The 10th General Assembly of the African Union of the Blind (AFUB) will be held onOctober from 27th to30th 2023 in Rabat, Morocco. For more information click on the download button;
La 10ème Assemblée Générale de l’Union Africaine des Aveugles (UAFA) est prévue en octobre du 27 au 30 octobre 2023àRabat au Maroc.Pour plus d’informations, cliquez sur les boutons ci-dessous;
A 10ª Assembleia Geral da União Africana de Cegos (AFUB) será realizada de 27 a 30 de outubro de 2023,em Rabat, Marrocos. Para mais informações clique nos botões abaixo;
Mobility is an essential element of development strategies that aim to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).World Report on Disability published by World health Organization (WHO) says;
“people with disabilities are at a higher risk of non-fatal unintentional injury from road traffic crashes”.
As a civil society organization, we promote and advocate for the improvement of road safety for all. Mobility can help drive positive social change in many areas of society impacting favorably on several of the broader Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty, gender and sustainable consumption and production. This calls for governments and their partners to rethink mobility.
We play a significant role in fostering the conditions that make walking safe, by generating public demand for pedestrian safety; mobilizing action particularly at local level; and championing the right to safety for all road users, including children, the elderly and people with disabilities who are among the most vulnerable pedestrians.
We identify and establishes partnerships with committed and effective local organizations to implement road safety activities in targeted areas through public awareness-raising initiatives delivered in mass media campaigns (TV, radio and print media).
To mark the 7th UN global road safety week 15th -21st May 2023:#Rethinkmobility, we partnered with Outstanding Abilities Kenya (TOA-KE), National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Diani Walkers, Kwale Walk Movement, and Mariakani Walk Movement members walked a distance of 11 kilometers from Kombani Rehabilitation Centre to Ukunda show ground in Kwale County to raise awareness on road safety for persons with disabilities and accident prevention. The walk was officially flagged off by the Kwale Governor H.E Fatuma Achani who called upon road users to adhere to road rules.
Addressing journalists after the walk, Abraham Mateta, advocate and AFUB Human Rights Programme officer stated that;
” road safety is important especially to people who are blind and visually impaired. If the roads are not safe ,if people do not recognize our mobility tools like the white cane, it means that we will not be safe”
African leaders need to meet their disability rights obligations!
To celebrate this years African Day , Sightsavers in collaboration with African Union is hosting a webinar on African Disability Protocol on the 30th of May 2023 from 1-2pm East Africa Time.
Join us on calling African governments to ratify the ADP and join the fight for an equal world!
On the 10th of April 2023, the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired of São Tomé and Príncipe (ACASTEP) celebrated its 30th Anniversary under the theme “rebuild to include, darkness does not prevent the exercise of full citizenship”. An occasion that was presided by the President of the Republic, His Excellency, Engineer Carlos Vila Nova, Prime Minister Hon. Patricio Trovoada , Chief of staff and, other dignitaries.
A photo description; Seated on Right side; ACASTEP president Madame Eugenia Neto, in the middle is the President of the Republic, His Excellency, Engineer Carlos Vila Nova and on the further left side ;Mr. Lucas Amoda, AFUB acting executive director. They are seated facing the audience.
While presiding over the occasion, His Excellency, Engineer Carlos Vila Nova guaranteed to exercise his influence in the judiciary to tackle multiple issues affecting the visually impaired persons.
Speaking on the same occasion, the Prime Minister Hon. Patricio Trovoada raised the issue of accessibility to public services and health care by persons with disability. And, guaranteed to work in collaborations with both private and public institutions to improve access to facilities for person with visual impaired and to support ACASTEP in executing their programs and activities.
Also, the chief of staff highlighted the importance of inclusive public policies and development programs with an intention of alleviating the existing problems in the society.
As part of the celebration, ACASTEP carried out various activities aimed at promoting inclusivity and autonomy including lobbying for the ratification of the African Disability Protocol. Mr. Lucas Amoda, AFUB program officer for Promoting the Rights of Blind and Partially Sighted Persons in Africa urged the Sao Tome and Principe government to consider the excellent prospects the protocol present to persons with visual impairment and asked for their support.
In her speech, ACASTEP President Madam Eugenia Neto lamented on the lack of elaborated mechanism to include the visually impaired to have access to employment, education, health services, housing and others. She called upon the successive government to domesticate the African disability protocol and other laws pertaining to persons with disability which had been approved 11 years ago.
