Minister of Community Development and Social Services Doreen Mwamba has reiterated Government’s committement to advancing of rights of persons with disabilities through the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Ms. Mwamba said this during the General Debate when she delivered Zambia’s National Statement at the ongoing 16th Session of the Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The Minister said the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities is critical for progressive implementation and delivery of policies, laws and administrative measures that guide governments’ decisions towards an economic, sustainable, and inclusive development agenda.

The Minister said Government seeks to enable communities, systems, and structures to combat discrimination and promote effective participation of all persons with disabilities.

She also said Government had embarked on economic empowerment and entrepreneurship by decentralising administration of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) down to the community level to benefit youths, women, and persons with disabilities through cooperatives.

“The Government with support from development partners has partnered with the Zambia Federation of Employers to create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in the labour market, in addition to the 10% quota system on employment in the Government,” she said.

Ms. Mwamba said despite the strides made so far, Zambia continued to grapple with provision of affordable, assistive technologies that were critical to the effective inclusion and full participation of persons with disabilities.

This is contained in a statement issued by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations Namatama Njekwa.