By Abubakarr Harding
The Commission for Persons with Disability convened a Press Conference on the 15th February, 2023 in New England Ville, Freetown that focused on urging the Government to take action and follow through on the commitments they made regarding disability rights.
Saa Lamin Kortequee, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disability emphasized the importance of the Government’s commitments to disability inclusion. The Government pledged to strengthen the education system to be more inclusive, track disability inclusion in education spending, review the legal framework for promoting inclusive health systems, and make disability inclusion an integral part of social protection systems. However, it is essential that the Government takes concrete steps towards fulfilling these promises.
He continued by stating that while it is encouraging to see the Government’s commitments to disability inclusion, there is still much more to be done to make a real difference in the lives of people with disabilities.
In that light, according to him, it is crucial that the Government upholds disability rights and prioritizes accessibility and inclusion to ensure that no one is left behind.
The Executive Secretary maintained that as a society, all must work to create an environment where individuals with disabilities have equal access to opportunities and services.
“This can be achieved by investing in inclusive education and healthcare systems, promoting accessible transportation and public spaces, and prioritizing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, which the Government has been doing but needs to put on more efforts,” he stated.
He pointed out that it is the responsibility of the Government to uphold disability rights and ensure that individuals with disabilities are fully included and have access to essential services.
Nancy Smart, Country Director for Sightsavers Sierra Leone on her part said, “The Global Disability Summit has been a huge opportunity for the Government of Sierra Leone to address inequality. It was great to see them attend and make commitments on how they will address disability-inclusion. But now is the time for action”.
According to her it is vital that the Government continue to honour those commitments and make their actions speak louder than their words.
“Our Equal World campaign urgently calls on the Government to uphold disability rights and make their commitments a reality,” she appealed adding inclusion and prioritizing the needs of the disabled community is quite significant admonishing all to work together to create a more inclusive and equitable society.
