-news-national-commission-for-disability-donates-food-items-to-dpos-in-kenema/
Ghana Federation of Disabled canvass votes for members
Vibe Ghana
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The Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD) has appealed to the electorates to vote massively for Persons With Disability (PWDs) contesting the upcoming district level elections to enable them to serve their communities as assembly members.
The Federation has called on President John Dramani Mahama to consider including at least two qualified PWDs in the 30 per cent presidential appointees at each of the 216 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
In 2014, the GFD petitioned the President to take affirmative step to ensure a proportionate participation of PWDs in local governance by including two qualified and competent PWDs in the 30 per cent appointees at each of the MMDAs.
The GFD argued that Ghana’s elections were contested on an uneven ground because of the existing environmental, communication, information, and attitudinal barriers which impeded their electoral campaigns.
Mr Isaac Tuggun, Focal Person of the GFD, told the Ghana News Agency on Thursday that the existing built-environment obstructs the electoral tours of persons with physical disability and those with visual impairment.
He said deaf persons contesting elections will need sign language interpreters throughout the campaigns and that posed extra cost to the candidate.
The PWDs also suffer derogatory name calling and direct opposition based on their disability, as was publicly witnessed when Dr. Seidu Daannaa, Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs was nominated for the post, he said.
According to Mr Tuggun, various governments have made conscious efforts to allocate percentages of government appointments to women and asked that similar favours be extended to the disability community.
“The time has come for us as a people to move from the rhetorical socio-economic and political inclusion to building an actual inclusive society where everyone will have the opportunity to participate in decision-making at the national and local levels,” he said.
In 2010, South Africa had several Ministers with varied levels of disabilities and about 17 members of parliament were PWDs, he said.
He also mentioned that Uganda has a sectoral representation of PWDs and women in parliament, noting that, in Ghana the few PWDs who had served as assembly members had performed creditably well.
He said PWDs serving as assembly members would ensure that projects and programmes designed at the local levels are disability-inclusive since they would better push for effective implementation of pro-disability legislations and policies at that level.
“Their presence at assembly meetings and deliberations will prompt the assemblies to make conscious efforts to ensure that their infrastructure and services are accessible to PWDs, including sign language interpretation at meetings and other gatherings,” he added. GNA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://vibeghana.com/2015/02/20/ghana-federation-of-disabled-canvass-votes-for-members/
We’ll sue Parliament if… - Disabled Society threatens
GhanaWeb-
Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) will sue Parliament if the chamber is not made accessible to them.
According to the GSPD the chamber where strategic decisions concerning the state are made cannot remain inaccessible to the disabled.
Some physically challenged persons were disappointed last year, when they were unable to witness proceedings during the World Disability Day because the main entrance of the Chamber has not been structured to allow them to freely move.
The chairman of the Accra Metro Disabled Society, Elvis Kosi Alipui told Citi News that certain portions of building projects being undertaken by Parliament are not disability friendly.
He said they feel marginalized by the decision and hence will sue parliament for the necessary corrections to be made.
“If you go to Parliament, there is a new building where the disabled cannot go because they have not made provisions for them. If they do not do anything about the problem we will go to court,” he stated.
This is not the first time an institution has been threatened over its inability to make its facilities disability friendly.
The Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) has threatened to take legal action against all public service institutions and establishments that fail to make their facilities disability-friendly by December 31, 2015.
The Disability Act 2006 gave a 10-year moratorium to all such institutions to put in place facilities to make it possible for all persons with disability (PWDs) to access their services.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=347643
ECG disconnects Kyebi School for the deaf
GhanaWeb-
ECG disconnects Kyebi School for the deaf The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has disconnected power to the Kyebi School for the Deaf in the Eastern Region for not paying bills.
Deaf people need light to communicate with each other and the rest of the world.
Headmaster of the school, Michael Cudjoe on Adom News, said the school is financially handicapped and is unable to settle the over Ghc5000 owed the company.
He attributed the school’s inability to settle the bill to government’ s failure to pay subventions to the school, making it difficult for the authorities to run the school.
He expressed worry over the disconnection, saying it would prevent the pupils from communicating or studying at night.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/artikel.php?ID=347588
Nigeria: JAMB Allays Fears of Exclusion of Visually Impaired Candidates From Computer Based Test
AllAfrica.com
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Dibu Ojerinde, has said visually impaired candidates would not be excluded from the 2015 Computer Based Test.
Mr. Ojerinde said the matriculation examination was an all-inclusive examination for every Nigerian child irrespective of their disabilities.
Mr. Ojerinde stated this through the Director of Test Administration, Yusuf Lawal, when he received a delegation from the Anglo-Nigeria Welfare Association for the Blind in his office at the Board's Headquarters in Abuja. Mr. Lawal said no candidate would be discriminated against or denied their right on account of one disability or another in their pursuit of tertiary education.
Speaking at the meeting, Danlami Basharu, a representative of the association, said the Board was a responsible and responsive organization which had taken note of the interests of all candidates with a view to delivering on its mandate.
He said the Board was working round the clock to ensure fairness to all candidates irrespective of their disabilities.
He noted that the Braillenote Apex, a refreshable braille display gadget provided, was in furtherance of the Board's commitment to making the examination all- inclusive.
Mr. Basharu added that the Board had carried out several trial-testing on the use of the Braillenote Apex in four states - Lagos, Enugu, Plateau and Ogun - to enable candidates have a feel of the machine.
"JAMB is proactive and would ensure that visually impaired candidates are kept abreast of contemporary issues and challenges," he said. "We are not saying that there will be no issues, but as a responsive agency we are committed to ensuring that no candidate is disadvantaged."
Mr. Basharu further commended JAMB for making extra efforts to ensure that every Nigerian child was given equal opportunity to access tertiary education.
He also expressed his satisfaction with the provisions the Board had made so far in ensuring that candidates with disabilities were well catered for in the CBT examination.
He, however, urged the Board to enter into partnership with the association to enable it help in sensitizing the visually impaired candidates on the Board's activities as it had more access to the Board.
Mr. Basharu promised to spread the gospel of the innovation to all members and particularly those who had expressed reservations on the new technology. He said the investment in the visually impaired candidates was huge and prayed that the Federal Government key into this noble gesture.
Mr. Lawal, meanwhile, disclosed that the 2015 UTME would begin on March 9.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502230700.html
Zambia: Create Stand Alone Disability Ministry
AllAfrica.com
Tagged:
GovernanceSouthern AfricaZambia
THIS week it's important that we review the call by people with disabilities that they want a standalone ministry and that the Government must give them "their money which they were promised". The gate at the Ministry of Community Development Mother and Child Health was locked.
For me as disability rights activist, this is a very sad development and it's time the Government made decision on service delivery to persons with disabilities in the country. I am very much aware of God's efforts to improve the welfare of persons with disabilities, which have not been appreciated by disabled people.
This is not the first time the call for a disability Ministry has been made. Many of my friends have demanded for the creation of this Ministry, together with a minister, permanent secretary and directors.
My good friend and brother, a disability rights activist Frankson Musukwa, wrote a letter to the late President Michael Sata dated October 1 and published in The Post newspaper of October 7, 2013.
To say that this Government has failed the disabled people as we saw on TV it's not true and must be challenged because Frank in his letter to the President said people the Government had been entrusted with the overall responsibility of implementing the Disability Act had failed as no tangible measures had been put in place toward a realisation of rights contained therein and not the Government.
He further said that for the Disability Department to fall under the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, assumed that persons with disabilities could not take care of ourselves, live independently, or earn a living.
Although they may think they are being compassionate, people who have this attitude can do great harm: They consistently underestimate persons with disabilities and deprive of their dignity and potential.
Charity can have a positive effect in some contexts, but in regard to disability, charity is generally negative because it can dis-empower and limit people with disabilities so the demand by disabled people that the Government should be giving them free money because they are disabled is what Frank is against.
Frank is demanding that the President should prevail on the approach to disability issues by promoting a 'social model' approach to disability service delivery and discourage the call for charity as way of empowering disabled people. The social model affirms that persons with disabilities are full members of society who have important contributions to make to the nation, families and communities where they live.
What prevent disabled people from achieving their potential are not their respective disabilities but the unhealthy and disempowering misunderstanding of disability. There is an urgent need to overhaul the entire disability sector and create awareness on the rights of persons with disabilities as provided for in the Disability Act and UNCRPD so that programmes and activities are aligned.
According to Frank, the Ministry of Disability Affairs, if established, will be the vehicle for the enforcement of the social model which emphasises identifying, exposing and examining the barriers that physical and social environments place on people with disabilities such as legal barriers that limit the rights of people with disabilities.
Others are physical barriers that prevent access to shops, restaurants, schools, work, transportation and other places, and communication barriers that inhibit access. In this way persons with disabilities, who are the stones rejected by the builders of society, can become the capstone in the building of a democratic Zambia and of solidarity, equality and freedom.
It is necessary to make fundamental rights and available resources distributed in the most possible equal way, avoiding inequalities. As Rawls does we, however, admit a positive inequality, an exception of justice to the formal equity. When you work in favour of those who are in concrete disadvantaged conditions, it is necessary to fill the gap of opportunities in order to reduce the burden of disadvantage.
Having worked in the field of disability for many years both at national and international levels, and with respect to the call by my friends for the creation of the Disability Ministry, I wish to disagree with the call on principle. The call for the creation of this ministry is to have a disabled minister, disabled permanent secretary and directors should not be accepted by the Government because it's working against the vision of inclusion and mainstreaming of
disability, which is a call for the world to have a society for all and promote disability in all Government ministries and departments.
Nations today world-over are promoting programmes and policies that centre on having disability issues at the centre stage of development.
This call is against the world approach to the creation of an inclusive society and promoting cross-cutting disability issues. What we need is to have qualified people to run our disability organisation as it is in Malawi and South Africa where ministries are run by qualified people appointed on merit and not along disability line.
In South Africa, the deputy minister in the Ministry of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities Handrietta Bogopane Zulu is a blind person but very educated and knowledgeable on her role.
It's very important to promote inclusiveness and mainstreaming disability in all sectors of Government and for disabled people to appreciate Government efforts aimed at uplifting their welfare and stop demanding for charity but insist on employment and education-related services.
It is sad for a disabled friend accusing the Government of diverting funds meant for them to roads and schools which they claim came from donors. To the best of my knowledge there is no donor supporting the Government to improve the welfare of the disabled in Zambia and this has been so for many years, and such accusation may result in frustrating efforts meant for helping the disabled in future.
As for the people I saw on TV accusing the Government that it has neglected them, I failed bad because that group has received help from the Government for a long time and they like that plan of calling media and locking the gate as a way of forcing Government. There is a need to identify other disabled people who have not been helped by the Government because helping that group is a waste of resources because they will never appreciate since to them it's their right to be helped as it is donor money.
(The author is a Professor for ICOF Colleges Seminary and Universities, an American-based Christian institution of learning established in 1932, disability policy snalyst for SADC and inclusive development advisor for Centre for Disability Development Research, Law and Policy. For your letters please send to us on Centre for
Disability Development Research Law and Policy P.O. Box 34490, Lusaka, Zambia. Telephone +260211-238160 or use our South African Address.
Johannesburg. Project office, P.O. Box 1981, New Castle, 2940, South Africa. Tell: +27343127894 +27343127894 Fax: +27343127894 +27343127894. Mobile: +27733453663 +27733453663 E-mail: cm@cddrlp.net Website: www.cddrlp.net. Mobile +260966-036931 +260966-036931)
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502230579.html
Mphoko views on disability disturbing
Nehanda Radio
By admin - Feb 23, 2015 1607 1
191 129 40
By Abraham Mateta
OPINION - It can be said without gainsay that Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has in many occasions not shied away from controversy in the way he has sought to tackle very important political and social issues.
VP Mphoko with hands in his pocket during with members of a Zanu PF cell (Picture by Citizen Reporter)
One such area has been the clear expression of his disposition towards disability.
This is going to be the basis of my discussion in this instalment. The first interaction between the Mphoko and disability came through his expression of an opinion on vending.
Though not originally targeted at persons with disabilities, the statement became an important discussion point.
The second major interaction between the vice president and disability was to be seen when he deliberately through his party mechanism called for a meeting with the disabled people and their organisations to discuss various challenges especially employment related ones.
I take this opportunity to look at these two with a view to see how far they have enriched the disability rights discourse in Zimbabwe.
I must state at the onset that I am writing from the reports of newspaper articles and I believe this is a serious limitation that you gentle reader must be made aware of. I will however, try to be as objective as possible notwithstanding this limitation.
In his “Meet the People” tours, he is alleged to have said he did not think that vending and particularly selling of tomatoes was for able-bodied persons but for the “physically-challenged”, a misnomer for people with disabilities).
He has been strongly criticised for being out of touch with reality by failing to appreciate the economic situation which has forced able-bodied men into vending.
Unfortunately, his statement was equally received with great condemnation from some sections of disability rights activists who simply argued that the sentiments were a blatant insult to disability by a man in a high office.
These activists sought to make it clear that his sentiments were unfortunate as they reinforced the thinking that disability was inability when actually the contrary is true. Some even rightly argued that this was clearly a manifestation of the urgent need for self-representation of disabled people at all levels.
