Disability advocacy groups have petitioned Parliament seeking the Government to ratify and adopt of the African Disability Protocol (ADP).
The ADP Legal framework established in 2018 addresses forms of discrimination faced by people with disabilities and was adopted by the Executive Council of the African Union.
In their petition, Sight Savers, Deaf Zimbabwe Trust and the National Association of Societies of the Care of the Handicap together with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities are seeking protection of rights of persons with disability.
“The petitioners beseech the Parliament of Zimbabwe to exercise it’s legislative, representative and oversight function and protect the rights of persons with disability in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and international legal instruments to which Zimbabwe is party.
“Aware, that the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare have consulted the disability community concerned the Disabled Persons Act (DPA) of 1992 currently in use in Zimbabwe has become outdated, impractical and contra bonos mores to the progressive realization of the rights of Persons with Disabilities in Zimbabwe, in line with the recent,” said the advocacy groups.
The lobby groups expressed concern over delay in the enactment of the proposed Disabilities Act calling on Parliament to address the concerns.
“Worried about the delay in the enactment of the proposed Persons with Disabilities Act which would serve to align Zimbabwe’s Disability Policies with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and with the CRPD; Worried about the delay in the signing and ratification of the African Disability Protocol by the Zimbabwean Government.
“Now therefore your petitioners beseech the Parliament of Zimbabwe to exercise its constitutional role and address the following issues of public concern: Protect the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of persons with disabilities as provided for in the Zimbabwean national Constitution. Sign and ratify the African Disability Protocol,” wrote the petitioners
The petition submitted to parliament has 2 000 signatures appended for it to lobby the government to ratify ADP.