ACASTEP was founded on April 8, 1993 and as to date has approximately 350 members who are visually impaired. The organization has since then worked in collaboration with AFUB and other institutions to promote the Rights of the Visually Impaired Persons in São Tomé and Príncipe. During the month of April 2023, ACASTEP executed various activities aimed at protecting the rights of Visually Impaired People and boosting actions so that they are autonomous and integrated into society.
Every woman’s desire for childbearing is traditionally attributed to their maternal instinct making motherhood an inherent aspect of womanhood.
A picture of Sylvia Kalibeera who is visually impaired from Uganda and her two daughters Nachimule,5yrs (left), Esther Naranja,12yrs (right) walking together smiling.
Occasionally, arrival of a new born is often received with so much joy and celebration by family members, friends and even colleagues. Unfortunately, blind parents occasionally run a gauntlet of skepticism and even dismay. One blind mother narrates,
“When my mother in-law found out that I was expecting, she was horrified. She turned her back on us, walked away and even asked his son to leave me. After sometime, she suggested that; once I give birth, the child should be taken away from me. She just couldn’t get her mind around me taking care of an infant when I can’t see.”
Smangele Dhladhla is visually impaired and a mother of a one year girl, Katekani meaning Blessing. She accounts her first visit to the clinic to confirm her pregnancy. She was asked by healthcare professional whether she was raped.
“I’m blind but not stupid. I need hands, ears and nose to do my job as a mother. I am human and have feelings. My boyfriend is also blind” she responded.
Blind parents are more often marginalized. The assumption that caring for an infant is not an easy task and more so especially difficult for blind parents because babies are helpless and dependent. The stigmas associated with physical limitations perceive disability as a health condition to be treated or as a hereditary impairment potentially damaging the unborn child and hindering the prospective mother from adequate caregiving.
“On the contrary, I adapted very fast in my new role as a mother. Like sighted mothers, we become experts at interpreting our baby’s cries, gurgles, and babbling. When I hold my baby I can sense her moods through her body language; when her little arms is stressed reaching for some interesting object, stiffen at the sight of a stranger, or droop her sleepy head against our shoulder.” says a visually impaired mother.
Although, motherhood connects them with other mothers, the real challenge for visually impaired mothers is not the impairment itself or motherhood but, the invisible barriers isolating them from other mothers and their children from other children. And, just like any other first-time parent, they too need to be taught how to perform certain task such as diaper change, how to properly breast feed and be allowed to practice.
Legislation is expanding to include many protections for birthing people/parents with disabilities, but it is still a daily fight for the parent to be seen as equal and given the autonomy, access, and accommodations that are rightfully deserved.
And so, Sexual Reproductive Health Right program (SRHR) being implemented by AFUB through her member organizations, sponsored by Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (NABP) work in collaboration with other SRHR institutions to ensure that blind women are well informed on matters of SRH.
Through the AFUB Advocacy Work, the project set to empower blind mothers to tell their story for social change and to remember that the doubts of others in capabilities are in no way a reflection on their actual capabilities.
Sentiments well echoed by Keleman Zenebe-Disability Inclusion activist.
“To all African mothers with disability. Remember you can do both motherhood and follow your dreams”
International Women’s Day is an annual event that is globally celebrated. The day acknowledge women’s rights, promotes gender equality and honors the achievements of women.
AFUB in collaboration with Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially sighted (NABP) also known as Norges Blindeforbundhave been implementing Sexual Reproductive Health Right SRHR project in Congo Brazzaville and Lesotho, component of African Disability Protocol (ADP). The project aim to empower women and girls to exercise their right to access to SRH services while challenging stereotypes surrounding sexuality and disability.
Within the legal framework, sexual health and reproductive health are recognized as basic human rights and essential components of good health and personal development.However, inadequate access to SRH services among blind and partially sighted women and girls creates a gap between their needs for services and their right to access these services.
To Mark this years International Women Day, WE urge governments to provide inclusive and accessible health services to all women and girls.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. As the outbreak had spread around the world, it had become more difficult to manage. More countries opted to take the strictest measures possible to contain it. Well, over 100 countries globally had instituted either a full or partial lockdown by the end of March 2020, affecting billions of people. In the final week of March, as more and more countries introduced travel restrictions to try to contain the virus, many others had recommended restricted movement for some or all of their citizens. It seemed as if the whole world was in hiding!!
