BY ANDREW DLAMINI
MBABANE – The Interministral Committee for the mainstreaming and coordinating of disability issues, along with the review and update of the Eswatini national disability plan of action from 2018 to 2022, was officially launched at Ezuluwini.
Melusi Masuku, the Principal Secretary of the Deputy Prime Minister’s office, emphasized that this nation will have a crucial role in shaping policy development, implementation, and monitoring of initiatives promoting disability inclusion. He stated that the committee will foster the exchange of knowledge, practices, and lessons learned across ministries.
Melusi Masuku, emphasized the country’s role in driving policy development, implementation, and monitoring of disability inclusive initiatives. Masuku stated, “Moreover, it will provide a forum for identifying gaps setting priorities and devising strategies to address the challenges faced by person with disabilities in the country. The government has remained steadfast in progressively addressing issues of disability in the Kingdom.”
Memory Zulu Munyaradzi, acknowledging the historic nature of this initiative, commented, “This is a huge step and just to let you know they’re not many countries in Africa that have done this so yeah amongst the few you actually creating a best practice and we wish you all the best.”
Bongani Makama, President of the Federation of Disabled People in Eswatini (FODSWA), expressed optimism about the positive impact these new developments would have on disabled people’s lives. He said, “There are a lot of things happening out there, there are a lot of things that we haven’t experienced but we now have the skills that we can include in the document”.
Eswatini remained steadfast in addressing issues of disabilities, as evidenced by the conducive legislative frameworks that resonate from the Eswatini constitution of 2005 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the country ratified in 2012.
The launch of this committee underscores Eswatini’s dedication to fostering an inclusive society, ensuring that persons with disabilities are actively engaged in all aspects of life. As the nation takes this significant step forward, it sets an example for other countries in the region and beyond, demonstrating the importance of collaborative efforts in building a more equitable future for all citizens
