3.0 Rationale
Including disability in mainstream society and mainstream development programmes has the result that persons with disabilities are no longer dependent on caregivers but (deemed) capable of making their own decisions for life. It is important to include the opinions of several groups of persons with disabilities in the stages of the development process to find out in what way their needs would be served best. Increased participation in designing and implementing services and providing information by persons with disabilities and DPOs leads to more effectiveness, ownership and sustainability.
Of course, the ultimate goal is empowerment, so that people with a disability can stand up for themselves. The EAC policy on PWDs promotes and contributes to ensuring the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. The policy will inform other policies, programmes and sectoral plans among the EAC countries. It will promote a framework for:
- Enhancing the recognition of the roles, contributions and potential s of PWD in the development process.
- Strengthening/developing the informal and formal community based support systems and actions for PWDs.
- Recognizing that disability is not inability and providing special safety nets for PWDs.
- Ensuring and improving access to justice, rehabilitation, education, training and community sports
- Guiding, coordinating and harmonizing interventions for PWDs by stakeholders.
- Promoting and protecting disability rights as human rights.
- Promoting research on issues of PWDs
- Promoting the self representation and participation of people with disabilities in all public decision making structures.
This policy is consistent with the following international Instruments for promotion of human rights and these are:
- United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights ( 1948)
- International Convention on economic, social and cultural Rights (1966)
- Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)
- The UN Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for PWDs (1993)
- The Convention on the Rights of PWDs (2006)
- The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (1981)
- Continental Plan of Action for PWD in Africa (2002)
- Windhoek Declaration (2008)
- Common Market Protocol (2009)
- The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
- The UN Convention on Civil and Political Right (1966)