On 21 March 2020, the prime minister of Rwanda announced a two-week national lockdown for further precautionary measures to curb the spread of Covid-19. The measures were aimed at restricting unwarranted movement except for essential services ensuring that all workers in all public and private sectors work from home except for those rendering essential service. Life had to go on and work to continue as much as possible. That is when we remembered that the information technology could come to our rescue. That means video calls and instant messaging have become invaluable workroom tools. Virtual meetings started being held and people getting out to go to the office only when it is absolutely necessary.
There was so much confusion like students being stuck at school when they have been allowed to go home or being stuck at home when they have been called to school and naturally students with visual impairments looked to RUB for support. Luckily, the Rwanda Union of the Blind (RUB) already had service badges for staff which could make it possible for them to move around during the lockdown. We had to quickly find voluntary partners to assist in transporting student to their various destinations instead of them using the public transport. Other RUB members were short of food, we stepped up and got assistance from well-wishers. This is why we always say that unity is strength. The Covid 19 period really proved this.
Other important activities that took place virtually include: WBU General Assembly, the RUB General Assembly and Numerous international meetings. This might mean that the international travel is set to reduce drastically because meetings can now be held virtually. Why had we not thought of this before!!! How much wiser we are now! I’m sure organizational budgets will stretch much further.
Le 28, janvier 2018, la 30ième session de la conférence des chefs d’état et de gouvernement de l’Union Africaine (UA) a adopté le protocole à la charte africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples relatif aux droits des personnes handicapées en Afrique « Protocole sur les Droits des Personnes Handicapées en Afrique). Le présent Protocole a pour objet de promouvoir, protéger et garantir la pleine et égale jouissance de tous les droits de l’homme et de la personne humaine par toutes les personnes handicapées, et de garantir le respect de leur dignité intrinsèque.
Protocole sur les Droits des Personnes Handicapées en Afrique est rendu nécessaire par les réalités pragmatiques et institutionnelles en Afrique couplées à la forte prévalence du handicap en Afrique et à la marginalisation historique des personnes handicapées. Il est important de noter que ce Protocole n’est pas contraire à la Convention relative aux Droits des Personnes Handicapées (CDPH) mais réaffirme toutes les normes, principes et obligations qui y sont stipulés. La philosophie unique de ce protocole par rapport à la CNUDPH est qu’il est développé pour aborder et ensuite éliminer les opinions et croyances africaines sur le handicap influencées par des pratiques traditionnelles et culturelles néfastes.
Bien que le Royaume du Lesotho ait ratifié et domestiqué la CNUDPH, il existe toujours un besoin impérieux de ratifier d’autres accords continentaux ou régionaux complémentaires aux conventions des Nations Unies promouvant la reconnaissance des droits des personnes handicapées comme le Protocole sur les Droits des Personnes Handicapées en Afrique . La question du handicap est désormais l’un des questions les plus pressants qui devraient être au cœur des institutions législatives.
Le gouvernement du Lesotho devrait donc trouver absolument prudent d’améliorer le niveau de vie des personnes handicapées, en formulant, promulguant des lois sur l’équité et en ratifiant les traités internationaux et/ou régionaux établis pour garantir la jouissance effective de tous les droits humains par les personnes handicapées.
Les réponses valides directes à ceux qui se demandent pourquoi est-il nécessaire de considérer ce protocole sont énumérées ci-dessous.
Les caractéristiques saillantes de la charte africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples sur les droits des personnes handicapées en Afrique impliquent : Garantir à l’intégration du handicap dans les politiques, les plans d’élaboration des législations, les programmes et les activités.
Toute discrimination fondée sur un handicap est interdite
Décrit le droit d’accès aux services, installations et dispositifs
Droit à la liberté et à la sûreté et interdit la privation de liberté sur la base d’un handicap ou d’un handicap perçu
La charte interdit également les pratiques culturelles néfastes (qui sévissent en Afrique).
Le droit à l’autoreprésentation
La charte désigne les femmes et les filles, les enfants, les personnes âgées et les jeunes comme une catégorie spéciale de personnes handicapées
Le Lesotho National League of the Visually Impaired Persons (LNLVIP) recommande vivement au gouvernement du Lesotho de soutenir les personnes handicapées en prenant des mesures efficaces pour ratifier ce protocole. Cette initiative entraînera l’amélioration du niveau de vie des personnes handicapées et la pleine jouissance de leurs droits fondamentaux au Lesotho. Le LNLVIP travaille en collaboration avec d’autres organisations de société civile (OSC) dans la poursuite du discours sur l’agenda du handicap afin de renforcer les stratégies de plaidoyer pour la ratification du Protocole sur la handicapée en Afrique.
