Uganda will be participating in the UN SDG Summit in September 2023. At the summit, world leaders will carry out a comprehensive review of the state of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), respond to the impact of multiple crises facing the world .
As a participant, Uganda has prepared to present six additional commitments in its inclusive program under the strategy “Leave No one Behind.”
The strategy keenly looks at the needs of people with disabilities and how to ensure that while developmental programs are implemented, none of them is left behind .
Initiatives under this strategy cut across the education sector , health services , business , road safety and all programs that run within the country.
While efforts have been made, it is still clear that the systems in Uganda are not as inclusive as they should be.
Some of the gaps that have been pointed are the modes of communication, how health care services are offered , construction of infra structure among others that still hardly care for people with disabilities.
Recently some of the members among People With Disabilities were raising concern that they have been left behind with the parish model funds.
Concerning vaccination against Covid-19,it was also realised that a number of people with disabilities missed out on crucial information because their inadequacies were not attended to.
According Albert Byamugisha Head of National Social Development Goals Secretariat Office of the Prime Minister, there have been barriers to the full realisation of inclusion.
Some of these are inadequate opportunities for meaningful participation;
Inadequate funding for social protection; Limited access to health
service delivery for Persons with Disabilities and limited access to quality education among others.
This is not the first time these are being pointed out , however the government is optimistic that with new commitments more will be realised.
Byamugisha said through a press release; “As a country, we have come up
with an SDG rescue plan through six inclusive commitments that
will be presented by the President of Uganda at the UN SDG
Summit. These commitments were developed through an extensive
consultative process that included consultations with various
Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, Local Governments, Civil Society Organizations, Private Sector, and academia. These commitments too are inclusive of Persons with Disabilities.”
A report by Data Initiatives on Uganda’s disability data landscape indicates that an estimated 12 percent of the population have a disability, yet 22 percent of unemployed Ugandans have a disability. Research indicates that persons with disabilities have less opportunity for employment. This is not so different from what is happening with inclusion in other sectors.
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