FODPZ is currently implementing a MYP project with the support of CBM. The project is aimed at Improving participation and involvement of 28 affiliate FODPZ members and at least 5000 OPD members with disabilities in inclusive Development in Zimbabwe by 2025.

It is from this firm background that FODPZ established local structures  to represent persons with disabilities  and cascade information at grassroots level in the form of Provincial Advocacy Committees and Disability Advocacy Champions in all the  10 provinces in Zimbabwe.

In light of this, FODPZ is conducting trainings to these local structures with the following objectives:

1. Train OPD affiliate members, Provincial Committees, and Disability Champions on disability advocacy and mainstreaming.
2. Train Provincial Committees and OPDs on monitoring and reporting the
Disability Policy’s implementation.
3. Sensitize OPDs, their affiliate members, Provincial Committees and
Disability Champions on safeguarding, with a view towards assisting to
develop Safeguarding policies at OPD level.

On the 14th to the 15th of March 2022, Harare Provincial Advocacy Committee and Disability Champions together with  FODPZ  member OPDs which are based in Harare, FODPZ National Executive Committee (NEC) members and  relevant government ministries which include the Ministry of Public Service Labor and Social Welfare received training.

Picture above; FODPZ National Director Mr.Leonard Marange giving welcome remarks.

Picture above: FODPZ Programmes Manager Ms.Memory Mandikiana sensitizing workshop participants on the National Disability Policy.

Picture above: FODPZ NEC Vice-Chairperson Ms.Mercy Maunganidze giving workshop closing remarks.

Preamble

In Zimbabwe, in accordance to the UN Measure which states that that 15% of the National population constitutes of persons with disabilities, therefore, it is estimated that 15% translating to 2.4 million of the total population in Zimbabwe have disabilities. At the same time, persons with disabilities frequently experience a range of barriers which make accessing healthcare difficult. These barriers include lack of physical accessibility of healthcare facilities, lack of availability of services needed, as well as issues surrounding quality of care received. Consequently, persons with disabilities may experience worse access to healthcare services, which is a violation of their rights, as established in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and by the laws of most countries.

Universal access and barrier-free environment is critical for equal opportunity and independent living in an inclusive society. Accessibility of physical environment is important for everyone including for persons with disabilities (PwDs). Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 under Sections 44, 45, and 46 categorically provides for non-discrimination in transport, non-discrimination on the road, and non-discrimination in built environment, respectively. Zimbabwe is a signatory of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) ratified in 2013 to formulate and strengthen policies, laws, and administrative measures for securing the rights of persons with disabilities (PwDs).These include information, transportation, physical environment, communication technology, and accessibility to all services including emergency services.

FODPZ was subcontracted by Help Age to conduct an accessibility audit of the Bindura Eye Unit using the checklist prepared by FODPZ. This audit and development of the accessibility guide was done in accordance with Article 9 of the UNCRPD which provides for easy access to the physical environment, transportation, services, information and communications, standards and laws by persons with all forms of disability:

Article 9 and 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) ensuring that:

• Persons with disabilities have access to the built environment and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community;
• Community services and facilities for the general population both in urban and rural areas are available on an equal basis to persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs.
• Persons with disabilities live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life on an equal basis with others.

Purpose

The purpose of this audit was to promote the implementation and compliance of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities and other relevant national instruments including the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the National Disability Policy and other instruments such as the 16 CBM accessibility standards.  Further to this, the audit was aimed at determining the state of inclusiveness of the Bindura Hospital (Eye Unit) to persons with various impairments and other disabling conditions. This audit will therefore inform Bindura Hospital (Eye Unit) service providers and surrounding communities to create disability awareness among beneficiary groups in order to accommodate their different needs.

Objectives of the accessibility audit:

1. Coming up with measures which include the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility in compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the National Disability Policy and other instruments such as the 16 CBM minimum accessibility standards.