My take on the vice president’s statement is that we need to first concede that Mphoko was expressing his personal opinion. The effect such a statement had on disability was therefore inadvertent. I however, make this statement not in his defence but contend that this would help us locate the serious issue which we have in our hands.
These sentiments, although personal, actually tell us of the lack of knowledge on disability issues in the government in which Mphoko is a VP. First and foremost, the use of the phrase “the physically-challenged” is also seen in the ZimAsset document.
Disability must be rightly understood as arising out of social barriers that hinder impaired people from participating at an equal level with others.
In this scheme of things therefore, referring to those with disabilities as having “physical challenges” is a blatant refusal to admit where the actual challenge lies.
We are disabled by the barriers that are put around us therefore, it is the society and our environment which are challenged.
Second and even more fundamental, Mphoko’s statement borders on the charity model of disability which does not encourage equalisation of opportunities.
Thus, the statement was an admission if not perpetuation of the status quo in which disabled people remain at the bottom of the social structure and there was no attempt to question this unfortunate scheme of things.
Put much simpler, the VP seemed to be accusing the able-bodied for falling down too low and doing things expected of disabled people.
Given that Zimbabwe enacted a Constitution in which disability issues are covered in the bill of rights and that it ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of persons with disabilities, Mphoko needs to move with swiftness to update his knowledge on disability.
As rightly captured by journalists, disability rights activists were extremely riled by Mphoko’s statement.
I will however, submit that the media projected an image of very angry activists who unfortunately in that state were unable to articulate with clarity why his statement was out of line on disability development.
History of disability shows that disability activists have been completely angered and offended in many material respects and many times.
However, evidence abounds to the fact that when persons with disabilities take their arguments with clarity at an intellectual level, they achieve more than what they can achieve when they respond angrily.
In my view, it is better for the disability activists to be portrayed as giving substance rather than to be portrayed as fuming.
Closely linked to that, Mphoko’s statement also showed that there is need for disability activists to continuously help journalists to update their knowledge on disability so that they are also able to write with clarity on such issues.
I shall here give a very interesting example of a very thought-provoking analysis on the same subject that was done by Wilbert Mukori.
The writer was not dealing with disability but with the general implications of Mphoko’s statement. In his conclusion, Mukori states, “We have able-bodied citizens led by mentally-challenged leaders.”
In my view as a disability rights activist, such a statement might mean that we are back to square one in the construction of an inclusive society through our media.
The second incident where the Mphoko interacted with disability was when he is said to have invited the disabled people’s organisations, disabled people in Bulawayo to air their grievances especially on employment matters.
I am a fervent believer in dialogue and it is my conviction that dialogue is the beginning of development.
Even in cases of war, resolution normally comes after dialogue. I am reliably informed that the meeting was fruitful as it gave people the voice. I am also hopeful that it was a learning point for the vice president.
However, I would be happier to know if there were working steps that were proposed and even tangible result areas that were set. Without those, such meetings end up becoming talk shows between the victims and the government officials.
With that, I congratulate the VP for boldly tackling disability although in one instance quite badly.
Our activism, I contend, must not be directed on silencing people who offer their views on disability no matter how wayward such views may go.
However, I strongly feel that it is imperative for government officials especially members of the executive to update their knowledge on disability and also move beyond proper disability friendly speech to disability inclusive actions.
Concerning the Mphoko’s meeting with persons with disabilities, I assure you that we will be watching to see if in the next three months or so, we can have anything to write home about. Daily News
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://nehandaradio.com/2015/02/23/mphoko-views-on-disability-disturbing/
Kyebi School for the deaf to close due to "dumsor"
GhanaWeb
In spite of the energy crisis the country is facing, the Unit School for the Deaf at Kyebi in the East Akyem Municipality of the Eastern Region had their lights disconnected Friday morning.
Speaking to the headmaster of the school on HOT FM afternoon political program, DWENE HO BIO, Mr Michael Kudzor stated the school was disconnected Friday Monday at 10:00 in the morning by the electricity company of Ghana, Kyebi District.
He indicated the situation is really affecting the school, considering the fact that they just got supply of fish from the harbour and fears the items will go bad if the lights are not reconnected and therefore pleaded with the electricity company of Ghana to help them out. But an interview with the Kyebi District Manager of ECG, Mr Nutsuga, he hinted that with an outstanding bill of five thousand Ghana cedis, nothing can be done about the pleas.
When asked why they have not been able to foot their bills, the headmaster complained that the school depends on grants given to them by the Ministry of Education and and for about a year now, the money has not been paid so they can't pay off their bills until the government intervenes.
"It's not a good management situation to allow an institution to owe you and still give them service" were the words of Mr Nutsuga, the Kyebi ECG manager.
When Boamah Darko Isaac, the Host asked him if nothing could be done about the schools situation, The ECG Boss questioned why the school has not received any subsidy since it's a special school and therefore must receive assistance from the government. He pointed out that the situation is beyond his control now hence the school must find the means to pay for their bills.
Boamah Darko Isaac later pleaded with the ECG Boss on behalf of the school to tamper justice with mercy and connect the lights since it would affect these hearing impaired students greatly, but Mr Nutsugah insisted the issue was beyond his powers therefore he has no option than to settle their bills, nevertheless if something could be done, the eastern regional boss shout be the one to give out an order.
Meanwhile the headmaster of the school has indicated the school will be closed down if government refuses to pay grants which is affecting academic performance.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=347627
Kenya: Disabled Kids Get Wheelchairs
The Star
By Kiplang'at Kirui
The National Council for Persons With Disability has donated 37 wheelchairs and other equipment for disabled students at the Charera Integrated School.
The plight of the 80 disabled students was highlighted in the media.
The children used wheelbarrows to move each other to class for lack of wheelchairs.
Chairman David Sankok made the donation at the school on Saturday.
He urged county governments to set aside funds for projects to assist those living with disability.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502240732.html
Tanzania: TCRA Counsels 'Disabled' On Rights
AllAfrica.com
Tanzania: TCRA Counsels 'Disabled' On Rights
Tanga - THE Tanzania Communications Regulation Authority (TCRA) has embarked on an awareness drive to educate people with disabilities about their rights to communication and how to maximise benefits from TRCA services.
According to TCRA Deputy Director for Consumers Affairs Isaac Mruma, the regulatory board is working closely with different groups of people with disabilities to identify their special needs before developing a comprehensive communication plan.
Mr Mruma was speaking here over the weekend during a one-day seminar that TCRA co-organised with the Association of Deaf Development to educate and improve communication services among people with disabilities.
He said poor infrastructure has impeded the rights of rural dwellers and people with disabilities to use effective communication but development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) had opened up a new window for them to get information by using modern devices which support people with special needs.
Communication networks have been expanded in the rural areas and currently it is estimated that over 10 million Tanzanians have access to mobile phones.
This means that people living in rural areas can get communication services including a mobile-phone based money transfer and microfinancing service known as M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa and AirTel Money.
TCRA has also convened a meeting with the society of Blind People who identified their challenges in using TCRA services.
Although some years ago Blind People have enjoyed using cellphones and computers, the major challenges facing blind people now are modern computer and cellphone devices which come with flat and soft screen touch.
The Society of Blind has asked TCRA to ensure that Tanzania will import devices, which could support people with sight impairment in using ICT.
On the other hand, the Tanzania Deaf Development Organisation has asked TCRA to enable them to get a special code number, which prevents people from calling them because they are incapable of communicating by using sound and conversation.
The Executive Director of the Tanzania Deaf Development Organisation, Mr Kelvin Nyema, has emphasised that deaf people need a special code with an automatic alert that says: "The number you have called belongs to a hearing impaired person and they cannot hear you; so please send a written message for effective communication."
Mr Mruma promised that TCRA will incorporate all recommendations provided for people with special needs and will use those recommendations to share ideas and experiences with other African international communication organisations to enhance communication services, which is necessary in fostering development.
These include East Africa Communications Organisation (EACO) and the Communications Regulators Association for Southern Africa (CRASA).
He added that both EACO and CRASA have nodded to meetings with stakeholders at a national level aimed at coming up with recommendations that will be used to develop a comprehensive communication policy.
Such policy is expected to benefit all clients without bias of isolation for individual groups in terms of geographical and physical handicaps.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502240590.html
South Africa: Visually Impaired Learners Get Copies of Long Walk to Freedom
AllAfrica.com
Pretoria - Learners at Prinshof School for the Visually Impaired have received 10 braille copies of Madiba's autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom, from the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Eqstra on Monday.
The books were sponsored by the foundation's partner Eqstra Fleet Management and form part of an ongoing literacy drive that focuses on education, literacy and the culture of learning and reading as key aspects of Madiba's legacy.
The braille initiative, set to become a national drive this year, gives visually impaired learners access to Madiba's life story and the monumental legacy he left behind -- an important narrative they might otherwise not have been exposed to.
Prinshof school principal Karin Swart said a fundamental theme at the school this year, which is based in Pretoria, was dreaming big and looking at the future with a sense of wonder.
"We never want our children to be limited in any way to how they see themselves in the future. They are able to accomplish anything. A gesture like this makes those dreams come true," she said.
Executive Director at Eqstra, JD du Plessis, said: "It was an amazing opportunity for the organisation to lend their weight to the foundation's literacy initiative.
"At Eqstra, we strongly believe in equal opportunities and that the youth are the future of this country. This donation forms part of that and will help ensure that Tata's legacy is carried from one generation to the next."
Nelson Mandela Foundation Chief Executive Sello Hatang said: "As a society, we often take talent for granted. Talent knows no disability. We all have the potential to achieve great things in life.
"We hope you enjoy reading Madiba's book and as you read it, know that he carried a special place in his heart for children like you. We hope his story will enrich your lives".
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201502241452.html
Big Brother Claudius Production donates food items to disabled
Sierra Express Media-
By: SEM Contributor on March 2, 2015.
One of the leading show makers in the country in terms of social and cultural life, Big Brother Claudius Production on Friday the 26 February 2015 donated food items worth :Le10M to the Freetown Cheshire Home at Race Course, Clinton. (Photo: Supporting disabled in the country)
Donating the food items at the Cheshire Home in Clinton the strong SLBC cameraman and coordinator of Big Brother Claudius Production, Claudius Backley appreciated President Koroma and other stakeholders for supporting him in giving out charity to the people of Sierra Leone. Claudius noted that the donation came about to support the disabled home with food items because he noted that the time of Lent and Easter is fast approaching and to help the disabled children in the country to have something to eat
He promised to support them and promote the interest of the development of the country and the disabled community.
Receiving the items on behalf of the disabled home, the councilor of that word Mrs. Ayo Bangura, who is also a committee member in the disabled home, appreciated the donation made by Big Brother Claudius Production. Councilor noted that the disabled home needs support for its upkeep.
The caretaker of the disabled home, who is also the senior social service officer from the Ministry Of Social Welfare Gender And Children ’s Affairs, Mrs. Florence Sandy, commended the good job from the Big Brother production and promised that the food items donated will be used for the intended purposes. One of the members of the production, Daniel Mosarry of SLBCTV, pledged more support to the disabled home.
The food items included bags of rice, onions, Margi, stream water, gallons of oils, and more.
- See more at: http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/?p=73055#sthash.MBHCBRFQ.dpuf
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/?p=73055
INEC assures people living with disability
Nigerian Tribune-
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02.Mar.2015 DISQUS_COMMENTS Ayodele Adesanmi-Lokoja
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THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured people living with disability, especially visually impaired persons, of adequate care and voting during the forthcoming general election.
The Kogi State Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Hussain Halilu Pai, gave the assurance in his office, at the weekend, during the presentation of braille paper to the Joint Association of Persons living with Disability (JONAD), who were on courtesy visit to his office.
He informed that in its bid to ensure that the electioneering process is improved upon and all stakeholders carried along, INEC made available braille materials to be given to visually impaired persons, in order to aid them during the election.
According to him, “we have produced this type of materials in braille form normally used by this group. The materials contain what you need to know about and do during the election so that you will be well educated and informed about the election process.”
We want you to distribute them to your members so that they will all be informed because the procedure is well explained in the braille paper.”
The REC said the commission wants visually impaired persons to vote correctly during the election so that many votes would not be voided, hence, the distribution of the materials, adding that on the election day they would be assisted by INEC officials.
He assured the disabled persons that the commission would ensure that they are not at disadvantage position during the election, and that the commission would also take the distribution of the materials to local and ward levels in the state.
The president, Joint Association of Persons living with Disability (JONAD), Solomon Yahaya Ojonugba, commended INEC for the materials for the people wit disability, saying that it will aide them to vote right during the voting process.
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【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/news-headlines/item/30803-inec-assures-people-living-with-disability
Disabled, not dead
Health-e-
by James Thabo Molelekwa. on March 2, 2015 in OurHealth, Reproductive Health, Sexuality
People with disabilities may be differently abled but they have sex just like everyone else - a reality that health workers, policies and sex education programmes have not caught up with, according to the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).
Wheelchair Tennis
Society continues to think that people living with disabilities don’t have sex with disastrous results for HIV programming, says UNAIDS (File photo)
South Africa’s latest household HIV prevalence survey found that about 17 percent of disabled people surveyed were living with HIV ? a percentage high enough to rank the group among the most vulnerable to HIV infection in the country.
Alongside a high HIV prevalence rate, the report found that people living with disabilities were least likely to be able to say how HIV was transmitted or how to prevent HIV infection. Almost 80 percent of disabled people surveyed also reported believing that they were at low risk of HIV infection.
