People living with disabilities in South Sudan’s Yei town of Central Equatoria State have complained about discrimination against disabled people within the community.
They called on the government’s ministry of gender and social development and development partners to ensure protocols that respect the rights of people living with disabilities are put in place in the country.
Nixson Duku, a resident living with a visual disability, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that despite the presence of several NGOs, private sector players, and government institutions in the area, people living with disabilities have been neglected and discriminated against.
“We as the people living with a disability are discriminated in the community and one of it is unemployment. NGOs and the private sector are discriminating and we are facing a lot of challenges in accessing other forms of services in the community and we want the government to fight against discrimination and promote equality,” Duku said.
Esther Nadia, another person living with physical impairment said that despite their disability, they have been abused and underrated by community members.
“We are not disabled in all our body parts, some of us have functional minds, some of us can become doctors, teachers, and other senior officer positions and there is no need to undermine this group of people,” Nadia lamented.
Isaka Taban, another person living with a disability, blames the government for not considering construction solutions for people like him in the community. Isaka said, most of the roads, government, and NGO offices are constructed favoring people without disability.
“The roads have been constructed without considering people living with a disability or using wheelchairs,” Taban said. “Even in the public and NGO offices and churches, the facilities are not favoring people with disability and this is very bad for people living with disabilities. We call on the government and the NGOs to look into these issues and empower people living with disabilities”
The Executive Director of a local NGO-Disable Action Group (DAG), Adis Victor, said his office has recorded several complaints raised by people living with a disability regarding abuse and discrimination.
“My concern is about abuses by service providers in public institutions like the hospitals and other offices. Persons with disabilities have been discriminated against and it is so bad. We want the government to address some of these challenges affecting people living with disabilities,” Adis said.
Ayeko Wani, an official at the gender office, confirmed that some of the people living with disabilities in Yei River County have been discriminated against and reiterated the commitment that his office will address some of the challenges affecting people living with disabilities in the community.
“As a government, we are aware of the challenges related to discrimination against people living with a disability. As an official in the gender office, I want to call on people living with disabilities to report challenges facing them to my office. As a government, we are ready to listen to their concerns and develop solutions together with the development partners,” Wani promised.