Zambian Deaf Youth and Women
HON CHRISTOPHER YALUMA, MINISTER FOR MINE & MINERAL DEVELOPMENT HON MWENYA MUSENGE, PROVINCIAL MINISTER & AREA MP DISTRICT COMMISSIONER AREA COUNCILLOR SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT THE DIRECTORS - MURRAY & ROBERTS GROUP LTD FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND ZAMBIA OFFICES ZDYW BOARD MEMBERS UNION LEADERS THE MEDIA FRATERNITY PRESENT MY FELLOW DEAF PERSONS MAY I SAY DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE AND HONOUR TO BE A PART OF THE OPENING OF THIS BRAND NEW BEAUTIFUL FACILITY. IT IS ALSO A GREAT DAY FOR THE DEAF COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THIS PROJECT – DEAF MULTI-PURPOSE CENTRE– IS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS OF OUR DEAF COMMUNITY IN ZAMBIA. IT IS A TRULY MARVELLOUS ACHIEVEMENT, FOR ALL THE TEAMS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY, TO MAKE THE VISION BEHIND THIS PROJECT FOR THE DEAF COMMUNITY A REALITY. IT BEING THE FIRST OF ITS KIND AND FOR THAT WE CAN BE TRULY PROUD. HON MINISTER, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AMONG US TODAY ARE THOSE WHO DREAMED THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM….TO DEVELOP THIS MAGNIFICENT CENTRE. HERE PRESENT TODAY ARE SO MANY WHO PLAYED A VITAL PART IN BRINGING OUR VISION INTO REALITY- WHOSE WORK HAS HELPED TO TRANSLATE OUR HOPES INTO SOMETHING TANGIBLE. FOR DEAF MULTI-PURPOSE CENTRE IN PARTICULAR FOR THE DEAF COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, THE OFFICIAL COMMISSIONING OF THE CENTRE IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO THANK FIRST AND FOREMOST TO THE FOLLOWING: • THE KITWE CITY COUNCIL FOR ALLOCATING US THIS PIECE OF LAND. WITHOUT THE KITWE CITY COUNCIL PROVIDING ZDYW THIS LAND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR US TO HAVE ACQUIRED AND BUILD ITS PREMISES WHERE WE ARE TODAY, • BEIT TRUST FOUNDATION, CBM ZAMBIA, HONOURABLE GBM, REAL LIFE MATTERS ZAMBIA AND OPPORTUNITY ZAMBIA FOR HAVING SUPPORTED ZDYW TO BUILD THESE PREMISES FROM INCEPTION. • MURRAY AND ROBERTS GROUP FOR HAVING CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF DEAF MULTI-PURPOSE CENTRE. THIS IS THE SPIRIT OF GENUINE SOCIAL CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY. HON MINISTER, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE ON MY PART TO NOT COMMEND THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE STRIDES MADE SO FAR TO ADDRESS THE PLIGHT OF DEAF PERSONS.AS YOU ALL KNOW, OUR GOVERNMENT HAS ENACTED PERSONS WITH DISABILITY ACT NO. 6 OF 2012 & NATIONAL POLICY ON DISABILITY WHICH HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY, SUCH AS THE NEED FOR THE PROVISION OF QUALITY EDUCATION TO DEAF PERSONS. THE CURRENT SITUATION HAS BEEN VERY UNFAVOURABLE FOR DEAF PERSON IN ACESSING SOCIAL SERVICES SUCH CHALLENGES ARE REAL ESPECIALLY FOR A DEAF PERSON WIHOUT EDUCATION. OTHER CHALLENGES THE CENTRE AND DEAF PERSONS FACE INCLUDE: THE CENTRE HAS NO VEHICLE FOR COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES – THIS IS DESPITE THE IDENTIFIED NEED IN THE RURAL AND URBAN OF COPPERBELT PROVINCE REGARDING DEAF PERSONS ESPECIALLY CHILDREN AND WOMEN, THE CENTRE HAS INADEQUATE HUMAN RESOURCES AS IT HAS NO FUNDS FOR PERMANENT STAFF/EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITY SCHOOL IS TOO INADEQUATE TO MEET THE DEMAND, DEAF PERSONS HAVE LIMITED SCHOOL UNITS IN THE PROVINCE, AND ARE TOO POOR TO AFFORD SCHOOL REQUISITES SUCH AS SCHOOL FEES, TRANSPORTATION, ETC, IF NOT ATTENDED TO THEY WILL REMAIN IN THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF POVERTY AND EXCLUDED FROM INCLUSIVE SOCEITY. THOUGH SUCH IS THE UNFORTUNATE LIFE OF DEAF PERSONS, ZDYW HAS SEIZED THIS MISFORTUNE AND BUILT THIS CENTRE. THIS HAS BEEN DONE WITH THE HELP OF PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS MURRAY AND ROBERTS CEMENTATION LIMITED. ON BEHALF OF DEAF COMMUNITY, I WOULD LIKE TO PASSIONATELY & HUMBLY APPEAL FOR: 1. THE GOVERNMENT, THROUGH YOU, HON MINISTER TO PROVIDE LAND FOR US TO START CONSTRUCTION OF A BOARDING SCHOOL AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE WHICH WOULD CATER FOR DEAF CHILDREN AND ADULTS ,BECAUSE WE STILL PLAN TO DO MUCH MORE THAN THIS AND CAN ONLY MANAGE WITH YOUR HELP. 2. MURRAY AND ROBERTS GROUP, WE HUMBLY REQUEST THAT YOU CONTINUE SUPPORTING US, EVEN AS WE EMBARK ON CONSTRUCTING THE BOARDING SCHOOL FOR DEAF CHILDREN AND SKILLS TRAINING CENTRE YOUR SUPPORT WILL FORVER BE CHERISHED. HON MINISTER, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE ALL RECOGNISE THAT A COMMUNITY DOES NOT SIMPLY MEAN LIVING NEXT TO EACH OTHER. A COMMUNITY IS WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE, LIKE US ALL HERE, HOLD THE SAME VALUES AND INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER TO CREATE A STRONG SENSE OF COHESIVENESS WHERE DEAF MULTI-PURPOSE CENTRE WILL NOW BE THE FOCAL POINT. I HOPE YOU FIND TIME TODAY TO EXPLORE THE BEAUTIFUL FEATURES OF DEAF MULTI-PURPOSE CENTRE. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PART OF TODAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU All
Joint Press Release 7th December, 2015
Post International day for persons with disabilities
“Inclusion matters: Access and empowerment of people of all abilities”.
Kitwe, 7th December 2015 – Following country’s commemoration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December, 2015, African Youth with Disabilities Network Zambia Chapter, African Deaf Initiative and Zambia Deaf Youth and Women appeals to the Government, Intergovernmental agencies including United Nations, CSOs and other stakeholders to leave no one behind and include youth and young persons with disabilities in decision making processes, development and emergency programmes at all levels.
The population of youth with disabilities in the world is between 180-220 million according to UNDESA.80% of this global population is found in developing countries due to limited resilience to hazards. There is limited data and statistics on youth with disabilities at national and regional level.
This year’s theme is “Inclusion matters: Access and empowerment of people of all abilities” under the slogan “Leave no one behind”. This year theme highlights the need to prioritize the needs and participation of persons with disabilities particularly children and youth with disabilities in realizing sustainable development goals and their inclusion in emergency programmes that saves lives and alleviate suffering in emergency areas around the World.
African Youth with Disabilities Network Zambia Chapter, African Deaf Initiative and Zambia Deaf Youth and Women appeals to Government and all other stakeholders to invest in data collection and statistics on youth with disabilities ,participation of youth with disabilities in all decision making processes and development and emergency programmes at all levels especially education, health and employment programmes.
For Deaf community to effective participate in development effort in the country, we implore the government to officially recognise Sign Language as 8th National Language of Deaf community. Sign language is central to the enjoyment of human rights and to the exercise of rights of citizenship of deaf. However, it remains largely a non-issue and unknown by most Zambians, thus widening the communication gap both among the Deaf and between the Deaf and our hearing colleagues. “The importance of sign language to the Deaf cannot be over emphasized. Sign language facilitates the enjoyment of the rights of the Deaf people, be it access to education, health service, information, they are all aided by communication through sign language”, We urge all duty bearers to use their powers to enforce the implementation of the legal provisions that provide for access to information for the Deaf and to improve on loopholes in the existing laws.
