03/12/2025
International Day for Persons with Disabilities
3 December 2025
A CALL TO AN AMBITIOUS DISABILITY INCLUSION DRIVE
Disability Rights Watch and the disability community in Zambia joins the global community in commemorating the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) under the theme " Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress "
We invite all persons with disabilities and their families, community members, civic and traditional leaders to join commemorations of this important day and celebrate human diversity and unite for an inclusive Zambia.
This year’s theme places social inclusion and leadership at the centre of national development and underscores the agency of persons with disabilities as rights holders who have the potential to contribute to development and make independent choices.
DRW acknowledges progress made in awareness raising, policy and legal reforms and service delivery. We call on the government to raise its level of ambition on the disability agenda as rhetoric must be matched with measurable action. To ensure accountability, we urge the Government to publish an annual disability-inclusion progress report that includes disaggregated targets and timelines.
Persons with disabilities continue to face challenges in accessing social services and economic empowerment opportunities. Government in the spirit of leaving no one behind needs to raise its level of ambition around disability issues and increase funding to the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities to at least K80 million by 2030. This can enable the agency to decentralize its services by opening district offices.
DRW stands ready to partner with government, OPDs, development partners and the private sector to translate these priorities into practical programmes.
The country needs to prioritise accessible public services and infrastructure.
Ensure that health facilities, schools, social protection registration centres and public transport are physically, communicationally and digitally accessible. Reasonable accommodation must be budgeted for and monitored.
Government should guarantee inclusive education and early support.
Invest in teacher training, accessible learning materials, and early identification/ support services so children with disabilities are not left behind in mainstream schools.
There is need to mainstream disability in social protection and economic inclusion and strengthen social protection programmes so they respond to disability-specific costs, and promote inclusive employment measures.
Ensure accessible digital services and information. As Zambia modernises digitally, all public-facing platforms and government services must meet accessibility standards so persons with disabilities can access healthcare, education, voting information and social safety nets.
There is need to promote leadership and meaningful participation in all aspects of life such that persons with disabilities must be meaningfully represented in national planning, budgets and decision-making at all levels. Leadership pathways for women and youth with disabilities require particular attention.
Bruce Chooma
SIGNED
Programmes Coordinator
