Zambia has received a $700,000 grant from the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD), in a significant stride towards enhancing the welfare of persons with disabilities in the country.

The grant aims to bolster financial inclusion and access to public financing through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for persons with disabilities to improve their welfare across various socio-economic sectors.

Various stakeholders have since converged at the UNICEF-supported UNPRPD capacity-building workshops in Monze, Choma, and Livingstone for direct engagement with persons with disabilities to foster a deeper understanding of their challenges and explore avenues for improved financial support across various sectors.

Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) Director General, Mr Frankson Musukwa who officiated in Livingstone, emphasized the workshop’s focus on translating principles of equality, non-discrimination, and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) compliant budgeting into tangible policies and services.

He said this approach underscores the importance of cohesive, inter-sectoral efforts to effectively address the needs of persons with disabilities through available channels such as the CDF.

Meanwhile, in Choma, the Senior Social Welfare Officer at the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Ms Shishe Mwale underscored the necessity for inclusive participation in policy formulation and highlighted the CRPD’s implementation processes.

She outlined in her presentation Zambia’s situational analysis across four key thematic areas which include social accountability, public financing for disabilities, inclusion, and empowerment which she said were key in advancing Zambia’s milestone effort in securing the grant.

The $700,000 grant represents a pivotal step towards fostering a more inclusive society where persons with disabilities access public finances to foster their full participation and independent living.