African Youth with Disabilities Network Zambia Chapter, African Deaf Initiative and Zambia Deaf Youth and Women calls for involvement of children and youth with disabilities in the development of the National Development plans, budgets and implementation of the sustainable development goals at all levels in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).
For and on behalf of
African Youth with Disabilities Network Zambia Chapter, African Deaf Initiative and Zambia Deaf Youth and Women
0977866459 (SMS) Or 0979464914 (Voice
Zambian Deaf Youth and Women Deaf Community Hub Chemwemwe Township, Kitwe 0977866459 (SMS) Or 0979464914
Joint Press Statement
For immediate release- 16th November, 2015
African Youth with Disabilities Network Zambia Chapter, African Deaf Initiative and Zambia Deaf Youth and Women, it has come to our attention that the Ministry of General Education’s recruitment of teachers violated the law by breaching the terms of the Disability Act No 6 of 2012 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The law clearly states that a prescribed percentage of teaching positions must be filled by qualified persons with disabilities. The recent declaration of successful candidates for teacher’s positions has completely disadvantaged Deaf applicants.
We, as organisations concerned and involved in promoting and protect the rights of Youth with disabilities condemn the Ministry of General Education for elimination, discrimination and violation of the right of Deaf citizens to employment in just ended recruitment process of teachers.
The Ministry of General Education decision to discriminate the recruitment of twelve (12) Deaf trained teachers’ applicants is direct assault on the right to education for Deaf children and right to employment for Deaf citizens. The Persons with Disabilities Act No 6 of 2012 Section 39, stipulates that, a minimum percentage of employment in public sector shall be reserved for persons with disabilities qualified for such employment.
Furthermore, Persons with Disabilities Act No 6 of 2012, Article 4 section 35:2, stipulates that, “A person with disability shall not be discriminated against on the basis of disability with regard to all forms of employment including conditions of recruitment, hiring and employment, continuance of employment, the creation, classification and abolition of positions, the determination of wages, pension or other benefits, apprenticeship, promotion, career advancement and safe and healthy working conditions.”
From a legal perspective, it is clear the Ministry of General Education has infringed the rights of twelve applicants with disabilities and should be prosecuted. Deaf education as can be evident has for decades been neglected and lagging behind by both MMD and PF government in terms of infrastructures, learning and teaching aids and specialised human resources. Deaf teachers are better role models for Deaf education and hence the action by the Ministry of General Education constitutes deprivation of Deaf children’ bright and secured future. This is not only against the law, it seriously disadvantages Deaf children in their opportunities by been denied Deaf role models educating them in their own language which is Sign Language.
We, therefore, wish to caution the Ministry of General Education that we have given them four (4) day ultimatum to ensure that all twelve (12) qualified Deaf teachers be recruited immediately which they are entitled to by the law. Failure to act on this, we will mobilise at State House ground and petition the President whose power is vested and seek litigation regarding this breach of the law.
JOINT STATEMENT BY ZAMBIA DEAF YOUTH AND WOMEN AND AFRICAN YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES NETWORK ZAMBIA CHAPTER ON 51ST INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY
Country men and women, as we celebrate the achievement of 51st Independence anniversary as country, Zambia Deaf Youth and Women and African Youth with Disabilities Network Zambia Chapter we pay special tribute and extol our founding fathers and mothers who sacrificed for a peaceful and prosperity Zambia. The price that they paid is too immense that no amount of money and rhetoric can be compensated, yet without ignominy as nation we have neglected the gallant soldiers. Many freedom fighters have died unappreciated, while others are wallowing in abject poverty what a reprehensible! What a legacy are we leaving behind as young generation by neglecting our founding fathers and mothers?
Country men and women, independence does not mean the absence of war, but ability of all citizens regardless to full enjoyment of their political, social, economic and cultural rights without interference from state agents. Yet we persons with disabilities have continued to live the lives of slavery in our country. We are not benefiting the national cake that our fore fathers and mothers were part and parcel of the liberation struggle. We are left out in decision making process that direct and indirect affect our lives, therefore, we feel that it’s meaningless to continue pretending that we are very part and parcel of a liberty Zambia.
51 years after independence youth with disabilities despite written many letters have been denied the opportunity to meet His Excellency the President Lungu, yet he has been proclaim that a State House door is open for all Zambian. That door is for a few privileged elite individuals like colonial days when African lived with restricted freedom of movement. Where is the relevance independence?