29/09/2025
Signs of Hope Statement:
*International day of universal Access to Information - 28 September 2025*
Signs of Hope Trust joins the world in commemorating the International Day of Universal Access to Information. This year's theme "Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age" focuses on the importance of timely, comprehensive, and cross-border access to environmental information in an increasingly digital world.
For many persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe, access to information remains more of an aspiration than a reality. A significant number have never been to school due to systemic barriers, resulting in literacy challenges. Furthermore, there is a lack of information in accessible formats such as Sign Language, Braille, Easy-to-Read, and audio. Where information exists online, high data costs, unaffordable devices, and inaccessible websites continue to exclude people from essential knowledge about climate change, disaster preparedness, and environmental risks.
As we reflect on this year’s theme, it is important to stress that accessible information is not a privilege but a human right, enshrined in Sections 61 and 62 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Article 21 of the UNCRPD (ratified by Zimbabwe in 2013) further obliges States to ensure that persons with disabilities can access information on an equal basis with others.
We commend the Government of Zimbabwe for putting in place the Freedom of Information Act, which provides a framework for ensuring that citizens can access public information. As an organization, we have successfully used this piece of legislation to, among other things, produce the Database of Community Information Centers in Zimbabwe.
To make universal access to information a lived reality, especially in the context of environmental risks, we call on the Government of Zimbabwe and relevant stakeholders to:
1. Provide accessible formats in all environmental communication.
2. Ensure the Universal Service Fund (USAF) prioritizes lowering data costs and improving ICT access for persons with disabilities.
3. Develop accessible websites and digital platforms in line with global accessibility standards.
4. Strengthen cross-border collaboration to share environmental information in ways that leave no one behind.
Access to information is a vehicle for empowerment, vital for survival and dignity. Persons with disabilities must enjoy it on an equal basis with others.
