By Rahim Abdul
The Malawi government has made a commitment to involve associations and organizations representing persons with disabilities in the formulation of all policies and strategies before implementation.
This assurance was given by Kettie Langwe, Director of Poverty Reduction and Social Protection, during a stakeholder engagement meeting in Lilongwe on Monday.
Langwe emphasized that engaging persons with disabilities in the policy-making process will create opportunities for them to contribute based on their lived experiences, expectations, and needs.
This inclusive approach aims to address concerns raised by persons with disabilities, who have often reported that past policies were implemented without their input, negatively impacting their daily lives.
The meeting, which brought together various organizations of persons with disabilities, was described as fruitful by Charles Khaula, Chairperson of the Social Protection Taskforce and Executive Director of the Association of People with Disability in Malawi (APDM).
Khaula emphasized the importance of consultation prior to any project implementation to foster collaboration and inclusive development.
The initiative is supported by the Disability Rights Fund through the Spinal Injuries Association of Malawi (SIAM) and aims to ensure that persons with disabilities are actively involved in shaping policies that affect their lives.
This development is expected to promote more inclusive and responsive policies that cater to the needs of persons with disabilities.