According to UNAIDS, people living with disabilities worldwide remain one of the largest populations of people vulnerable to HIV, yet gaps remain in both HIV, and sexual and reproductive health services. The UN body says that this is part due to myths like those that say disabled people are not interested in sex, or that they are unlikely to engage in behaviours that might put them at risk of HIV lie drug and alcohol abuse.
Many in society mistakenly believe people with disabilities are not sexually active or at risk of HIV
Nomthandazo Sibeko is a TAC peer educator in the Duduza, east of Johannesburg. Sibeko says the high number of unplanned pregnancies among women living with disabilities in her community may be a sign that they are not getting the reproductive health services or information they need.
Globally, UNAIDS says that barriers to education and health care such as accessibility and language mean that people living with disabilities risk missing out on the sex education and health information.
To bridge the gap in Johannesburg’s East Rand, the TAC recently held a community workshop on sexual health for members of the Masihlanganeni Association for Disabled.
Ever seen a condom with instructions written in braille? Neither has TAC Community Mobiliser Fikile Mtsweni who says it is symptomatic of unmet need for awareness information among those living with disabilities.
Association member Sakhile Radebe thanked the TAC for the talk.
“I personally learned a lot today,” Radebe told OurHealth. “Even though some of the things they were talking about are things I cannot see, the little that they taught me I believe will somehow help.”
Read more: Distance not the only barrier between disabled and care
An edited version of this story was first published on Health24
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【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.health-e.org.za/2015/03/02/disabled-not-dead/
Tanzania: Childreach Sets Pace in Education Programme
AllAfrica.com-
Tagged:
ChildrenEast AfricaEducationHealthNGOSustainable DevelopmentTanzania
By Deus Ngowi
Moshi - DEAFNESS is a very challenging health condition in many societies as the victim is sometimes marginalised or ignored by those surrounding him or her.
Researches have revealed that there are more than 32 million deaf children worldwide, majority of whom live in developing countries. It is a pity that poverty and deafness are often interlinked as deaf children in developing countries face additional challenges: Deaf children are often diagnosed at a later age and this has implications on the development of their language and communication skills.
Early detection of deafness is vital for deaf children to develop the language and communication skills needed for life. A non-governmental organization (NGO), Childreach Tanzania, DeafChild Worldwide and several stakeholders have come up with a strategy for the deaf in about the last six months.
It is the Deaf Education and Development Programme (DEDP), of which the Programme Officer, Mr Goodluck Chanyika, is upbeat that they are on the right track. In the semi-annual progressive report, he says that they have already recruited 48 outreach workers who have been oriented on deafness.
Mr Chanyika says with the goal to improve socio-economic well-being of the deaf, parents and caregivers in Moshi Municipal Council and Moshi Rural District Council in Kilimanjaro Region, the organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with schools and district councils and identified the focal person for the programme.
He says they have advocated for the needs of the deaf, formed two parents groups with 40 members and also have strengthened four deaf units/ schools has been strengthened by providing them with different hand-outs such as sewing machines, speech mirror and text books.
"There is now an improved interaction amongst teachers and students through sign language trainings. A total of 238 students, 197 deaf and 41 students interpreters.
"There are 93 teachers of the deaf, seven non-teaching staff have been enrolled and trained in sign language," Mr Chanyika says. He notes that the organisations have revamped Msandaka tailoring centre through renovating sewing machines, supply of cloth rolls for students' uniforms and used International Week of the Deaf to advocate for deaf rights.
Different events have also been conducted to raise voices in regard to deafness, like planting trees and holding a solidarity walk to showcase deaf rights and needs.
"We conducted life skills training to 21 final year students, the workshop aimed at preparing deaf students for challenges and risks they are going to face back in the society.
"That is to assist them to explore and develop the skills necessary for successful living and learning, help develop and transfer of life skills among deaf students leading to informed decision making pertaining to personal life matters," he says.
In order to enhance the deaf gross motor skills, social and communicating abilities, as well as improve their overall health and well-being, Childreach Tanzania collaborated with Wazo Pevu Organisation in integrating sports activities in deaf schools in the two districts and linked schools with private sector for deaf support.
"Through this linkage Ghona Vocational Training Centre was supported with cloth rolls for tailoring practical skills which amounted to approximately 300,000/-.
"Also 42 students were provided with educational materials, conducted meeting with government officials to advocate for deaf rights and increase budget allocation for people with disabilities," he unveils.
Some 23 businessmen and women were oriented on deafness and the importance of providing internship opportunities to deaf people. Further to that, there was a participation in lobbying and advocacy in deaf schools organised by the Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), Tanzania League of the Blind and government officials.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503021953.html
Malawi: Disability Body Pushing for Legislation to Protect Albinos
AllAfrica.com
By Charles Chitengu Jnr
The Federation of Disability Association in Malawi (FEDOMA) is pushing for the enactment of a legislation meant to protect people living with albinism in the wake of incessant killing and missing of albinos in the country.
FEDOMA boss Action Amos said that up to 15 albinos have been reported missing, and so many cases in court. Albino body parts are often believed to bring good luck and fortune to witchdoctors clients.
"We wrote government through department of disabilities and the elderly to have a legislation of protecting people living with albinism. We are working with Albino Association of Malawi and the Malawi Human Rights Commission among others, and its our hope that member of parliament will table the matter," said Amos.
The body parts are believed to be sold in neighbouring Tanzania, where more than seventy albinos have been killed since 2002. Tanzania authority announced in January that they would crack down on the gruesome trade.
They banned the activities of witch-doctors who promise to bring clients good luck and to prevent them from making ritual use of albino body parts.
While the practice is condemned but the overwhelming majority of traditional healers, lucrative black markets exist for the body parts said to posses' magical powers.
According to Tanzania police a ret of albino body parts including hand and feet, genitals, ears, tongue and nose sold for $ 75,0 in Dar as Salaam recently. But after Tanzania began its effort to curb the practice, activists say the criminal moved to Malawi.
Apart from Malawi and Tanzania, albinos also face threat in many African countries, ranging from Kenya and Burundi to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal as they believe in the magical powers of albinos is based on the idea that the birth of a white child to black parents is supernatural event.
However, among other ethnic groups albinos enjoy respect citing examples of Nigeria and Benin.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503031296.html
Nigeria: Polls - Disabled Persons Will Vote in Enugu - REC
AllAfrica.com
By Emmanuel Nzomiwu
Enugu - Ahead of the general elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that all disabled persons would cast their votes.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Professor Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, gave the assurance at a workshop organised by the commission for disabled persons in the state.
Onukaogu stated that nobody would be disenfranchised during the election on an account of any physical disability.
He said the commission would remove all encumbrances facing disabled persons in Enugu State who want to participate in the exercise.
"This workshop is to educate persons with all forms of disabilities on their roles, conduct and participation during the election.
"The Commission will work round the clock to ensure that every hiccup that may be encountered by Nigerians with disabilities will be sorted out. We will provide enabling environment to ensure that nobody is disenfranchised," Onukaogu said.
Speaking in a similar vein, the Head of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Dr Antonia Ekwo, said all efforts were geared towards all inclusive electoral process that would enthrone transparency.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503031281.html
Namibia: Disabled to Revive Their Organisation
AllAfrica.com
THE National Federation of People with Disabilities is to be revived after the organisation elected eight new board members at a congress at Keetmanshoop recently to explore opportunities beneficial to people with disabilities.
The federation's new chairperson Daniel Trum said the new board deliberated on the need to revive the federation after four of its regional offices were forced to close down due to irregularities.
The federation (NFPDN) was established to cater for disabled people. Its mission is to empower disabled people nationwide through training, research, information sharing, and promotion of human rights and adoption of appropriate strategies to enhance their economic, political and social development.
Before going into limbo the federation was funded by the European Union for four years. Funding from the EU enabled it to establish offices in Opuwo, Oshakati, Rundu and Windhoek. However, after it ran out of funds all its operations ended.
"At the time when the federation was still active, it bought many assets. Some of them were still new and in very good condition. Currently, it has nothing and must start from scratch.
All the items have been sold," stated Trum.
Items including vehicles and computers were sold without the federation's knowledge when its offices closed down, according to Trum. The congress, supported by the health ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister, requested former board members to hand in a report stating how assets were sold and submit resolutions authorising the sale of such assets.
The report must identify the amount owed by the organisation and what happened to the funds raised during its gala dinner and how funds were utilised. It should also include all available assets in the regions which will be collected at a central point by the new board.
Trum is appealing to those who have information to come forward. In the meantime the federation hopes to receive funding from the health ministry after all issues have been resolved.
"Right now, we have no funding.We therefore hope that the Ministry of Health and Social Services will assist once we resume operations," he said.
Trum also said plans to change the name of the NFPDN in light of its past history were also discussed during the congress.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503040349.html
Growing up disabled
Health-e
by Suprise Nemalale on March 4, 2015 in Children’s Health, News, OurHealth
Egnes Raulinga cried for joy the day her son, Ronewa, was born. At 4 years old, Ronewa is now a smart, inquisitive toddler. Egnes says it breaks her heart to watch other children treat him differently because of his disability.
Children, especially those living with HIV, are particularly vulnerable to Pneumonia Children, especially those living with HIV, are particularly vulnerable to Pneumonia
“I cried the day I gave birth to my son because I had always wanted a son,” Egnes remembers.
As the years went by, Egnes slowly realised that Ronewa had been born unable to stand or walk.
“I started to realise it when he was a year old,” she tells OurHealth. “He couldn’t stand or walk, (but) I thought maybe he was only a late (learner).”
Although he currently gets around by crawling, Ronewa - who attends a local school for disabled children - will eventually need a wheel chair.
The Raulingas’ neighbour Maungedzo Khalushi says Ronewa has grown into a bright, young child.
“He is a very smart boy,” adds Khalushi, who takes him to school each day and says he loves Ronewa as if he were his own. “He is always counting numbers or talking about what he wants to be when he grow up.”
“I feel it is a blessing for me to have him as my son,” Egnes adds. “
I appreciate him and his condition, and I don’t see any difference between him and my other children.”
Egnes says that one of her greatest challenges with Ronewa’s disability has not been his inability to walk, but the close mindedness of others.
“I get very sad when other kids tease him when they pass by,” Egnes tells OurHealth. “Some call him a cow because he can only crawl… some call him a baby.”
“You can see in his eyes that he wants to play with other children, but they are never around to play with him - they only pass by,” adds Ronewa’s older sister, Tshilidzi.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.health-e.org.za/2015/03/04/growing-disabled/
Eritrea: War-Disabled Nationals Making Good Use of Credit Scheme - Report
AllAfrica.com-
Mendefera - It was disclosed at a meeting in Mendefera city that a total of 736 war-disabled nationals who received over 10 million Nakfa in credit last year have made good use of the scheme, according to the Eritrean National War-disabled Veterans Association (ENWDVA) branch in the Southern region.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Amanuel Zerom, head of economic development of the branch office, explained that the Association is exerting persistent endeavors as regards improving the socio-economic livelihood of the members. He also pointed out that beneficiaries who engaged in irrigation farming and trade activities are registering progress.
In the same vein, Mr. Tesfaldet Mengistu, head of the ENWDVA branch in the region, stated that the Association is laying emphasis on income-generating activities so as to improve the livelihood of members through organizing training and extending support.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503050239.html
Social protection and disability in Zambia
Zambia Daily Mail-
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Posted in Features, In focus on March 06, 2015 by Online Editor
busani1
NOAH MANDA
THE government of Zambia is concerned about the growth in inequality among its citizens, and has attacked the problem with a new social protection programme.
Implemented over the last two years, the basic social security provided by this programme has proven to be an effective way of improving the lives of the poorest.
Inequality gives rise to social conflict, and is detrimental to economic growth. Zambia has had a social protection programme since the country’s independence.
This programme has trained social workers who are now deployed in every part of the country. The national budget, however, has not found funding for basic social protection.
The government has an obligation to ensure social protection to all citizens, especially those who are most vulnerable to poverty and are socially excluded.
It undertakes this obligation in collaboration with the development society.
The importance of social protection in Africa today has been heightened because of the toll of the HIV and AIDS pandemic; volatile food prices, weather-related calamities, war and conflict, the global financial crisis and the erosion of the extended family system which has been traditionally the main source of social security system.
Social protection is a collection of measures to reduce poverty and foster economic growth. These measures target individuals, households, and communities to better manage the income risks that leave people vulnerable, increase access to basic services such as health or education and provide income stability.
Social protection can be regarded as a kind of insurance policy against poverty and a tool for delivering social justice as well as a means of promoting inclusive development.
It is an expression of solidarity and cohesion between the haves and have-nots, between governments and citizens and even between nations.
It can be delivered to those who need it through a variety of mechanisms, including unemployment benefits, pensions, child support, housing assistance, national health insurance, job-creation schemes, retraining programmes, agricultural insurance and more.
The main argument for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in social protection is the clear interlink between poverty and disability, especially in developing countries where persons with disabilities are more likely to be poor, unemployed and have little or no access to education.
There are one billion persons with disabilities worldwide with an estimated 80 per cent living in developing countries.
Failing to include this numerous group into social protection schemes is not only problematic from a human rights point of view, but economically counterproductive for the development of societies as well.
