Mozambicans with disabilities demand right to participate

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Mozambicans with disabilities demand right to participate

1:49 CAT | 04 Dec 2015

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Jornal Notícias

Valuing disabled persons and giving them equal rights and the opportunity to participate fully in society is the aim of an appeal launched yesterday by the Maputo director of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Maria Simao.

Speaking at the celebration on December 3 of International Day of People with Disabilities, Simao said that 1205 citizens with disabilities receive assistance from the Maputo city government. Of these, 718 have multiform support and 487 are aided with basic goods and compensation, reports Notícias.

At the ceremony held under the motto “Empowering everyone’s skills and capabilities to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities,” Simao explained Maputo aims to sensitize society towards independence of people with disabilities and their full participation in society, with respect for the inherent dignity of the individual and their freedom of choice.

“We are aware that our society is facing crisis and degradation of moral values problems, which has contributed to the rejection, discrimination, exclusion and abandoning disabled people on the streets or keeping them shut up indoors.”

To reverse the scenario, the city government is to bring in measures that protect the rights of people with disabilities, with seminars, lectures and awareness campaigns against social exclusion, to improve their access to vocational training.

“Each of us is called upon to help recover these lost values, because people with disabilities have the same rights as any other citizen. Let us all say no to discrimination and social exclusion of people with disabilities.”

Cantol Ponja, president of the Forum of Mozambican Associations of the Disabled (FAMOD), spoke of the importance of the International Day of People with Disabilities as a moment of reflection on the rights, conditions and problems that the disabled face in their everyday lives, and how they are prevented from participating actively in the development of the country.

He expressed disappointment with the poor implementation of policies and plans protecting the rights of persons with disabilities within government institutions, as well as inadequate medical care.

Source: Jornal Notícias