UNESCO collaborates with First Lady to empower persons with disabilities
UNESCO Regional Office for Southern on Friday joined hands with Zimbabwe’s First Lady, H.E. Auxillia Mnangagwa to empower persons with disabilities with skills and knowledge to unlock their potential and ensure they lead better lives and contribute to the country’s development.
Speaking at an interface meeting convened by the First Lady with persons with disabilities in Harare, UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa, Prof. Hubert Gijzen applauded the initiative saying it was in harmony with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’s call to leave no one behind.
The commitment to leave no one behind won’t be achieved if we do not ensure the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society. Because they are, still today, the most left behind and invisible, and among the most vulnerable especially when crises hit. It is therefore our duty and responsibility to create the necessary enabling environments by, for and with persons with disabilities, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
Addressing the interface, the First Lady bemoaned exclusion of persons with disabilities from all facets of life, including economic empowerment programmes. She spelt the need for people to come together to open doors of economic empowerment for persons with disabilities.