There are fears among disability rights advocates that social protection might be considered as handouts that reinforce the common assumption of persons with disabilities as dependent, passive and unable to care for themselves.
But from a rights-based perspective, social protection measures are needed to achieve equalisation: social transfers can reduce vulnerability and enable greater participation in economic and social life.
By covering additional costs that incur as a result of a disability (for example assistive devices) social protection measures can help to overcome discriminatory barriers which persons with disabilities experience in society.
Social protection is not charity. It is a human-rights based tool to support people’s independence. Its main goal is empowerment and income stability.
It is both imperative that persons with disabilities are included in mainstream social protection schemes, and that targeted action is taken for disabled.
Social protection is not just about improving the capacity of people to cope with crises, but can indeed be a positive force in spurring poor people’s development and total national development.
Through the generation of increased productivity, the development of human capacity and building of voice and citizenship, it is one of the tools we must seek to embrace in order to bring marginalised groups into the mainstream of development.
Yet we should also recognise that despite the existence of various legal frameworks for protecting the rights of vulnerable persons, such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and ethnic minorities and other chronically poor, translating these noble intentions into actions still falls far too short of expectations. This is a political question for us all to focus on ? not just a technical matter.
The linkage between poverty, vulnerability and economic and social rights is well documented.
Increasingly, poverty is being tied to the lack of access to equal opportunities, inequitable distribution of resources, and the marginalisation and disempowerment of certain groups ? hence the need for social protection. Zambia cannot claim to be sensitive to human rights without it recognising and providing for the social protection for its most vulnerable groups.
The author is a disability rights advocate and a disabled person. E-mail: caredisamedia@gmail.com
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=22455
公開セミナー「南アフリカの障害者の自立生活〜南アフリカでの草の根プロジェクトを通じて〜」
下記の通り、3月7日（土）にセミナー「南アフリカの障害者の自立生活〜南アフリカでの草の根プロジェクトを通じて〜」を企画しています。Deaf students excel
The Zimbabwean-
Deaf students from King George V1 School in Bulawayo excelled at the Zwakala Africa deaf scholars competition recently held in South Africa.
11.03.15 12:06
Winning team -King George VI students with their coach.
The inter-regional competitions, which started in 2013, are meant for African’s deaf students ranging in age from five to 20. The categories include mime, dance, impersonation, music and drama. Tapiwanashe Tekede, 12, won the 1st prize in the mime category while Brighton Ndlovu , 10, scooped the 2nd prize in one of the junior categories.
The school also won the competition’s flagship and most prestigious category - the performance of an impromptu short drama by five participants. Loveness Majoni, Nyashadzashe Nzanza, Primerose Chuma, Sikhanyisisiwe Mlotshwa and Lewis Golintethe took part in this category.
The students’ coach, Courage Chipatiso, who is also a resident teacher at the school said she was excited that her team managed to lift the country’s flag high.
“As a coach there is nothing as exciting as seeing your country‘s flag on top of other countries. My team has really done us all proud. We hope to repeat this feat next year,” she said.
King George VI students have been winning since the inception of the competition. Following this achievement, four countries have approached the coach to assist them ahead of next year’s competition. Eleven countries took part this year.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.thezimbabwean.co/lifestyle/education/75173/deaf-students-excel.html
Kibi school for the deaf to shut down if…
Citifmonline-
Wednesday 11th March , 2015 2:06 pm
school feeding
Authorities of the Kibi School for the deaf in the Eastern Region might close down the school by Friday if government fails to pay outstanding arrears owed the school.
Food suppliers have refused to deliver food items to the school because of outstanding debts.
Related Story
Gov't owes 5,000 school feeding caterers
Gov't not committed to school feeding program - Michael Nsowah
School authorities say they have not received funds from government since October 2014.
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has reportedly also cut power supply to the school because it owes the former over five thousand ghana cedis.
The Accountant at the school, Bismark Appiah, who spoke to Citi News insisted that they will have no choice than to shut down the school if government fails to intervene.
“I don’t know how people expect us to operate.We are in the third month now and we have not received our feeding funds. We have not received a penny and I don’t know how people expect us to feed students from morning till evening
“We are in darkness for over two weeks now and no help has not come from anywhere. The last time we had some feeding grant was in October last year and that was even a portion of it. Up till now we have not finished paying it,” he stated.
He said though some food suppliers provided food for the school last term,it ” could not pay them a penny so most of our students feed on gari beans.. ”
The issue of non payment of arrears has been lingering for sometime now.
In 2014, the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) was indebted to 5,000 caterers to the tune of GH¢100 million feeding fee for the 2013/2014 academic year.
The arrears comprised a 40-day outstanding payment of the first term and the outstanding payment for the whole of the 71 days in the second term.
By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.citifmonline.com/2015/03/11/kibi-school-for-the-deaf-likely-to-shut-down-if/#sthash.FD4Q6LlO.dpbs
B/A disabled basketball team beat their Ashanti counterparts
GhanaWeb-
Brong-Ahafo physically challenged basketball team defeated their visiting Ashanti Region representative side 6-2 in a special Independence Anniversary friendly wheel-chair basketball match at Nkoranza on Friday.
The encounter organised by the Brong-Ahafo Chapter of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (BACGFD) and sponsored by New Vision for Disability Incorporated (NVDI), an Atlanta-based benevolent Organisation in the United States of America.
It was watched by hundreds of spectators including Mr. Richard Yaw Soro, a Ghanaian founder and President of NVDI, Madam Stella Amoatemaa, Nkoranza Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and Mr. Matthew Annor Kudom, Chairman of the Brong-Ahafo Chapter of the Federation.
Another significant part of the competition was that it coincided with the 30th birthday of Miss Zinabu Issah, one of the players of the Ashanti Region team. The organising body of the match consequently presented some crates of soft drinks to wish her well.
Earlier addressing the executive and players of both teams Mr. Soro, who is also a native of Nkoranza in the Brong-Ahafo Region indicated the Organisation had decided to support people with disabilities and the marginalized in Africa so that they would not become liabilities in their communities.
He added the Organisation would create jobs for members of the Federation and also support the education of those who would be in schools so the latter group would not be denied education.
Mr. Soro, himself physically-handicapped, stressed since “disability is not inability”, NVDI would make everything possible to help disability persons in Africa, especially Ghana to enable them to develop their God- given talents to improve upon their living standards.
Mr. Soro recalled the history of the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled about 20 years ago, saying he spearheaded the formation of the Nkoranza Branch that time and encouraged his colleagues to learn trades and vocations to advance their livelihood.
He paid tribute to Madam Theresa Nyarko-Fofie a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkoranza for establishing a Craft Production Centre for the disabled in the area, and expressed gratitude to Rural Youth Association, a German Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) for funding the Centre.
Madam Amoatemaa, the MCE commended the organizers of the wheel-chair basketball match and expressed the hope that the programme would create the public awareness that “disability does not mean incapability”.
Mr. Kudom was grateful to the NVDI for promoting solidarity between disabled persons in the two regions through the organisation of the wheel-chair basketball match.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/bball/artikel.php?ID=349795
NOA Urges Persons With Disability To Collect PVC
Information Nigeria
Posted by: daniel March 12, 2015
ElectionMalam Shuai’bu Haruna, the Director, National Orientation Agency in Jigawa, on Wednesday urged persons living with disability to collect Permanent Voter Cards for them to participate in the forthcoming elections.
Haruna made the call at a one-day voter education exercise for the physically challenged persons in Hadejia, Jigawa.
The director said the call was imperative to enable such persons to exercise their civic rights.
Represented by Zakar Adamu, the director said the exercise was designed to educate disabled persons on their civic right.
He said the participants were drawn from the blind, cripple and other physically challenged persons’ associations in Hadejia Senatorial District.
Haruna said the Independent National Electoral Commission had made adequate arrangements to support the disabled persons and simplify their voting processes.
He said the exercise was conducted in collaboration with INEC and the Joint Association of Persons with Disability.
Mallam Muhammad Usman, the Chairman of the Association of Persons with Disability, commended the agency for the exercise, saying that it would create awareness among their members.
Usman urged disabled persons to be law abiding during the election period.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that about 50 participants drawn from eight local government areas of the zone attended the exercise. (NAN)
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.informationng.com/2015/03/noa-urges-persons-with-disability-to-collect-pvc.html
South Africa: No Help for Girl Disabled By Public Toilet
AllAfrica.com
Tagged:
ChildrenEducationHuman RightsLegal AffairsSouth AfricaSouthern AfricaSustainable Development
By Zintle Swana
Chumisa Fudumele was seven years old when a toilet fell on her, leaving her disabled. A year later, her parents are struggling to get her back into a school.
On 7 March 2014 Chumisa was playing with her friends at the back of her house at Sweet Homes informal settlement near Philippi. It was a windy day and the side of the concrete toilet fell on her, injuring her in the head.
She was found by a neighbour, Portia Sibanda.
"I found her lying on the ground beside the toilet structure. She was unconscious and bleeding heavily through the mouth and nose," said Sibanda.
Chumisa's mother, Nomthandazo Fudumele, collects wild vegetables and sells them near her home. On her way back home that day neighbours came to tell her that Chumisa had been badly injured. "When I got to the scene, she was lying there and I was convinced that she was dead," she says. "I ran around the area looking for transport because the ambulance was taking too long to arrive but fortunately we got to the hospital on time."
Fudumele said that at Red Cross Hospital she was told that her child was in a critical condition and that she would have to have a brain operation because she had blood clots on the brain.
After two weeks Chumisa was transferred to Groote Schuur hospital for the operation. She stayed in the Intensive Care Unit for two months and when she was discharged she was admitted to St Joseph's Home and then to Tembaletu school for the disabled in Guguletu.
Fudumele said Groote Schuur hospital helped her apply for a disability grant for Chumisa, who is now receiving R1, 350 a month.
But she is not in school. Fudumele said she had been told Chumisa could not stay long at Tembaletu, because she was not physically disabled.
And she cannot return to her old school, Khanya Primary in Mitchells Plain, because of her disability.
Fudumele said her daughter's arm and eye had been damaged and she had changed.
"She was a very hyperactive and playful child who as young as she was would help out in the house. But now it's more like she has gone back to being a year old. It hurts me that I cannot do more about her condition, other than keeping doctor check-ups up to date."
"She can't even play with other kids like before because now she is a little violent to them," said Fudumele.
Sigomfane Marhasi, Chumisa's father, said his child did not behave the way she had before the accident.
"When I ask her to do something, she laughs at me, uses strong language or just stares and sometimes asks who I am."
Acting Mayoral Committee Member for Utility Services, Councillor Xanthea Limberg said City officials had visited the family. But no request for assistance had been received either by the Water and Sanitation Department or by the City's Claims section, she said. "The City and the community are jointly responsible for maintaining the toilets," Limberg said.
Fudumele said she did not know anything about claims.
She cannot read or write, she cannot even read what is on her child's clinic card. She said City officials had not visited her since March last year, when Chumisa was still in hospital.
Limberg urged the family to follow the claims process and submit a claim to the City's claims section in writing.
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【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503121680.html
Airtel Kenya supports Murang’a School for the deaf
Biztech Africa
DEVELOPMENT | March 12, 2015, 8:31 a.m.
Image: By BiztechAfrica Bharti
Airtel has commissioned new toilet facilities at Murang’a School for the deaf in Murang’a County, Kenya with an aim of improving learning environment for students.
The new ablution block for boys and girls is expected to improve the environmental and hygienic conditions in the school that would promote the pursuit of academic excellence among students.
The school headmistress Mrs.
Charity Ngugi noted that before the construction of the new toilet facilities, students would share the only 2 toilets that were available at the school, which led to a lot of time wastage and exposed the students to a lot of health risks.
“We are grateful to Airtel for stepping in and addressing our sanitation need in this school.
This is a huge boost that now creates a conducive learning environment for children in the community, enabling them to succeed in life.
I would like to urge the students to ensure that the new toilet facilities are adequately maintained,” said Mrs.
Charity.
Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi stated that addressing social needs and developing the community in which Airtel operates remains an important expectation of the communities associated with the company.
“A good learning environment is one that offers basic facilities such as water and sanitation.
Quality education can only be attained in an environment where the students are comfortable.
We believe that the new toilet facilities will go a long way in improving the health and wellbeing of the students at the school allowing them to learn better and impact positive change in the community,” said Mr.
El Youssefi.
The United Nations Millennium Development Goal 7 aims to ensure environmental sustainability by 2015 and target 10 aims to halve the proportion of people without access to sustainable safe drinking water and sanitation.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.biztechafrica.com/article/airtel-kenya-supports-murang-school-deaf/9858/?section=development#.VQIsQvmsV8E
Behold, Akure deaf & dumb couple who sew for the rich
Daily Sun-
BY OUR REPORTER ON MARCH 12, 2015 SOUTH-WEST MAGAZINE
FROM BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, AKURE
M r. and Mrs. Adewale Olu-kayode, a couple married for over three years live at Oda, Akure, Ondo State, and have their tailoring shop in the same area. The young couple deaf and dumb, could be said to have been brought together by fate with the similarity of their natural disability.
But they have not allowed this physical handicap to prevent them from working and making a meaning out of life, united in a vocation they do with passion. Today, they have become a reference point, as both the high and low personalities in the society including socialites and top govern-ment officials patronize them due to their creativity.