Préparé par Keketso Mangope,
Le coordinateur national de Projet ADP et SDSR du LNLVIP
Dans le cadre de la matérialisation dudit projet Promotion des Droits des Aveugles et Malvoyants en Afrique à travers le Protocole de la Charte Africaine sur le Handicap, une délégation de l’UAFA est arrivée à Brazzaville, en République du Congo. Cette mission composée de : Monsieur Lucas AMODA, directeur exécutif de l’UAFA et chargé de programme et de Madame Bernice OTIENO, chargée de la mobilisation de ressources et de la communication à l’UAFA.
Cérémonie d’ouverture
La cérémonie du lancement et de l’ouverture de l’atelier a été ponctuée par cinq (5) allocutions prononcées tour à tour par :
Monsieur KOKOLO Claudier, président de l’UNAMAC, qui a d’abord souhaité la bienvenue et remercié les invités pour leur disponibilité et que leur présence prouvait l’intérêt qu’ils manifestent à l’égard des personnes vivant en situation d’handicap.
Madame Thérèse KAMANGO, représentant de l’UAFA pour l’Afrique centrale a dit que ce projet est le fruit des efforts de bonnes relations entre l’UAFA, ses partenaires et l’UNAMAC
Monsieur Lucas, directeur exécutif de l’UAFA, a d’abord salué et remercié les autorités institutionnelles présentes dans la salle ainsi que les participants. Il a axé son intervention sur l’historique du projet, a présenté les huit (08) pays sélectionnés à savoir : le Cap-Vert, le Lesotho, le Togo, le Ghana, l’Angola, Sao-tomé et principe, le Malawi et le Congo. Enfin, il a esquissé de résumé sur le protocole.
Monsieur jean de Dieu Goma, Secrétaire Exécutif Permanent du Conseil Consultatif des Personnes Handicapées a dit que cette initiative rencontre les préoccupations du conseil consultatif puisque la valorisation du capital humain que constitue les personnes vivant avec handicap et leurs partenaires institutionnels, demeure une ressource primordiale pour l’atteinte des objectifs liés à la promotion des droits des congolaises et des congolais de cette catégorie sociale.
Monsieur jean Clotaire TOMBY, conseiller à la solidarité, représentant le Ministre des Affaires Sociales a dans son allocution salué l’initiative de l’UAFA et que la ratification de ce protocole est une obligation pour tous les états africains. Le Congo s’est engagé dans ce processus depuis 2020 sur la base de l’article 31 de la Constitution de 2015. Aujourd’hui, les deux (2) chambres de notre parlement ont voté la loi autorisant la ratification dudit protocole
Jean de dieu Mpassi Massamba
Coordonnateur national de Projet ADP et SDSR du UNAMAC
Today, due to technology driven services the financial sector offers digital services, and yet, it’s also common for these digital services to be inaccessible to people with disabilities.
On 4th of November 2020, Lesotho National League of the Visually Impaired Persons (LNLVIP) facilitated a one-day training on inclusive Bank Services, funded by Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted Persons (NABP). LNLVIP has started with bank staff training which is the first training. The training programme stretches till 2024 with an intend to train different staff members every year.
The training drew participants from six local banks; Nedbank, Standard bank, Boliba savings and Credit, First National Bank, Lesotho Post Bank and Central Bank of Lesotho, and visually impairment customers.
The purpose of the training was to mainstream disability in their banking services in order to ensure inclusive services to their Visually Impaired customers. Training and Sensitization allows staff to understand more about people with vision loss or impairment and teaches the staff how to best serve all clients.
Blind and Visually impaired clients face a number of challenges. As explained by one of the participants;
“I will find it difficult entering pin numbers because some ATMs lack braille systems and absence of voice feedback for various on-screen functions”
The banking sector should work towards improving accessibility to banking services and providing reasonable accommodation for visually impaired persons.
Integrate accessibility into their system.
The rights of persons with disabilities have been recognized under legal instruments such as UNCRPD and SDG’s. Though, they do not have direct bearing with banking they are instrumental in developing an “accessibility policy” that can be added to bank’s overall customer service policy.
The training helped the staff to gain confidence in communicating with people who are blind or visually impaired and becoming familiar with asking people if they will require an alternative to standard print documents.
The purpose of this training was to ensure that bank staff understand disability related needs for them to access services, disability and its underlying terms and how to provide reasonable accommodation.
Mabataung Khetsi
Lesotho National League of the Visually Impaired Persons (LNLVIP)
