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6.0 Policy Priority Areas

This policy focused on the priority areas that seek to improve on the quality of life as well as the inherent potentials of PWDs. The policy also strives to provide a framework for protection and promotion of PWDs. The policy priority areas will, therefore, include the following:

6.1 Elevating Disability Sector to a high Profile Ministry for Visibility

6.2 Training and Education (Capacity Building)

Often times, PWDs lack equitable access to opportunities for training (skilling) and education. For this reason, the policy will strive to ensure that PWDs have equitable access to capacity building interventions at all levels. Through this policy, EAC will implement the following interventions:

  • Promoting special needs education at all levels and including apprenticeship, vocational, functional education and life-long multi-skilling and training.
  • Equipping service providers with disability-friendly skills and knowledge for effective service delivery and management.
  • Establishing centres for special programmes designed for PWDs empowerment
  • Promoting EAC Country Specific Networks to promote best practices and learning among EAC member states.

6.3 Economic Empowerment

Although poverty is a common phenomenon within the East African Community, PWDs tend to be more affected than others. This policy therefore will pursue recommended the following interventions:

  • Establishing a Regional Disability Development Fund to cater for special needs of the PWDs
  • Promoting centres for Special programs for PWDs
  • Promoting Research documentation and dissemination on strategies that have worked in economic empowerment of PWDs
  • Promoting affirmative action for employment of people with disabilities.

6.4 Accessibility to physical facilities and services

PWDs are adversely affected by the conventional design of infrastructure and many social amenities and facilities and services. EAC shall through this policy ensure that the following interventions are taken:

  • Promote development/establishment of disability user-friendly facilities and infrastructure including education, health, judiciary, transport including air transport.
  • Promote the use of sign language, Braille, tactile at EAC level including EAC conferences.
  • Establish a tax-free regime on all equipments that facilitate PWDs including equipments and motor vehicles.

6.5 Social Protection

PWDs are often more hit than other people due to lack of social protection safety nets. This policy will ensure that PWDs have special social protection safety nets to shield them from the vagaries of nature and other unfortunate incidences. Through this policy, the following interventions will be applied:

  • Establish disability oriented budget for safety nets
  • Establish mechanisms that are disability responsive in situations of humanitarian emergencies, risks, armed conflicts, and occurrence of natural disasters
  • Design and implement special psychosocial and counseling initiatives for PWDs
  • Establish an EAC machinery on social protection which will address disability issues of the children, youth, gender and elderly
  • Mainstream social protection of PWDs in all EAC development programmes and interventions
  • Carry out research documentation and dissemination of best social protection strategies for PWDs

6.6 Participation and Representation of PWDs

Exclusion of PWDs in the design and implementation of programmes and strategies renders many programmes ineffective in addressing PWDs issues. To this end, this policy will promote the following interventions:

  • Establish a disability desk at the EAC
  • Create EAC Disability Council
  • Ensure mainstreaming disability in the EAC decision making process
  • Ensure that PWDs participate in designing, implementing /managing and monitoring and evaluation of programmes that affect them
  • Support and strengthen disabled people’s organizations that among others sharpen their civil competence, create exposure and confidence; and generally empower PWDs
  • Organize regular conferences for PWDs
  • Establish networks and promote regular exchange programs
  • Ensure that PWDs do effectively and fully participate in political and public life

6.7 Care and Support

Care and support will include provision of guidelines and basic physical and psychosocial needs of PWDs. Intervention to this end will include:

  • Developing standard guidelines for service delivery to PWDs in the EAC
  • Increasing awareness on the needs and rights of PWDs especially among the EALA members, Heads of state and other policy-makers
  • Promoting positive attitude and cultural values that protect and benefit PWDs in EAC.
  • Promoting capacity building of families, caregivers, guardians and professionals providing services for the PWDs.
  • Promote the conformity of international standards of the assistive devices used by the PWDs
  • Promote the provision of health services needed by PWDs specifically because of their disability, and as close as possible to their community
  • EAC to develop measures and incentives to support employment and self employment activities for PWDs

6.8 Research and Management Information systems

EAC will put in place mechanisms to collect, analyze, document and disseminate comprehensive information on PWDs. The interventions will include among others:

  • Conducting disability related research
  • Creating a full disaggregated data bank for PWDs in terms of the category, gender, age, education and socioeconomic status and other variables
  • Establish information channels (media programmes, films, documentaries, documentation of best practices, web sites etc)
  • Establish Management Information and Monitoring and Evaluation systems on PWDs

6.9 Sensitization and awareness creation

Interventions will include:

  • Creating effective publicity mechanisms and channels including using all organs of the media to portray PWDs in a positive manner
  • Promote positive perception and greater social awareness towards disability and PWDs
  • Promote fundamental basic rights and freedoms such as education, training and rehabilitation through lobbying and advocacy
  • Promote recognition of the skills, merits and abilities of PWDs
  • Fostering at all levels an attitude of respect for the rights of PWDs

6.10 Affirmative action

This will include establishing a mechanism whereby access to basic social services is mainstreamed through affirmative action. This will involve designing and developing appropriate interventions by stakeholders at all levels. The interventions will include promoting:

  • Access to universal free education for all and training
  • Access to quality health care including sexual and reproductive health
  • Access to clean, safe water and sanitation
  • Access to descent shelter (Housing)
  • Access to proper food nutrition and food security
  • Access to justice
  • Access to disability user friendly facilities

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