They have through that carved a niche for themselves as household names in the metropolis, their hometown and the state at large.
Adewale was born deaf and dumb and so was his wife, Olajumoke. They met over three years ago and was joined in wedlock by dint of destiny and. They were, according to neighbours and their associ-ates, friends after which the acquaintance blossomed later solemnised.
The couple met by providence. Ac-cording to the husband: “I met my wife at the Pentecostal church I was attending in Akure some years ago. I did not know that we have the same disabilities until I told the pastor about my intention to marry her. The pastor spoke to the lady and later invited me to meet her. We exchanged notes and agreed to marry. We were joined together as husband and wife here in Akure.”
His wife: “As born again Christians with the spirit of God in us we believe that we are the perfect will of God for one another. After prayers we agreed to marry and God has been proving Himself in our lives since we became one over three years ago.”
Husband and wife maintained that their marriage was God’s arrangement: “We started as friends and ended up as husband and wife.
Nobody has ever appreciated us, so also we did not appreciate anyone until God brought us together and made us one.” Their union is blessed with two children who can speak and hear unlike their parents.
A friend of the family, Mr. Samuel Ade, said the story of the Adewales is a good example of two deaf and dumb fellows brought together by God. He said they were trained as tailors at different places: “It was God who brought them together. They never knew they practised similar profession by the time they met.”
They have a shop where they employed 10 able-bodied apprentices. As early as 7.00am the Adewales are at work and close at 7.00pm. The 45- year-old Adewale said he did not allow his disability to hinder him: “I believe disability is not inability and therefore, should not be a hindrance. I cannot allow my disability to turn me to begger.
“My wife who also suffers similar dis-ability sews for women and ladies, while I sew for men. I sketch out the styles to my customers. At times, I don’t even do the sketching; I only take their measurements and give them good styles. But those with special styles show the pictures to me or sketch it on drawing book.”
One of their customers, Mr. Leke Ak-eredolu, a journalist: “Adewale is one of the best tailors in Ondo State today. Many times he doesn’t ask me the style I want, but gives me the best. If I have a special style I want, I show him the picture or draw it for him and he delivers accordingly and promptly.”
He said he has no regret patronising Adewale, adding that he has recommended him to many persons within and outside the state who also appreciate his good and efficient work.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=108705
Focus on Disability: Reaching patients with smartphones
AfricanBrains
Posted by SciDev.Net
Image credit: Jenny Matthews/Panos Image credit: Jenny Matthews/Panos
By Hannah Kuper- SciDev.Net
About 4.5 billion people worldwide have a mobile phone ? about as many as have access to a toilet. [1,2] No wonder these mobile devices are being put to many new uses, including to collect data in Ebola vaccine trials in West Africa later this year. Mobile phones can change healthcare for disabled people in other ways too, beyond collecting data for research. Many people with disabilities in poor settings have conditions that can be treated, but are often not diagnosed. One major reason is that the clinicians needed are often based in the big cities, far from the people in need. Mobile technology can take the diagnosis to the patient.
One example is Peek Vision, an app and lens adaptor that performs “
professional eye exams from your phone”, as the advertising blurb runs. This includes taking an image of the retina with a smartphone. It is so simple that even I managed to do this without any trouble, although I have no special training in these devices. The image can then be texted to a clinician who can make a remote diagnosis and recommend treatment (see video below for more on how it works). The device is due to be launched globally this year and will cost about US$100. It is targeted at health workers around the world, and costs a fraction of the price of existing devices to examine eyes and so fills an important gap. A similar smartphone adaptor can be used to take an image of the inside of the ear, which can be sent to a clinician to diagnose ear problems, such as infections or impacted ear wax, which can cause hearing loss. A basic version of CellScope costs US$79, while a more-specialised version for doctors is US$299. The great thing about both these products is that they are as good as the standard medical equipment, but much cheaper. This offers real potential for widespread use and preventing blindness and hearing loss. These tools can go a long way to working out which treatments people need. But by themselves they won’t solve the challenge of linking the patient to the health service, and making sure they get appropriate services. Here again, mobile phones may help. For instance, a PhD student in my research group is developing a mobile phone app to manage disabilities after a stroke. Care For Stroke gives guidance on how patients can perform physiotherapy exercises, how carers can wash and move patients, and where to find further information on the condition. Early pilots in India show it is popular with patients and carers, and generally used every day. These types of approaches could be rolled out to other settings and for other conditions, such as diagnosing Parkinson’s disease or delivering mental health programmes. [3] Mobile phones can help make information on health more accessible for disabled people. They can also help in other spheres of public health: to send texts to encourage people to stop smoking or remind patients to take medication, for example. Phones can also be used by patients to book appointments and by doctors to enable follow-ups. Mobile phone technology can revolutionise research, diagnosis and care for people with disabilities. The trick is to keep the technology cheap and appropriate to need. Hannah Kuper is codirector of the International Centre for Evidence in Disability at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. The centre is on Twitter as @ICED_LSHTM, and Kuper can be contacted on hannah.kuper@lshtm.ac.uk Kuper has contributed to Peek Vision’s ongoing development.
- See more at: http://africanbrains.net/2015/03/12/focus-on-disability-reaching-patients-with-smartphones/#sthash.sxQp8ivd.dpuf
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://africanbrains.net/2015/03/12/focus-on-disability-reaching-patients-with-smartphones/
『アジ研ワールドトレンド』最新号「図書館と障害者サービス−情報アクセシビリティの向上」
アジア経済研究所が出している一般向けの雑誌，『アジ研ワールドトレンド』
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ide.go.jp/Japanese/Publish/Periodicals/W_trend/
Deaf school gets relief after Citi FM reportage
Citifmonline-
Friday 13th March , 2015 3:02 pm
Students at School for the Deaf
Following a series of reports done by Citi FM, highlighting myriads of issues bedeviling students at the Kibi School for the Deaf in the Eatern region, government has finally responded.
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The school with a population of over 200 students hitherto was faced with a number of challenges spanning from non-payment of electricity bills to non-payment of Grants.
Two weeks ago, the school had their power cut by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) because it owed the power distributor a little over five thousand Ghana cedis in unsettled arrears.
Students and school authorities as a result were forced to share refrigerators with a neighbouring school; the Abuakwa State College, a situation that was an inconvenience to students.
Subsequently, the Deputy Eastern regional minister, Mavis Ama Frimpong together with the District Chief Executive for the East Akyem, Simon Asirifi, directed that the said amount owed ECG be taken from the MP’s Common Fund to settle the debt.
After the GH¢ 5,000 cheque was issued, a jubilant Mr. Appiah told Citi News on Thursday that, “The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mavis Ama Frimpong and the District Chief Executive for the East Akyem, Simon Asirifi paid a familiarization visit to our school (Kibi School for the Deaf) and I believe that it was also because of the series of reports you (CITI FM) had done to put a spot light on the challenges the school was faced with.”
Before government responded, the Accountant at the school Bismark Appiah lamented: “Our school solely depends on government grants, but since October, 2014, no money has come from the government, worsening our already terrible situation.’’
“Our bags of rice are almost finished and no help seems to come from anywhere. We owe food supplies a lot of money and they have refused to continue to supply the food until all outstanding debts are paid. He went on: “to make matters worse we are in total darkness because we owe the ECG just a little over five thousand Ghana Cedis.”
Mr. Appiah added that their school bus had also broken down making transporting sick students to hospitals very difficult.
Mr Appiah was however hopeful that the government would pay their grants soon.
- Pearl Akanya Ofori/citifmonline.com/Ghana
- See more at: http://www.citifmonline.com/2015/03/13/deaf-school-gets-relief-after-citi-fm-reportage/#sthash.BlM8lh7m.dpuf
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.citifmonline.com/2015/03/13/deaf-school-gets-relief-after-citi-fm-reportage/#sthash.BlM8lh7m.dpbs
School for the deaf launches 40th anniversary
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation-
Custodians of Education should ensure discipline and encourage students to attach more seriousness to their education, to fit into the society with this the Mampong Senior High Technical School for the Deaf, was established in 1975.
The Eastern Regional Coordinator for Special Education, Augustina Kuadey made this note at the launch of the school’s 40th anniversary on the theme: “40 years of Secondary Education for the Death, its impact and the way forward.”
Radio Ghana's Corespondent's, Delight Yawa Adufutse and Dinah Twumasi report that the Mampong Secondary Technical school for the Death, which is the only Public School for the Deaf started with sixteen students and now have a student population of four hundred and six, with 244 being males and 162 females with a total staff of 62.
The Eastern Regional Coordinator for Special School, Augustina Kuadey has challenged all and sundry to adopt sign language as a tongue of communication. She stressed that, it will help the deaf to be well integrated into the society.
Madam Kuadey made the note at the launch of the 40th anniversary of the Mampong Senior High Technical School for the Deaf in Koforidua the Eastern Region. She added that, making the environment accommodative for the deaf is a way of putting smiles on their faces and make them feel loved.
The Municipal Director of Education for Akuapem North, Kwabena Nyamekye, cautioned politicians not to play partisan politics with the education of the Deaf, since they are prospective assets to the nation.
He advised them to always heed to the plea of the deaf for assistance when the need be. He admonished them to put measures in place that will make it possible for the Deaf to be granted admission into the Tertiary institutions of the country.
On the part of Teachers, he advised them to adhere to the GES Disciplinary code and ethics to prevent them from becoming victims to the law.
The Headmaster of the School, Joseph Sam, who highlighted on some of the challenges the school is currently facing said, the school lacks infrastructure as the current school’s administration block is being rented with an amount of four hundred Ghana cedis being paid as rent fees by the P.T.A.
He said fund for feeding is inadequate as the school relies solely on philanthropists who come to their aid with some food items.
A Deaf and Blind student of the school, Sylvia Peprah shared her view on the shortcomings students go through from peers as well as the society.
She said they sometimes have problems with their brills and guides since some are not able to communicate effectively with them. Miss Preprah therefore made a passionate call on the government ant the society to come to the aid of the school, to help them solve some of their problems if not all.
GBC
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://gbcghana.com/1.2083595
Kenya: Mbugua to Increase Kitty for the Disabled
AllAfrica.com
By Felix Kiprkemoi
NAKURU Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has said the Sh55 million currently allocated to persons living with disability will be increased in the next budget to cater for their needs.
"The physically challenged play a very important role in the society. The county is ready to ensure they are able to participate centrally in the management of the county," he said.
He was speaking in his office on Friday after receiving mobility devices from Tegemeo Disability Group.
A sisterhood group consisting of visually impaired people also paid the governor a courtesy call.
"The county government will buy products from such groups as a way of empowering them. We will increase funds allocated to people living with disability every year," Mbugua said.
He urged persons living with disability to utilise their talents to improve their livelihoods.
Mbugua said people with disability should work together and harness their talents for economic empowerment and growth.
"The county government is working towards seeing the physically challenged people are mainstreamed into the social, economic and political well-being of the county because they are equally important," Mbugua said.
The group's chair Pyhllis Njeri said people with disability only require support to do what they can.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503160782.html
Botswana: Disability Allowance Bridges Gap
AllAfrica.com
By Baleseng Batlotleng
Gaborone - Batswana with severe disabilities will soon be paid a disability allowance.
Government took the decision to pay such people as part of its broader programme of welfare reforms and core priority of bringing dignity to its citizens. The initiative which has been allocated P20 million will be implemented in the 2015/2016 financial year.
"This is the biggest achievement given it is an important service to be provided to those concerned. It will be rolled out in the next five years," says chief disability officer in the Coordinating Office for People with Disability, Mr Hamilton Mogatusi
An elated Mr Mogatusi commends his office for the tireless effort in formulating strategies and programmes to empower people with disabilities (PWDs). He says safety net will be means tested, that is, an assessment will be conducted to determine eligibility to receive the allowance.
In his recent budget proposals to Parliament, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Kenneth Matambo, allocated the third largest share of the budget to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development at P5.20 billion.
The budget will cover, amongst others, social protection programmes comprising the allowance for PWDs. Disability coordinator, Mr Thomas Motingwa, shared the same sentiments, pointing out that their aim and motto is that there is ability in disability.
He says introduction of an allowance is not meant to mollify recipients or entertain the spirit of dependency but in a way encourage PWDs to be independent and develop survival skills. Mr Motingwa says he wants to see PWDs as entrepreneurial as everyone else.
He adds that they have also established the Sir Seretse Khama Fund to which PWDs can apply and ask for assistive devices with the whole purpose of encouraging independent living. Mr Motingwa further explains that the review of the National Policy on Care of PWDs is still at finalisation stage.
The policy is premised on the Convention on the Rights of PWDs. It will guide implementation of disability services in Botswana including access to education, development of sport and sporting facilities for the disabled, affirmative action, employment and general economic empowerment of PWDs.
Meanwhile, the National Coordination Office for the PWDs was established through a Permanent Secretary President Directive and opened its doors to the public in 2010. Part of its functions is to ensure that disability issues are mainstreamed into sectoral policies and programmes.
"When we started our office, we were inundated with people who wanted economic empowerment opportunities. That was the first challenge we encountered and as we speak it still remains a nagging challenge as PWDs want to be involved.
They want to be seen having an uptake of government policies of economic empowerment," reckons Mr Motingwa. Mr Motingwa applauds the fruitful partnership forged with the private sector.
