THE Persons with Disabilities Bill is a giant step towards promoting inclusivity and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister Mercy Dinha has said.
Speaking during the second reading of the Bill in Parliament last week, Dinha said the proposed legislation prioritises the individual over their disability.
The Bill sought to repeal the outdated Disabled Persons Act.
“The name of the current Act, that is, the Disabled Persons Act alone is now regarded as derogatory, outdated and no longer has a place within the current context of human rights approach, hence the Bill carries a different yet progressive title or name, Persons with Disabilities Bill.
“This perspective, which is used in the title throughout the Bill, places emphasis on the person and their identity first rather than describing a person with a disability first.
“This perspective has ensured that the Bill carries a human rights-based approach to disability and lay out fundamental rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe,” Dinha said.
She said the Bill adopted a human rights-based approach, aligning with international conventions such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
“This Bill will ensure that Zimbabwe incorporates the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which obliges State parties to change and do away with laws, regulations, customs and practices that discriminate against persons with disabilities and the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which mandates State parties to modify, outlaw, criminalise and campaign against any harmful practices applied to persons with disabilities,” Dinha said.
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“Through the incorporation of provisions of these two international instruments, the Bill will ensure the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities and promote inherent dignity of persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe.”
The deputy minister said the Bill sought to repeal the outdated Disabled Persons Act of 1992 and establish a Commission for Persons with Disabilities, tasked with advising the minister, developing a national disability policy and promoting the recognition of skills and contributions of persons with disabilities.
“This Bill will replace the National Disability Board established in terms of the Disabled Persons Act [Chapter 17.01] with a Commission for Persons with Disabilities,” she said.
“This Commission for Persons with Disabilities shall be tasked with important functions such as advising the minister on all matters relating to persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe, preparing and coming up with the national disability policy, issuing adjustment orders, these are orders requiring premises to be altered to accommodate persons with disabilities, promoting the recognition of skills, merits and abilities of persons with disabilities and their contributions to the workplace and labour markets and acting as a coordinating body for all organisations dealing with care and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.”
