International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December Theme for 2015: Inclusion matters: access and empowerment of people of all abilitiesInclusion matters: access and empowerment of people of all abilities Opportunities and Challenges of Working With DPOs in Africa

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992, by the United Nations General Assembly resolution The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Historically, as well as in many contemporary cultures and sub-cultures, disabled persons have been ignored or neglected, and also abandoned. There are complex practical and psychological factors at play. Their families, and the disabled themselves, may experience shame and fear about their differences. The disabled are pitied and often ridiculed.

In most of the regions in Africa, These reactions are generally due to ignorance about the causes of their disability. Shame often arises from the belief that the disability might be a punishment for a sin committed in the past; fear is common because of the unknown and the unpredictable nature cause of disability

Celebrating international Day of the Disabled in Monze, Zambia

Ready to Visit Family Members with disabled persons

UNIDPD Home visit in Monze, Zambia

Match past

Why commemorate To bring out progress made among PWDs in line with polices/ legislation, poverty reduction. To air out issues NOT yet tabled in line with the legislation. To show case progress made with individual Persons With Disabilities To bring out more issues on Disability Awareness The above, connects opportunities of working with DPOs in Africa with the benefit of:

Meeting together and share experience and information

Ear Screening capacity building

Working in partnership

Raising awareness - Communication

Exchange visits. Referrals Grants Disabled people take their lead in defining their needs and demanding their rights

Challenges Lack of funding Conflict of interest and friction which leads to splitting. There is little effort from the government eg disability issues seems to be the last resort to table Specialists Organizations are usually located in cities and towns Expertise around disabilities not often share Some officers in influential positions once promoted to higher positions, they forget about challenges faced from their former places of work.

Challenge to reach out

Very difficult to monitor the UN convention on the rights of disabled implementation. Difficulty to reach out to remote areas for service delivery Difficulty to network Lack of resources Difficult to fulfill all the need s Poverty

In order to achieve the above, there is to: have one voice Focus on unison solidarity Work together as DPOs Get involved in planning and implementing

Thank you (twalumba)