He says they have mutual agreements with employment agencies such as retail chain stores. "Choppies is one of the chain stores that came to our rescue and employed a considerable number of PWDs.
We also have diamond sorting and polishing companies such as Shrenuj Botswana. Over half of their employees are PWDs especially those with hearing impairment. The hospitality industry has also come on board," says Mr Motingwa.
He reckons that in a bid to empower PWDs, his office started what is known as sheltered employment project where beneficiaries can come together within a certain community and establish a project to generate income. The office solicited support from the private sector in helping to set up boreholes in Ramotswa, Tloaneng and Mogobane.
When BOPA visited the Ramotswa SESAD Gardens, project coordinator, Mr Fish Moilwa, said initially when they submitted proposals to establish the project they wanted a multipurpose facility. The proposed facility was to have rehabilitation and stimulation units so as to cater for different disabilities.
Ramotswa District Health management team nursing superintendent, Ms Agnes Nfila, describes the relationship they have with PWDs in their area as cordial. She explains that income generated from the envisaged multipurpose facility will be used to further develop the project and identify other PWDs who might benefit handsomely from the initiative.
Source : BOPA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503162037.html
Joy Industries Made Donations To Koforidua Unit School For The Deaf
spyghana.com
NewsMar 16, 2015 0
Joy Industries, producers of Joy Bitters and ointments, have donated assorted food items valued at GH¢10, 000 with cash of GH¢2,000 to the Koforidua Unit School for the Deaf to alleviate their plight.
The items included 20 maxi bags of rice, 10 gallons of cooking oil, 10 maxi bags of maize, 10 cartons of tomato paste, 20 bundles of toilet rolls and 50 packets of sachet water.
The donation followed a plea made on behalf of the School by the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Mavis Frimpong, to enable the over 250 children in the school to have food to eat.
Ms Frimpong on her visits to the school and other educational institutions, learnt that, the children had nothing to eat that day.
Touched by their plight, she contacted some institutions in the Region to support and Joy Industries responded.
Mr Manfred Tetteh, Chief Executive Officer of Joy Industries, said they received an SOS call from the Deputy Regional Minister for support to the School and decided to donate the items to relieve them.
He said, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, the company had agreed to be corporate partners of the Regional Coordinating Council to help improve the livelihoods of underprivileged and deprived groups in the region.
The headmaster of the School, Mr Jordan Agbonaa who was visibly elated, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that, but for the visit of the Deputy Regional Minster, and the items donated, food to feed the children that afternoon would have been a problem.
He said, all their suppliers had refused to supply them because the school was indebted to them.
He thanked the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister for her concern, and the Joy Industries for their swift response and gave the assurance that the items would be put to good use.
GNA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.spyghana.com/joy-industries-made-donations-to-koforidua-unit-school-for-the-deaf/
Sierra Leone Sports: Deaf Sport Federation Pays Courtesy Call on National Paralympics Committee
sportsMembers of Sierra Leone Deaf Sport Federation (SLDFS) including players and officials of their national team paid a courtesy call on the National Paralympics Committee Sierra Leone (NPC-SL) on Thursday 12th March 2015, in their office at 25 Howe Street Freetown.
According to the president of Deaf Sport Federation Madam Ramatu Sesay the purpose of their visit is to congratulate the newly elected executive of the National Paralympics Committee and to maintain the cordial relationship that has been in existence over the years.
She added: “All praise to the Almighty God for making this occasion a success and we pray that the cordial relationship that exists between the Sierra Leone Deaf Sport Federation and the National Paralympics Committee will grow from strength to strength.
“Mr President, you will agree with me that the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the country had greatly affected all social and Economic activities in the country including football activities and it had also reversed all the gains we had made in the past”.
“A good number of our football team members have lost their lives to the virus. However, with the recent reduction in confirmed cases we are still hopeful that, with our collective efforts the disease will be kicked out of Sierra Leone. We pray may the soul of our departed heroes rest in perfect and heavenly peace.
“The primary reason of our visit is twofold; firstly to express our gratitude for your contributions towards the promotion of sports for the disabled specifically the deaf. We also want to wholeheartedly congratulate you and your entire executive members on your recent elections. We are optimistic that with your sound leadership skills and understanding of disabled sports, disabled people will take their rightful place not only in Sierra Leone but amongst the global community,” she stated
“She further continued: To some extent I am pleased to inform you about the preparation of our football team commonly known as “The Indomitable Lions Stars Football Team” ahead of the fourth coming Deaf Africa Nation Cup tournament and the Deaf Male and Female World Cup to be hosted in Ivory Coast and Italy later this year.
“We the entire deaf team look up to your good office for humanitarian gestures to augment our preparation for this all important events as we are going to represent our beloved country”.
The president of the National Paralympics Committee-Sierra Leone Unisa Deen Kargbo warmly welcomed them and assured them that the NPC executive will work immensely to promote disable sport. He said he will not promise them but as soon as everything comes to normality in the country they will begin to kick ball as usual.
The female representative of the association Stella Grant said that she has been appointed alongside by Bernard Turay as they are in charge of all the association under NPC and “we are going to do our best to make sure we work as a team.
By Bernard Turay
Monday March 16, 2015
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://awoko.org/2015/03/16/sierra-leone-sports-deaf-sport-federation-pays-courtesy-call-on-national-paralympics-committee/
A better life for the handicapped in SA's rural areas
Health24
Access to physiotherapists and occupational therapists can help ensure that handicapped kids have a better quality of life.
Sonke was just one year old when his mother died. With his father absent, Sonke and his two-month-old sister went to live with their grandmother Sarah, 47, following his mother’s passing.
Home alone
Sarah herself was already a mother of four and survives on grants. She admits that between a new baby and Sonke’s broken wheelchair, she struggled and was often forced to leave the boy home alone when she ran errands. “If her children were in school and she had to go somewhere, she would leave him outside under the tree unattended,” said community member Phumzile Sibiya. “ Sometimes it rained while he was under the tree and there was no one to move him.”
Although Sonke’s communication skills are limited, Sibiya says that the boy would often scream to go inside, shouting “ngaphandle” while sitting in the rain.
Read: Disability cover
Almost three million South Africans live with some form of disability, according to the 2011 Census. Nationwide, about 610,000 children between the ages of 5 and 14 years old live with some for of disability with consequences for their education. More than a third of children with severe difficulties walking do not attend school ? just like Sonke.
This proportion is even higher in farming areas, it adds. Sarah also admits she failed to take Sonke for his regular physical therapy appointments 20 minutes away at Themba Hospital. She says that has changed after Sonke recently received a new wheelchair about 10 months after Health-e News began following the family’s case.
Local Ward Counsellor Richard Mabuza, ward committee members and local social services worked together to donate not only a wheelchair to the family, but also clothes and food.
Physiotherapy sessions
“After my daughter’s death, no one could take him to those physiotherapy sessions because I had to take care of the 2-month-old baby she left,” Sarah told Health-e News in May 2014.
“I felt going to physiotherapy sessions were a waste of time because I expected a fast change (in his condition), but I was wrong.”
“I know now some things take time to be fixed,” Sarah said. “Because he has a wheelchair now, I am making sure that he doesn’t miss his sessions in the hospital”.
Read: Few jobs for SA disabled
Kate Sherry is the chairperson for Rural Rehab South Africa (RuReSA), an organisation for occupational and speech therapists, physiotherapists and audiologists working in rural areas. According to Sherry, access to physiotherapists and occupational therapists can help ensure that kids like Sonke live a better quality of life by working closely with families. This includes making plans with families on everything from how to care for disabled children, change nappies and make sure children have access to education.
“You get to know the family early on,” she said. “You anticipate the things that could go wrong with the child and give support when they do. ”
“Occupational therapy can make the difference between a child lying on a bed for his or her life and actually being a part of the family and seen as a child,” said Sherry, who added that access to working wheelchairs in rural areas can be difficult for many reasons.
“Procurement is a huge issued and not always done in a sensible way,” said Sherry, explaining that sometimes tenders do not feature wheelchairs or crutches that can handle tough, rural terrain. Tenders also sometimes do not make provision for the replacement parts needed to fix wheelchairs, Sherry added.
Twice the price
In some areas, wheelchairs must still be repaired at local hospitals, meaning that clinics must send wheelchairs away for repair while patients may not always be guaranteed a temporary wheelchair to use in the meantime, she explained.
Children like Sonke and those with cerebral palsy who are unable to sit upright also need special wheelchairs that can give them the posture support they lack naturally. These can cost as much as twice the price of normal chairs, Sherry said.
“These buggies hold the child in a much more supportive position so the child can sit for long periods of time without developing a deformity,” she explained. “Without that kind of support, children just kind of crumple into a little ball. They can develop quite serious deformities and they won’t be able to see what’s going on around them because they can’t move their heads.”
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.health24.com/News/Public-Health/A-better-life-for-the-handicapped-in-SAs-rural-areas-20150317
Kenya: Give Us Funds, Say Disabled
The Star-Kenya: Give Us Funds, Say Disabled
By Lameck Baraza
People living with disability in Siaya have threatened to storm the Siaya county assembly and the governor's office if they are not allocated funds in the 2015-16 budget.
MCA Maurey Osewe, who represents people with disability, said they were neglected in last year's budget.
"It is disheartening to be told that we belong to the national government, yet we are part and parcel of Siaya county and we are contributing to the county development just like other people," he said.
Osewe was speaking on Sunday during the election of Siaya County Disabled Economic Empowerment Sacco officials.
Charles Juma was elected chairman.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503171101.html
Malawi: Water Aid Advocates for Disability Friendly Facilities
AllAfrica.com
By Steve Chirombo
Chikwawa - Water Aid Malawi has pledged to continue constructing disability friendly toilets and water points in public facilities to ease challenges people with disabilities experience.
The organization's Advocacy Officer Lawrent Kumchenga said such interventions have already started in eleven districts including Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Mzimba, and Rumphi.
Kumchenga made the remarks last Friday at Medrum Evacuation Centre, Traditional Authority Mulilima in Chikwawa where his organization in conjunction with NICE and MACOHA Chikwawa offices organized an awareness meeting on water sanitation and hygiene.
"We are trying to be a role model and we make sure that the structures we are constructing should be accessible as well as user friendly among the disabled. It's a pity that most disabled are not consulted when undertaking any projects and in that case, we would wish if these people were consulted and have their say or even consulting disability experts who would advise on the best way the structures would be constructed," Kumchenga said.
During the meeting, many people with various forms of disabilities bemoaned that water points, toilets and other infrastructures such as schools and health centers were not accessible or user friendly to them.
Kumchenga noted that the disabled encounter many problems because they shun decision-making activities within their communities.
"I believe as disabled people, we sometimes leave ourselves out of the happenings within our communities for example developmental projects. Because if you take part you would be able to say where there is a need to incorporate standards that would be easy for your access.
"We should not look down upon ourselves because disability is not inability. I should also say that within our communities, let's make sure that we involve the disabled in whatever projects that are taking place so that they do not feel shunned or discriminated," he said.
He also challenged local leaders to incorporate the disabled in Village Development Committees-VDCs and Area Development Committees-ADCs.
"One of the biggest problems we have globally focuses on numbers not equity and inclusion. The issue is that many structures done focus that many people should access the services but do not include issues of the disabled and there are gaps in the areas that we are working in line with the disabled," he said.
Chikwawa Community Rehabilitation Assistant Officer, Elizabeth Khumbanyiwa said the meeting was helpful as her office took note of the problems the disabled face.
"We have the Disability Act which was enacted by the house of parliament in 2012 and that will also guide us so that every disabled should access the services and that these rights are protected at all costs just like anyone else would," she stated.
On her part, Group Village Head Kwitcho said the awareness meeting on water sanitation and hygiene was an eye opener.
"I should encourage all the disabled to take an active role in the activities happening in our communities that is if their disability status allows them to do so because if they hide out, they will feel neglected and the community will not know them. Even parents who have a tendency of hiding their children who are disabled, should stop doing so as that will never attract any positive outcome," she said.
The meeting attracted people from various communities, officials from Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA), Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA), Water Aid as well as the faith leaders.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503170633.html
Assembly presents cheque to disabled persons
GhanaWeb-
The Dormaa Municipal Assembly has presented a cheque for GH¢6,745.00 to 16 members of the Ghana Federation of Disabled (GFD).
The amount is part of the GH¢9,000.00 allocated to the Federation by the Assembly.
The rest of the total amount which forms part of two per cent of their share of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF), will be used to undertake the construction of an office accommodation, and a workshop for disabled persons.
Presenting the cheque, Mr. Gordon Asubonteng, the Municipal Chief Executive, said it was part of the Assembly’s aim of ensuring the timely release of their fund, in order to meet their socio ? economic needs.
He reiterated the commitment of the Assembly to support persons living with disabilities, adding, it will never be the intention and agenda of the government to marginalize them, but will help them to be fully integrated in society to enable them achieve their life ? long ambitions.
Mr. Owusu Sekyere Obeng, the Municipal Director of the Social Welfare, thanked the Assembly for disbursing their share to members of the Federation of the Disabled.
He stated that the disability fund would be used for organizational development, capacity-building of members, educational support, income generation and the provision of health needs.