1. Encouraging Bindura Hospital -Eye Unit as a service provider to mainstream disability by removing barriers that persons with disabilities experience in the built and surrounding environment, information and communication with an endeavour to ensure meaningful inclusivity and accessibility
2. Promoting the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in decision making processes.
3. Increasing access by persons with disabilities to project outputs such as adequate hygiene, counselling, education, sanitation facilities and clean water.
4. Assisting  the Bindura Eye Unit management, staff and the beneficiary community acquire skills to confidently facilitate disability inclusion

Picture above shows : FODPZ National Director and Disability Inclusion Specialist checking the accessibility of the eye-unit entrance.

Picture Above shows: FODPZ Mashonaland Central Provincial Committee Member assessing the accessibility of Bindura Provincial Hospital Eye-Unit toilet.

Picture shows: A brief meeting with the hospital staff prior to conducting the accessibility audit.

 

Picture 1: FODPZ National Director Mr. Leonard Marange signing the MOU.

On the 6^th of April 2022, in a historic ceremony held at Meikles Hotel in Harare , a coalition between Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and the Women’s Movement in addressing intersectional discrimination  was validated , signed and adopted.The  Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between OPDs represented by the two umbrella bodies, National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH) as well as the Federation of Disabled Persons in Zimbabwe (FODPZ) and the women’s movement represented by the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ).

OPDs and the Women’s Movement representative holding copies of the MoU. Left: (Mr. Henry Masaya, Acting Executive Director of NASCOH), centre: (Mrs. Sally Ncube, National Coordinator WCoZ), right: (Mr.Leonard Marange, National Director of FODPZ).

The MoU was built within the framework of the European Union funded Spotlight Initiative (SI) – Outcome 1, Activity 1.1.11: Targeted and well-coordinated capacity strengthening of disabled person’s organizations. With support from UNESCO, this framework, it is striving to link up OPDs and the women’s movement to ensure joint advocacy for disability rights.

The Spotlight Initiative (SI), Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (WcoZ) and Federation of Organizations of Disabled People (FODPZ) banners.

Under the ambit of the Spotlight Initiative, the women’s movement in Zimbabwe plays a crucial role in advocating for gender equality and women’s rights. Historically the women’s movement in collaboration with other CSOs has been working with marginalized groups and has successfully advocated for law and policy reforms in order to ensure that all forms of violence against women are addressed. OPDs in Zimbabwe have been at the forefront of advocating for disability rights and inclusion with a specific focus on the intersecting forms of stigma and discrimination that women and girls with disabilities face.

However, there has been little interaction between the women’s movement and OPDs in the fight against intersectional discrimination. To ensure that the interaction between these two is enhanced, UNESCO fostered the coalition building between the Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and the women’s movement in Zimbabwe to ensure joint advocacy for disability rights and gender equality during the implementation of the Spotlight Initiative Phase 2.  Given the milestones of these two movements, there was indeed a need to build a coalition to address the intersectional discrimination.

This coalition building intervention builds on the realization that women and girls with disabilities are usually “left behind” in gender-based violence interventions, yet they face intersecting forms of discrimination at a higher level in comparison to women without disabilities. Inclusion of women with disabilities in initiatives that seek to end all forms of violence against women and girls in Zimbabwe is essential.  WCoZ, along with FODPZ and NASCOH will drive this coalition building by facilitating and creating platforms for learning opportunities and exchange of experience in lobbying, advocacy and policy dialogue.

The key priority areas the coalition will focus on:

• Policy implementation and monitoring at local level
• Forging a robust disability machinery following the model of a gender machinery.
• Building a robust partnership for stronger advocacy framework.
• Engagement of community leaders and policy makers, private sector and service providers.
• Social inclusion and non-discrimination.
• Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights
• Gender Equality, disability inclusion and rights

Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony, representatives from the OPDs and the Women’s movement including from UNESCO said:

This MOU will create a platform for both movements to undertake joint advocacy and capacity building initiatives which include; Developing corporate disability and gender advocacy and inclusion strategies in the respective movements, developing partnerships and synergies in existing projects and programs aimed at ending violence against women and girls, especially those implemented at grassroots levels, developing networks and alliances of women’s rights organisations and OPDs at the national, provincial and district levels and raise awareness on gender-based violence, intersectional discrimination, and sexual and reproductive health and rights and disability inclusion,” Mr. Henry Masaya said.

