UNZA, ILO and ZAPD Embarks On A Mass Registration Exercise For People Living With Disabilities

The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, University of Zambia (UNZA) and the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD), have embarked on a mass registration exercise for people living with disabilities in Western Province.

ILO Technical Advisor, Kagisanyo Kelobang said the aim of the registration is to identify and record details of all people living with disabilities so that they can benefit from social protection.

Mr Kelobang disclosed that currently the Information Management System (IMIS) has very few numbers of persons with living with disability, which has prompted ILO to embark on an ambitious exercise to register all individuals living with disabilities in Western province.

During a call with Western Province Minister, Kapelwa Mbangweta, earlier this morning, Mr. Kelobang said the exercise will be conducted in eight districts of Western Province namely Mongu, Kalabo, Senanga, Shangombo, Sesheke, Mwandi and Lukulu.

“We want to capture all the details of people living with disabilities so that they too can enjoy full rights of the law,” he added.

Zambia Agency for Persons with Disability (ZAPD) Inspector, John Kinuna said the registration exercise will also enable people living with disability to be certified and access a personal disability card.

“There is a requirement in the government where for everyone living with disability to access a service, they have to produce a personal disability card,” he pointed out.

Mr. Kinuna said most of their members have been disadvantaged from accessing government services because they did have the necessary documents.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Minister, Kapelwa Mbangweta has commended ILO and its partners for initiating such a programme that he hopes will benefit the people living with disability in the province.

Mr. Mbangweta has since urged the team to use the local radio stations to make the people aware of the mass registration to get the best response from local communites.