WINDHOEK, Namibia - The United Nations in Namibia together with the Namibian government hosted a national disability forum from 14 – 15 September 2021.

The two-day meeting aimed at implementing strategies of disability plan looking at the training on the rights of persons with disabilities and to develop a national disability strategy amongst others.

Speaking at the event, UNFPA stressed the need for people with disabilities to be treated equally like everyone else.

“Representative organizations can raise awareness of and advocate for the needs of persons with disabilities, and contribute to planning and implementation for building equal, inclusive, sustainable and resilient communities,” stated Grace Hidinua, NFPA HIV Prevention and Family Planning Specialist.

She added: “This requires both mainstream and specific disability-inclusive policy making in our social-economic response to improve outcomes for persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, and empower them in all aspects of life.”

On her part the director at the ministry of gender equality, Luciana Nghifindaka stated that the government made a commitment to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities are promoted

“The government of the Republic of Namibia is a signatory to the united nations conventions and protocols. Therefore the government signed the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities on the 25 April 2007 and ratified the convention including its optional protocols on the 4 December 2007.”

The highlighted outcome of the national disability forum are namely communicating strategies, data collections and implementing modules for persons with disabilities at different institutions just to mention a few.

Some of the mentioned ongoing communication strategies to make the national disability forum a success include finalizing rehabilitation of persons with visual impairment, establishing a regional network and following up the implementation of recommendations.