By Priscilla Phiri

November 27, Lilongwe, Mana: President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has promised to make Malawi’s infrastructure more inclusive for people with disabilities, aligning with the goals of the Malawi 2063.

He made the commitment during the launch of the Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (MACODA) flag week at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Wednesday.

Chakwera stressed the need for proactive measures to ensure public spaces are accessible to everyone.

“Lack of consideration for disability in the design of public spaces is a common problem in our country. And it is not a problem that will go away by saying it; it requires taking decisive action and making corrections to the design of these spaces to demonstrate that we take disability rights and inclusivity seriously,” he said.

He, therefore, pledged to allocate resources to support disability rights within the Presidential Palace and other public spaces, setting a positive example.

He said State Residences has plans to ensure that some of the resources that Malawians entrust them with for the smooth running of the residences go towards empowering disability rights by making all public places in state residences disability inclusive.

“This will be done to ensure that every President, starting with me, sets an example of empowering disability rights,” he stated.

He revealed his intentions of ensuring that all public buildings are disability inclusive by 2030.

“We have to look into our entire approach to service our infrastructures and ensure that they are disability inclusive from hospitals, schools and everything in between,” he said.

He urged public and private institutions to identify and address gaps in disability inclusivity, emphasizing the collective responsibility in creating an inclusive society towards the realization of Malawi 2063.

Board Chairperson for MACODA, Alex Dzinkambani, praised the President for accenting to the Persons with Disability Bill into the Persons with Disabilities Act 2024.

The Act has facilitated the transition of the Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) to MACODA to better reflect inclusivity.

“Many persons with disabilities continue facing systematic barriers that hinder their full participation in society, and these challenges include limited access to education, healthcare, and employment,

“However, in the MACODA era, we are advocating that persons with disabilities should be able to enjoy the same services and facilities that everyone enjoys to the full,” he explained.

MACODA has been mandated to promote and protect the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities in Malawi, providing a simplified and cost-effective mechanism for addressing breaches of these rights.

Minister for Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Jean Sendeza, emphasized the need for stakeholders to collaborate with government in providing necessary resources and ensuring that the rights and voices of people with disabilities are heard.

This year’s MACODA flag week is held under the theme ‘Empowering disability rights: Paving the way for an inclusive Malawi towards Malawi 2063.’