Mr. Obeng urged the general public to offer any kind of support to people living with disabilities, rather than becoming liabilities to them.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/artikel.php?ID=350797
STUDY : 900 000 ZIMBAS DISABLED
NewsdzeZimbabwe
Wednesday, 18 March 2015
ONE in 13 Zimbabweans has some form of disability, according to a shock new study.Of the 900,000 people with disabilities, 39 percent fail to proceed past Grade 7 due to poverty, says the first ever National Survey on Disability and Health. The report says disabled people are hindered by financial constraints, pregnancy and discrimination which force them to drop out of school. Only 18 percent of the disabled people reach Form 4.
Launching the survey yesterday, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Gerald Gwinji said the survey was aimed at producing evidence to guide the development of appropriate national policies, strategies and action plans.
"The survey was conducted in 2013 in all the country's 10 provinces and the analysis of school attendance shows that more males aged three years are attending school compared to females,"; said Gwinji.
Some households reported that they go for two weeks without food. "The survey results show that a large proportion of individuals with disability acquire their disability as children. Around 25 percent of individuals with disability acquire it at birth or before the age of five years.";
Approximately 45 percent of people living with disabilities acquire disability before 20 years of age. "While males seem to be more exposed to disability in the younger age groups, the results indicate a strong association between increasing age and disability among women as compared to men,"; he added.
Gwinji also noted that about half of the persons in the 15 years and older age group were married.
"Among individuals with disability who confirmed being married or in a relationship, more females had spouses that are also persons with disability,"; said Gwinji.
The survey, done in conjunction with Unicef and other ministries, also shows that 67.3 percent of people living with disabilities were in rural areas with 2.7 percent in urban areas.
Zanu-PF Politburo member and former Bulawayo mayor Cde Joshua Malinga, an advocate for people living with disabilities, congratulated the country for coming up with the first survey on disabled people.
"However, as a matter of fact, only two percent of people with disabilities can access school in the country as there is one or two schools built with the disabled in mind,"; said Cde Malinga insisted.
He said the only solution to addressing problems faced by people with disabilities was for the government to take an interest in disabled people and formulate policies that can make a difference.
"It's time we're treated as humans because we live to fight for basic human rights even in the so-called developed countries. We know our problems better and we should be consulted and engaged in any programme meant for us,"; he said.
Zimbabwe was one of the first countries to come up with disability specific legislation through the Disabled Persons Act Chapter 17.01 of 1992.
Since 2002, the country has included a question on disability in the national population census, the latest of which shows Zimbabwe has a population of 13 million people.
In low-income countries, including Zimbabwe, there is inadequate information on disability, translating to limited information on which to base advocacy, policy development and effective resource mobilisation and utilisation.
Article 25 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) reinforces the right of persons with disabilities to attain the highest standard of health care, without discrimination but owing to budgetary constraints this is not always met in developing countries, including Zimbabwe.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.newsdzezimbabwe.co.uk/2015/03/study-900-000-zimbas-disabled.html
Disabled pupils get learning materials
Zambia Daily Mail
Posted in News on March 19, 2015 by Online Editor
Hilary CHIPANGO Muvi TV
PRECIOUS BWALYA, Lusaka
GOVERNMENT has commenced the distribution of teaching and learning materials for the disabled in schools.
Ministry of Education spokesperson Hilary Chipango disclosed this on Tuesday when he featured on a programme on Radio 2 of the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC)
Mr Chipango said physically challenged people, just like any other Zambian, are entitled to basic services such as education.
“We value the disabled and we know that they need to go to school like any other person in society, and it is for this reason that the ministry wants to ensure every child is given a chance to be educated,” Mr Chipango said.
He said people with special needs are important and should be provided with the necessary materials to facilitate their learning in different schools to improve their literacy.
“The ministry is on the right track ensuring that materials are distributed to help people with special needs. We value them and we will make sure the materials are in place,” he said.
And Mr Chipango said the construction of houses for teachers is on-going in various parts of the country.
He said the programme is aimed at motivating teachers to enhance development in rural areas.
“Accommodation has been a problem for teachers, especially in rural areas, hence we have continued to construct houses and are upgrading schools so that teachers can work in a conducive environment and offer better services to the communities,” he said.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=23654
FAO launches goat fattening project for disabled Gambians
StarAfrica.com
Posted by: APA Posted date : March 19, 2015 at 4:10 pm UTC 23 views In : Africa
The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has launched a goat fattening project for disabled persons in the Upper and Central River Regions of the country.According to the FAO representative in the Gambia, Madam Perpetua Katepa Kalala, the project is meant to support the disabled persons in the regions.
She explained that the project will also help to generate income for the disabled, who cannot work physically to earn a living.
To kick start the project, FOA handed 60 goats to 10 disabled persons in the Upper River Region (URR).
Kalala said that similar gestures would subsequently be accorded to others.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Governor of URR, Salifu Pouye, hailed the FAO for the laudable gesture.
Signature : APA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://en.starafrica.com/news/fao-launches-goat-fattening-project-for-disabled-gambians.html
Buhari Promises To Give Attention To Disability Law
CHANNELS TELEVISION-
Channels Television. Updated March 21, 2015
581991
buhariThe Presidential Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, has encouraged people living with disability never to give up on their dreams and aspiration.
General Buhari gave the advice on Saturday at a meeting with people living with disability, promising to give attention to the disability law if elected to improve the living condition of the group of people.
Echoing the presidential candidate’s view, Governor Tanko Al-makura said never has any government shown interest in addressing issues relating to disabilities.
The participants were happy and encouraged, as some of them said the meeting gave them the inspiration to live on.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.channelstv.com/2015/03/21/buhari-promises-to-give-attention-to-disablity-law/
Kibi School for the Deaf shown some love
spyghana.com-
NewsMar 22, 2015 0
Joy Industries, producers of Joy Daddy Bitters and ointment located in the Eastern Region has gone to the aid of the Kibi Unit School for the Deaf with assorted food items.Joy Industry
The items include 20 maxi bags of rice, 10 maxi bags of maize, 10 gallons of cooking oil, 10 cartoons of tomatoes paste, 20 bundles of toilet rolls, cartoons of the Joy ointment and a cash of Ghc2,000.
The presentation forms part of the partnership between Joy Industries and the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council to support all the special education schools in the region with food items and other basic needs to complement governments efforts .
The Koforidua Unit School for the Deaf was the first to receive such support under the partnership and plans are advanced to reach out to the Mampong School for the deaf as well
Making the presentation on behalf of the company, Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, who coordinates the support to the special schools said, the move was to alleviate the plight of the schools.
She commended Chocho Industries, manufacturers of ointments and soaps, also in the Eastern Region, for responding to her call and donating meat to the school earlier.
According to the Deputy Minister, the RCC launched the initiative to solicit for support from corporate institutions in the region and beyond to help the special schools to address their challenges especially in the area of feeding.
She lauded Joy Industries for responding swiftly to the call and hoped that other corporate organizations would emulate their example.
GNA
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.spyghana.com/kibi-school-for-the-deaf-shown-some-love/
Buhari pledges to End Discrimination Against Persons with Disability if Elected
Bella Naija-
23.03.2015 at 11:25 am By NAN 1 Comment
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday promised to end the discrimination against physically challenged persons, if elected president this month.
Buhari made the pledge at a Town Hall meeting with APC members from North Central and people with disability in Lafia, the state capital.
He assured the physically challenged persons that an APC administration would not abandon their welfare and interest if elected president of the country.
I want to assure you that some of those obligations that are expected of a legitimate social contract will be kept by our party. My administration will ensure the implementation of the social contract as contained in the the bill on Persons with Disabilities,” he said.
The APC presidential candidate said that the population of the disabled persons put at 20 million had the capacity to install any government or cause the sack of any leader who neglected their well being or welfare.
Buhari however appealed to Nigerians to come out en mass and use their PVCs to vote for APC during the forthcoming general elections in the country.
The entire country is my constituency and I will do everything humanly possible to transform Nigeria for the country to move forward,’’ he said.
He said that if elected, his administration would place high premium on developmental programmes to enhance the socio-economic status of the people.
He added that his administration would be fair to everybody and ensure speedy transformation in terms of human and infrastructure development.
Buhari told the gathering that they would do everything humanly possible to change the lives of the people by providing good roads and other infrastructure.
Speaking in an interview with NAN, some APC supporters expressed their readiness to participate fully during the coming general elections.
Special Adviser to Gov. Al-makura on National Integration, Chukwunanzu David and state Chairman, Motorcycle Association of Nigeria, Yahaya Idris called on the party supporters to come out and vote.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.bellanaija.com/2015/03/23/buhari-pledges-to-end-discrimination-against-persons-with-disability-if-elected/
Gambia: First Lady’s support to deaf school, new trade policy dominate press
StarAfrica.com-
Posted by: APA Posted date : March 23, 2015 at 1:12 pm UTC 83 views In : Africa
APA
Copyright : APA
The First Lady’s vow to support a deaf school in the country and the introduction of a new trade policy dominate Gambian press on Monday.The Biggest newspaper in Gambia, Daily Observer reported that the First Lady Zineb Jammeh has pledged to extend her support to St. John’s School for the Deaf.
According to the paper’s repor, Madam Jammeh accompanied by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare and the Minister of Basic and Secondary School visited the School on Friday, to ascertain the challenges facing the disabled students.
The Point newspaper on its Monday edition reported that the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE) is set to introduce a new trade policy meant to protect consumers in the country.
The policy to be enforced effective 1st April, will introduce a yearly licensing system for the importation, distribution and retailing of essential food commodities made mandatory to all merchants involved in such businesses.
The commodities involved in this licensing system include rice, sugar, milk, flour, agro oil, tomato paste, onion, potatoes, and whole chicken and chicken legs.
a??All importers, distributors and major retailers of essential food commodities operating within the domestic market are required to obtain the application form and acquire a licence from the Ministry of Trade,a? ? the paper quoted a statement from the Ministry as saying.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://en.starafrica.com/news/gambia-first-ladys-support-to-deaf-school-new-trade-policy-dominate-press.html
Minor caged for sodomizing a hearing impaired man
GhanaWeb-
A 16 year- old boy is in the grips of the Tema Community One Police Station for allegedly sodomizing a hearing impaired man.
The suspect, Emmanuel Aikinson was allegedly caught sodomizing the man in one of the Tema Sports Stadium’s toll building on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking on Adom FM's Midday News, our reporter in Tema, Issabela Ave said the incident happened when the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) were having a unity games at the Stadium.
An eyewitness narrating the incident to her said “while the event was ongoing, the suspect was behaving very strange walking around a veranda close to where we were sitting and because we wanted to know what his problem was, we followed him and realized that he was moving with the deaf man.
“We were actually waiting for them to come back, but they kept very long and so we rushed to the place and to our surprise, we saw Emmanuel Aikinson (suspect) sodomizing the hearing impaired man by inserting his manhood into his anus,” he narrated.
He continued that “We then rushed to the security men and reported the incident to them and they subsequently arrested him for taking advantage of the deaf man”.
Our reporter said the suspect claimed he was introduced to the act some years ago by a friend, but had still not been able to control himself especially when the thought runs through his mind.
He is currently at the Tema Community One Police Station helping with investigations while the hearing impaired man have been set free.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=351395
Kenya: Edith Malombe Asks Parents Not to Confine Their Disabled Children
The Star
By Musembi Nzengu
Kitui Governor Julius Malombe's wife, Edith, has urged parents not to neglect their children with disability.
Edith said despite having disabilities, such children are intellectually gifted just like other ordinary children.
She said hiding or confining them violates their rights.
Edith was speaking on Friday when she paid it a visit to the Kitui town's St Lukes Centre Hotel for the visually impaired children.
She donated food and other goodies to the children housed at the behest of the Kitui ACK diocese.
Edith was with Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu, county Education and Culture executives Peninnah Kilonzi and Jane Musembi respectively.
Kilonzi donated a cheque of Sh420,000 for the children's upkeep.
The children are totally blind, partially blind or suffer albinism.
Edith said if taken good care of, the children can grow up into useful citizens.
"We have intellectually talented, but physically disabled children. Ignoring or shunning them will be a great disservice not only to them but to the country," she said.
Edith said 10 children from the institution were admitted to national schools this year after scoring highly in the 2014 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam.
Mulu said he has a policy to fund projects that will benefit all marginalised groups in his constituency like the disabled.
"I am keen at improving the welfare of the maginalised persons in my constituency," he said.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503251313.html
15,000 visually-impaired Voters get free eye treatment
The Nation Newspaper-
Home ≫ News Update ≫ 15,000 visually-impaired Voters get free eye treatment
Posted by: Uyoatta Eshiet, Uyo in News Update 13 hours ago
Determined to ensure mass participation in the forthcoming elections, women leaders and stakeholders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State have launched a free eye screening and treatment of eligible voters.
The free health scheme which targeted the visually-impaired eligible voters across the three Senatorial Districts of Ikot Ekpene, Eket and Uyo had 15,000 beneficiaries at the designated centres including Abak, Eket and Uruan.
Organised under the aegis of ‘Friends of Martha Organisation’ (FMO), a frontline socio-political group rooting for the continuity of governance under the ruling PDP, the women said the programme became necessary to avoid the disenfranchisement of voters during the elections.
The President of the group, Mrs. Ime Ephraim Inyang, who underscored the importance of returning President Goodluck Jonathan; the election of Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, as the next Governor of Akwa Ibom State; Chief Godswill Akpabio for the Senate as well as all PDP candidates, urged the electorates to shun the sentiments and vote for the PDP.