Mr. Leonard Marange, called on stakeholders to depart from the culture where the signing of MOUs has been a ritual but said there is a need to put it into a living document with a focus on vulnerable groups within the population since women and girls with disabilities often face a double challenge of exclusion and discrimination.

“This MOU challenges stakeholders to give enough attention and focus to disability issues. We should see a departure from a situation whereby the disability sector has been operating in silos with PWDs often allocated to the welfare department. This pact is meant to take on board women and children with disabilities issues. Thus the MOU is a beginning of a long journey towards achieving disability-inclusive development,” Mr. Leonard Marange said.

Phinith Chanthalangsy, the Head of the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa’s Social and Human Sciences Unit said the MOU came from the realization that the women’s movement has made strides in fostering the inclusion and mainstreaming of disability rights.“Thus there is a need to create synergies between OPDs and the women’s movement and consolidate work from both sectors to ensure coexistence to advance gender equality and disability inclusion. The capacity of OPDs is built on advocacy techniques. The MOU will create an opportunity to foster a learning process through learning and sharing of experiences. There is a need to develop networks at the national level and beyond.

“This has the potential to raise more awareness on GBV, build projects, or program interventions to ensure we come up with one stronger advocacy movement while partnerships strengthen institutional capacity on gender and disability with a view of developing a gender and disability machinery from national to the local level,” Mr. Phinith Chanthalangsy said.

Photographs:

Below are photographs of the MoU signing ceremony, a transformative coalition towards addressing intersectional discrimination, in pursuit of women empowerment and disability inclusion.

In the picture: Mr.Henry Masaya (NASCOH National Director), Mrs Sally Ncube (WCoZ National Coordinator),Mr. Leonard Marange (FODPZ National Director), Dr. Christine Peta (Director Department of Disability Affairs) and Ms. Abigail Magwenzi (Sign Language Interpreter) during the MoU signing ceremony on the 6^th of April 2022.

In the picture: Mr.Henry Masaya (NASCOH National Director), Mrs Sally Ncube (WCoZ National Coordinator),Mr. Leonard Marange (FODPZ National Director), Mr Phinith Chanthalangsy (Head of the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa’s Social and Human Sciences Unit) and Ms. Abigail Magwenzi (Sign Language Interpreter) during the MoU signing ceremony on the 6^th of April 2022.

Picture Above: Department of Disability Affairs Director in the Ministry of Public Service Labor,and Social Welfare Dr.Christine Peta giving her presentation during the Learning Event.

On the 3rd of March 2022, Sightsavers in partnership convened a Learning Event to explore perspectives and reflect on the impact of Covid 19 on Persons with Disabilities. The meeting created a platform to share experiences, perspectives , to learn and  produced  solutions to better prepare  Persons with Disabilities and their representative organisations (OPDs) for future emergencies.

Picture: Attendees of the Learning Event

In attendance were , the Department of Disability Affairs, Sightsavers Team, FODPZ Secretariat, FODPZ National Executive Committee (NEC) Members, OPDs, Persons with Disabilities, Parents of Children with Disabilities, the Media amongst others.

Picture above: FODPZ MEAL Officer (left), FODPZ NEC Secretary (middle) and FODPZ Programmes Manager (right).

 

Picture Above: FODPZ Harare Province Chairperson giving his opinion of the Bill during the Public Hearing Parliamentary session.

Picture Above: Persons with Disabilities, FODPZ and LCDZ Staff waiting for the Public Hearing to commence.

The Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare invited members of the public, interested groups and organizations to attend the public hearings and submit written submissions regarding the Private Voluntary Organizations Amendment Bill (H.B.10, 2021).

On the 28th of March 2022, Under the ambit of the Spotlight Initiative Zimbabwe, jointly funded by the European Union and United Nations, saw Federation of Organizations of Disabled People (FOPDZ) in collaboration with Leonard Cheshire Disability Zimbabwe (LCDZ) supporting Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in participating in the Parliamentary Public Hearing for Harare province.

FODPZ and LCDZ collaboratively came up with a statement to submit at the Parliament highlighting the views of the disability fraternity regarding the passing of the PVO Amendments Bill (H.B. 10, 2021).