She made the clarion call when addressing the United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities recently here at Adansonia Hotel. The event was held under the theme ‘Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future’. In her address, she said it was equally important that persons with disabilities are accorded employment opportunities where they can learn on the job and acquire crucial leadership skills.
Mophuting added that policies must be implemented immediately, including giving people with visual and hearing impairments access to information in forms that are suitable for them According to her, all public events and information-sharing forums or platforms must have sign language interpreters available. In addition, the junior minister stated that, in line with Sections 40 and 41 of the Persons with Disability Act, emphasis should be given to accessibility to public transport and buildings. "All sectors (public and private) are expected to make adjustments and modifications to allow people with disabilities easy access to buildings, facilities, goods and services, including the provision of ramps and lifts in high-rise buildings," Mophuting continued.
Additionally, she stated that government has created an affirmative action recruitment policy for people with disabilities through the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) Circular Savingram of July 29, 2024. She pointed out that sectors are now expected to operationalise this policy and create quotas to enforce the commitment to employing people with disabilities. To improve service delivery on disability-related concerns at the district level, Mophuting stated that the ministry has deployed the first batch of Districts Disability Officers in 12 of the 31 districts. “Government will continue to create and fill these posts in the remaining 19 districts.
The National Disability Council members have been appointed and the Council will start its operations in April 2025,” she said. In order to learn about and comprehend their rights, she also urged everyone with a disability in the country to get familiar with the Disability Act. She told the country as a whole that they must establish an atmosphere that allows people with disabilities to use their fundamental rights in the same way as everyone else.
Previously, Mophuting said that, people with disabilities were frequently under-represented worldwide, which prevented them from having the chance to take charge of their own lives. According to assistant minister, this frequently results in plans, programmes, and policy frameworks that aren't inclusive and don't adequately represent their interests. Mophuting added that it is crucial that they adhere to the Persons with Disability Act by creating action plans that facilitate the realisation of this subject in their attempts to increase the capacity development of leaders with disabilities.