She explained that the free eye testing and treatment of the less privileged was borne out of “the need to help the visually-impaired voters to be able to identify the PDP Umbrella symbol on the ballot papers and vote correctly for their candidates.”
Tagged: “Operation see clear to vote right”, the scheme also provided avenues for the women coordinator, Mrs. Inyang, to indulged the beneficiaries to come out massively to vote this weekend for President Jonathan and other PDP candidates to the National Assembly.
“As one of the dependable States in the PDP family, if we fail to vote for Mr. President and other PDP candidates, we stand to lose so many good things from the centre.
“Don’t forget the Maritime University, the Ibaka Deep Seaport and other projects that Mr. President promised for this State during his last campaign visit. These projects when implemented will surely change the socio-economic face of our dear State,” she noted.
Urging the people to be armed with their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), Mrs. Inyang enjoined the people to secure the cards from those who may want to buy them, adding that “your card is your only power to make decisions at the elections.”
“I am fulfilled today, because I regard the eyes as essential organ of the body and a window to life. The organ is very critical to the existence of man, so I am happy because we have been able to add value to life by this intervention and ensure the less privileged ones also take part in the decision making process of Nigeria at the polls,” she stressed.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://thenationonlineng.net/new/15000-visually-impaired-voters-get-free-eye-treatment/
Rwanda: Mukamunana - the Pillar of Disabled Children
AllAfrica.com-
Tagged:
Central AfricaChildrenEast AfricaRwanda
By Doreen Umutesi
Last week four Rwandan women received the Women of Courage Award from Erica J Barks-Ruggles, the US Ambassador to Rwanda. This was the first time the award was coming to Rwanda.
Since 2007, the US government has been awarding women who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for human rights, social justice, and women's equality and advancement.
Xaverine Mukamunana, the founder of Association JyamubandiMwana which helps the underprivileged and disabled youth was among those awarded.
She started the association in 2002 after realising the challenges that parents with children with special needs endured. She also went through the same challenge after giving birth to a disabled child.
" I gave birth to a child who was disabled and the challenges I encountered were unbearable. I even quit my job. I spent close to a year in hospital in Gahini to see to it that my child would be able to walk," Mukamunana says.
Following this experience, Mukamunana welcomed parents of handicapped children to her home in Gatsata and guided them in physiotherapy.
"It was a way to share experience but I was surprised at how the number kept on increasing. We decided to meet every Tuesday and Friday. With time, the number became overwhelming and we felt that something needed to be done, thus the birth of Jyamubandi Mwana," Mukamunana says.
Jyamubandi Mwana has a centre for children with mental or physical disabilities. The centre is located in Nyacyonga, Akamatamu Village, Jabana Sector in Gasabo District.
"Our centre provides shelter for children who are mentally or physically handicapped and we strive to offer these children social and educational support. We set up the centre with a vision that all children have the right to education and to grow normally under care," Mukamunana explains.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503260533.html
'Audio Description' renders art accessible to the visually impaired
Ahram Online
For the first time in Egypt, the new technique can accompany visual components of art in order to offer blind people a new experience
Marwa Morgan, Thursday 26 Mar 2015
Audio Description
Professor Elena Di Giovanni explains potential applications of Audio Description in the Egyptian Cultural Scene (Photo: Courtesy of Masreya Media)
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“Simba walks out of the den with his parents. His mother caresses his back as they get closer to the tip of the mountain.”
The quote is one of several samples for the potential application of the audio description technique which the Italian professor Elena Di Giovanni, lecturer at University of Macerata, discussed during her presentation on Monday 23 March, as a part of her work with the Egyptian company, Masreya Media.
Preceded by a short performance by the Al-Nour Wal Amal Chamber Orchestra- an Egyptian orchestra consisting of blind and visually impaired girls- a seminar took place in the Higher Council of Culture (Cairo Opera grounds), explaining how audio description could make educational and cultural material accessible to visually impaired people, as well as the elderly.
Arriving to Egypt for the first time, the technique offers a new experience to more than two million Egyptians who suffer from a degree of visual impairment or are completely blind, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Audio description transforms visual elements in film, theatre, exhibitions, opera and other fields, into a vivid narration, Di Giovanni said. Using “eye-tracking”, which involves following the audiences eyes to determine the points of their visual interest, researchers specify the most important visual elements that need to be verbalised.
Description includes any visual element that could provide information to the viewer, such as logos or film credits that appear on a cinema screen. Di Giovanni explained that pauses, however, are very important in order to not mask noises in the film or performance.
“The description shouldn’t be too long or too short. It needs to be what we call juste milieu [middle way],” she explained.
The technique has been already successfully applied in several places around the globe.
Countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States have issued legislations that obligate local media channels to broadcast a part of their program using audio description. In the United Kingdom, for example, audio description accompanies 600 TV shows, as well as films screened in 400 cinemas, according to the Royal National Institute for Blind people.
In addition to legislation, governments have made efforts to promote training in the field of audio description, and provide access to audio described material. The European Union has funded several projects, including Ad Lab Project, which was awarded over 3 million Euros to promote the new technique.
According to Di Giovanni, countries like Italy and Argentina, which have a lot in common with Egypt, were able to achieve much progress too.
“Italy can be compared to Egypt as it only started a few years ago,” she said.
Such “recognition on a high level” is what Di Giovanni considers the main factor of success for audio description. The technique’s success also depends on private companies conducting research and producing audio described material.
“Egypt has a good chance,” she said, referring to potential cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/7/48/126109/Life--Style/Health/Audio-Description-renders-art-accessible-to-the-vi.aspx
Group sensitises deaf women on reproductive health
News24 Nigeria
27 March 2015, 11:04
Ndubisi Ijeoma
Abuja - Ipas Nigeria, an NGO, on Thursday sensitised deaf women in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on reproductive healthcare.
The international human rights organisation held the sensitisation in Abuja at a strategy meeting for Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN).
The Country Director, Dr Nihinlola Mabogunje, said the intent of the meeting was the need Ipas perceived towards including deaf women in reproductive health rights and ensuring that their needs were properly addressed.
Mabogunje said addressing the needs of deaf women in the country necessitated for the quick passage of Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill which would ensure the protection of rights of vulnerable, disabled persons in Nigeria.
"Ipas has seen the need of equipping these women with information to ensure that their reproductive health needs are met.
"We are joining the rest of women societies and development partners to speak out and ensure that the VAPP bill is passed because these women and their rights should not be violated.
"The bill will protect their right socially, especially at work places and they will not be treated like a minority in the society.
"The bill will address the issue of gender based violence, women been harassed, the issue of rape and generally issues militating on the rights of women," said the country director.
Mabogunje said that women communities should push harder for the passage of this bill, adding that the women society and vulnerable persons required the provisions of the bill.
She said that the passage of the bill would also repose more confidence of women in them.
Victoria Akintora, Director of Rehabilitation in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, said President Goodluck Jonathan was willing to sign into law the VAPP bill.
Akintora said the ministry was working with the National Assembly to resolve the technicalities delaying the passage of the bill.
Also read: Returning Adamawa refugees receive relief aid
She emphasised that the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, have been pushing for the passage of the laws on violence against persons and gender based policies that affect women.
Helen Beyioku, Chairperson of the DWAN FCT chapter, commended Ipas for recognising the challenges disabled persons encounter with reference to deaf women in Nigeria.
Beyioku said there was need for the inclusion of women with disabilities particularly deaf women in mainstreaming of the society.
She noted that disabled women have major challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health services, adding that the input of stakeholders and partners will uplift their burden.
"There are about 150 million Nigerians and up to 22.5 million of them are living with disabilities and yet they are not included in national planning and development.
"We face lots of discrimination; abuse physically, mentally, emotionally, non access to information, social marginalization, lack of health insurance and lack of sign language interpreters.
"Deaf women live in series of unstable relationship, some indulge in marriages that are health risky and they cannot access sexual and reproductive healthcare," Beyioku said.
The chairperson charged women stakeholders to include deaf women as partners in programming and implementing developmental policies to meet their needs.
She also recommended that they be contained in the mainstreaming initiatives addressing sexual and gender based violence, access to justice and reproductive health.
Besides, Beyioku said that police stations, hospitals and some vital public places should be made accessible by engaging the use of sign language interpreters.
The chairperson said inclusion, participation and filling of capacity gaps among deaf women in Nigeria should be considered to sustain gains made from advocacy for gender equality.
- NAN
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.news24.com.ng/National/News/Group-sensitises-deaf-women-on-reproductive-health-20150327
Vocation skills training for hearing impaired youth
Norwegian Refugee Council
Participants learning to weave in a YEP centre in western Cote d’Ivoire. Photo: NRC
Benoit Gohoun (31.03.2015)
Elodie and Brahima are both deaf and living in Danane, one of the towns hardest hit by the conflict in western Cote d’Ivoire. For Elodie and Brahima, getting an education or a job seemed almost impossible.
Through the YEP programme (Youth Education Pack), NRC Cote d’Ivoire is helping about 100 marginalised youth with disabilities in the western region. The majority are deaf or hearing impaired. Elodie and Brahima, both 23, have graduated from the programme, and willingly share their experiences:
“I had to drop out of 5th grade because my parents did not have money to keep me in school. Before I joined the YEP programme, I could not really read and could not sew anything. Being deaf held me back and I was very withdrawn,” Elodie, says, and continues:
“My life got better during the YEP training because I learned a profession, sewing, that I am now getting better and better at. Now, I sew children’s clothing that I sell to be able to provide for myself. In addition, I’m better at reading and writing. Thanks to sign language, which I learned at the YEP centre, I have improved my communication with other people who are deaf or hearing impaired. What I’m most proud of is how people have changed the way they look at me because I’m working. I am viewed fully as a member of society and I have many friends now. My dream is to become a great sewing teacher so that I can support young girls who want to learn the profession.”
Group of hearing impaired participants in a YEP centre in western Cote d’Ivoire.
Similarly, Brahima has always felt that being deaf was a heavy burden.
“Before the YEP project, I used to be a victim of mockery. I made a living repairing used shoes but it was not really what that I wanted to do in life. Thanks to the support through YEP, I was trained in market gardening and I have been working with it since February 2014. It is not at all easy and I still have some difficulties being economically independent, but I am convinced that I will make it in the end since the harvest from the gardening is selling at the local market.”
Elodie and Brahima’s literacy teacher, Toh Jacques, is also deaf, and tells of the challenges facing the deaf and hearing impaired in Cote D’Ivoire:
“The hearing impaired are suffering rejection and stigmatisation. NRC is the only humanitarian organisation in the region that has initiated a project that takes into account the needs of disabled youth. The project is considerably facilitating the social reintegration of hearing impaired youth by teaching them life skills and vocational skills.”
NRC’s Youth Education Pack (YEP) is a one-year programme made up of three main components: literacy/numeracy, life skills and vocational skills training for out-of-school youth. The objective of the programme is to socially reintegrate 2000 vulnerable youth by supporting them in obtaining an income-generating skill. NRC has been running the programme in collaboration with local partner organisations in western Cote d’Ivoire since 2012.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://www.nrc.no/?did=9195171
Gambia: 'More Than 15 Visually Impaired Were Trained On ICT' Says Stat Now Director
AllAfrica.com-
The Director of Star Now organization Mr. Alieu Jaiteh has said that more than 15 visually impaired Beneficiaries were trained on ICT and now they can contribute their quota in all sectors of development.Mr. Jaiteh made this remark at the one year celebration of the computer training center for the visually impaired at a ceremony held at the Brikama Area Council on 28th of March 2015.
Mr. Jaiteh said his organization is committed to training and assisting legally blind adults and youths seeking for higher learning and job placement through providing Computer literacy to them.
Mr. Jaiteh, also used the platform to lament their constraints which among others are lack of enough trainers to support at the training centre. There are limited equipment and materials such as computers, furniture, white canes, braillers, braille papers, office stationery; internet connection is also lacking.
He thanked the US Embassy, Concern Universal, Gambia Federation of the Disabled and the Brikama Area Council for the support rendered to his association.
Lamin Jawla deputizing for the Governor of West Coast Region Aminata Siffai Hydara, stressed the need to wipe prejudices against differently abled people, adding that this must begin with the strong conviction that these people have a role to play in the society and that they should not be treated as children with unwanted sorrow heaped on them.
"There is no place in our society for prejudices, yet people with disabilities are often not given equal rights and equal opportunities.
They are looked upon with a feeling of sorrow, and their condition is seen as a suffering and a misfortune," said Governor Hydara.
Madam Hydara added that the disabled need empowerment to equally participate in all sectors of life without limitation. She noted that that as a nation we should raise awareness that the disabled people in our society need empathy not sympathy.
For his part Ismaila Jarju the Program Officer of Concern Universal launching the new website of Start Now organization said the US Embassy, Banjul has recently awarded CU to implement an ICT project call 'Better Tech for Civil society organisations and Micro, small and Medium enterprises.
Mr. Jarju added that the Civil society organisations and Micro, small and Medium enterprises have a great role to play in reducing poverty and achieving the MDGs in the country. He said ICT can play a great role in improving the effectiveness of their work and mission and also enable them to create awareness and visibility of their work.
【付記】上記ニュースのURL
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503311717.html