Government has intensified efforts to promote disability inclusion following the official opening of the inaugural Zimbabwe National Disability Symposium by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Edgar Moyo, at Rainbow Towers Hotel, Harare yesterday.
The symposium is running under the theme, “Towards an Inclusive Future, A Self-Assessment of the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Zimbabwe.”
Officially opening the event, Minister Moyo said disability inclusion must move beyond policy aspirations and become a practical reality embedded across all sectors of society.
“Inclusion is not an aspiration but an operational reality that requires technical rigor, sustained financing and the full participation of persons with disabilities,” he said.
Minister Moyo said the symposium represented an important platform for reflection, dialogue and collective action towards building a more inclusive Zimbabwe.
“This gathering demonstrates Government’s commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities are fully integrated into national development processes and are not left behind in the country’s socio-economic transformation agenda,” he added.
He noted that meaningful inclusion required coordinated interventions across Government ministries, local authorities, the private sector and development partners.
“Disability inclusion cannot be achieved in isolation. It requires strong institutional systems, adequate resources and active engagement with organisations representing persons with disabilities to ensure policies respond to lived realities,” Minister Moyo said.
The minister said the self-assessment approach adopted at the symposium would help identify existing gaps, measure progress and inform future policy direction.
“We must honestly assess where we are succeeding and where further improvements are needed in areas such as education, healthcare, employment, accessibility, social protection and participation in public life,” he added.
Stakeholders attending the symposium are expected to deliberate on strategies to strengthen accessibility, improve social services, enhance economic empowerment opportunities and align Zimbabwe’s disability policies with international standards and obligations.
Zimbabwe has in recent years increased focus on disability mainstreaming as part of broader efforts to promote equality and inclusive development under Vision 2030.
