Locations
Muchinga Province participants and UNDP staff
The United Nations Development Programme, under the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD), hosted a pivotal capacity-building workshop for Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in Zambia. The workshop on Disability-inclusive Budgeting, Inclusive Financial management, Budget Tracking and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse aimed to strengthen OPDs’ capabilities in advocating for disability-inclusive policy formulation and implementation as well as advancing the socio-economic inclusion of persons with disabilities in Zambia.
The workshops hosted in Muchinga and Eastern Provinces mark a significant step in building the advocacy and financial management skills of OPDs in Zambia, empowering them to influence national development policies and drive socio-economic inclusion for persons with disabilities. By enhancing OPDs’ capacities, UNDP and partners aim to foster a stronger voice for disability inclusion within the country’s development agenda.
Despite the strides made, Persons with Disabilities continue to face significant barriers to full participation in society due to physical, social, and institutional challenges, as well as prevalent discriminatory attitudes. These barriers often result in lower economic and social status, restricted access to essential services, and heightened vulnerability to violence and exploitation, with particularly severe impacts on women and girls with disabilities.
“Socio-economic inclusion of persons with disabilities is in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the human rights framework, both which, uphold the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and the need for persons with disabilities to be guaranteed their full enjoyment without discrimination”.
In response to these challenges, UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS), Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD), Disability Rights Watch and the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), came together in Muchinga and Eastern provinces to support OPDs in advocating for disability-inclusive policies and programmes that address structural inequalities and empower persons with disabilities.
Also speaking on behalf of the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities Mr Frankson Musukwa, Senior Rehabilitation Officer Emmah Kaputo, Mr Musukwa said the training presents a vital opportunity for government representatives, cooperating partners, and organizations of/for persons with disabilities to collaborate on strategies that will enhance the participation of persons with disabilities in development matters.
“By implementing disability inclusive budget tracking, organizations and governments can ensure equal access and opportunities for persons with disabilities. Further, implementing disability inclusive financial management promotes equal economic opportunities, social inclusion and human rights for persons with disabilities,” Mr Musukwa said.
“UNDP has a clear mandate to advance the core principles of the UN Charter and support disability inclusive development through the twin complementary frameworks of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are mutually inclusive. As the development branch of the UN system, UNDP supports member states as they seek to achieve the SDGs by 2030 and fulfil their human rights obligations under the CRPD; we do so through a human rights-based approach to our programming,” said Mr Wakiaga.
Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) was also a critical focus of the workshops. Disability often heightens the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and exclusion from development and humanitarian interventions. A recent gender assessment by Care Zambia (2024) in Kalomo and Mambwe districts highlights increased risks of SEA due to the prolonged drought and deepening poverty, which exacerbate household vulnerability and increase GBV risks. Access to social safety nets, including emergency social cash transfers, is reportedly marred by SEA. Recognizing these challenges, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) training is integrated into this capacity-building programme to empower persons with disabilities to protect themselves against SEA and GBV and to advocate for secure access to essential resources.
In a speech read on behalf of UNDP’s Resident Representative James Wakiaga by Gender Specialist Kampamba Chewe Mubanga at both workshops, Mr Wakiaga said “Disability inclusion must be consistently mainstreamed across all national policies and programmes, with specific, measurable actions and adequate resources, by doing so, we will foster a society where persons with disabilities can equally and effectively contribute to Zambia’s development.”
The capacity-building initiative marks a meaningful step toward realizing an inclusive society in which persons with disabilities can exercise their rights and participate in Zambia’s national development on an equal basis with the rest of the population.
Mr Wakiaga reiterated UNDP’s commitment to collaborate with all stakeholders to advance disability inclusion and empower communities across Zambia.
The UNPRPD is a global initiative that unites UN entities, governments, OPDs and civil society to uphold the rights of persons with disabilities, ensuring that disability inclusion remains a central focus of international development efforts. As a committed partner in this mission, UNDP joins other UN agencies, including the ILO, UNICEF, and UNFPA, in supporting initiatives that promote inclusive growth, empowerment, and sustainable development for all.
