Zambia begins ratification process for African disability rights protocol

Government has granted formal approval to commence processes for the ratification of the, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a disabilities agency has announced The Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) Director General, Frankson Musukwa, said the clearance followed a Cabinet Memorandum submitted by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS). In a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday, Musukwa said the clearance represented a landmark step toward strengthening the legal protection, human rights and social inclusion of persons with disabilities in Zambia. He said the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services would in due course commence preparations to launch extensive stakeholder consultations and the engagements would ensure the views of the disability sector are captured.

“These consultative engagements are essential to ensuring that the views, needs, and insights of the disability sector, Organisations of and for Persons with Disabilities, civil society organizations, cooperating partners and the broader community directly inform the ratification framework and subsequent implementation strategy,” Musukwa said. He said the government would systematically engage stakeholders throughout every phase of the process. Musukwa noted that stakeholders’ continued collaboration and expertise would remain central to driving a successful ratification process and advancing fundamental human rights and inclusive development in Zambia. This material,and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.