Siavonga District Commissioner Geoffrey Jakopo has called for urgent action to dismantle barriers faced by persons with disabilities, describing inaccessibility as “a form of injustice.”
Speaking at the ongoing workshop to validate Zambia’s Draft Accessibility Guidelines, Mr. Jakopo highlighted challenges such as inaccessible infrastructure, non-inclusive public transport, and digital platforms that exclude persons with visual or hearing impairments. He also noted the lack of accessible formats in public communication, such as Braille and sign language.
“These are not mere inconveniences, they are systemic exclusions that result in lost opportunities, limited education, and avoidable health risks,” he said.
Mr. Jakopo described the broad participation including government officials, employers, workers, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), academia, professional bodies, and parastatals, as a testament to the shared commitment to building an inclusive, rights-based society.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to inclusion through instruments such as the Persons with Disabilities Act No. 6 of 2012,Cabinet Circular No. 30 of 2024, and the recently launched National Policy on Persons with Disabilities, along with its Implementation Plan and Disability Mainstreaming Guidelines.
Calling the Draft Guidelines, a “monumental step,” Mr. Jakopo urged stakeholders to ensure the workshop sparks a national shift from compliance to commitment, and from policy to practice.
The workshop which ends tomorrow, is organized by the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD), with financial support from the International Labour Organization (ILO).