Advocating for the ratification of the African Disability Protocol in Zambia

In Zambia, at Cheshire Homes Society of Zambia (CHSZ), two passionate women work in the Make Way programme. Patience is the Make Way Project Manager at CHSZ and her focus on disability rights comes from her close relatives and friends who live with a disability; she witnessed their challenges, especially the discrimination they face on a daily basis, and this motivates her to speak up about disability rights. Lucy is Communications Officer and similarly, her passion for disability rights stems from her experience in raising her nephew after the death of his mother. He was born without disability but acquired Cerebral Palsy (CP) after suffering from severe yellow fever at 6 months old. This stimulated Lucy to further her education in special education needs.

Challenging situations

In Zambia, attitudes towards people with disabilities are negative; they face stigma and discrimination in their communities and their work places. Many public and private infrastructures are not physically accessible for people with disabilities, and information is not available in appropriate formats such as braille, large print or sign language interpretation, causing people with disabilities to miss out on important information, meetings and media broadcasting. For young persons with disabilities, the situation is particularly challenging:

• Lack of inclusive schools.
• Lack of access to livelihood and skills training.
• Lack of access to economic empowerment programs
• Lack of access to social protection programs.
• Discrimination in the recruitment processes for employment.
• Lack of access to recreational facilities.
• Lack of access to SRH services and commodities.
• Negative and judgmental attitudes from service providers.
• Stigma and discrimination from their families and communities.
• Low self-esteem by persons with disabilities due to rejection by family members.

 

 

 

“My dream is to see parents and guardians embrace people with disabilities. Inclusion starts at home.” – Lucy

 

 

Colonial laws

At the basis of this all, is the fact that Zambian laws and policies are not harmonized with the standards of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Persons with Disabilities Act. Patience explains the need for policy advocacy: “Zambia is still using archaic laws that were being used in the colonial era and most Zambian policies and laws are not inclusive to persons with disabilities, some are even discriminatory towards people with disabilities. All operations and programming in the government and are guided by policy, so if the policies are negative and not inclusive of the minoritized, it means the target populations will be left out. Therefore, policy advocacy is the key to address exclusion at all levels.”

The African Disability Protocol

The African Disability Protocol (ADP) is the legal framework based on which all member states of the African Union are expected to formulate disability laws and policies to promote disability rights in their countries. The Protocol was adopted at regional level in Banjul in 2018, and it has to be signed and ratified before it can be domesticated in national laws. The ADP is more intersectional than the global UNCRPD; it is tailored to the African context and upholds the rights of persons with disabilities from an African viewpoint. The Protocol addresses unique and contextualized challenges and incorporates detailed issues such as customs, traditional beliefs, harmful practices and the role of the family, caregivers and community. It also deals with community-based rehabilitation and minority groups within the African disability community, including people with albinism. Patience explains: “Zambia needs uphold democracy, human rights, the rule of law and the promotion of the principles of non-discrimination, inclusion and equality. The Government of the Republic of Zambia needs to maintain its position in the international community as a country that respects human rights and the dignity of its citizens including those of persons with disabilities. As Zambia adheres to the principle of the Vision 2030 and SDGs of leaving no one behind, it is essential that the Government also signs and ratifies the African Disability Protocol.”

 

“My dream is to have a society where people with disabilities are included in all sectors of society; where people with and without disability live together in acceptance without fear of discrimination.” – Patience

 

Policy brief and regional advocacy campaign

Since September 2021, under the Make Way programme, CHSZ, with technical support from the Liliane Foundation, has been mobilizing programme partners and organizations of persons with disabilities to develop a policy brief to justify the need to have the ADP signed and ratified. With that policy brief as basis, CHSZ and partners have undertaken several advocacy efforts with government line ministries, mainstream and social media, and civil society organizations including organisations  of (young) people with disabilities. Lucy explains how the consortium has been working with various media in Zambia in this process: “Media play a vital role in keeping everyone updated on various processes and advocacy efforts undertaken by CHSZ and partners. With help of the media, we raised awareness on the need to have the ADP signed and ratified by the Government of Zambia, and we informed stakeholders and the public about the importance of and our advocacy for the ADP. Media attention helped to further our cause, and to make the public aware.”

The regional advocacy campaign to ratify the ADP, launched in November 2022 by the African Union and Sightsavers, may provide an extra push to this extraordinary advocacy effort at national level. Patience and Lucy from CHSZ will remain at the forefront to raise their voice for those who are often ignored or overlooked. Follow @CHSZ9 and hashtags #DisabilityRights #RatifyTheADP on social media to see how these fierce advocates and a growing coalition of passionate advocates works to ensure that no one is left behind.