Government Implementation of the Standard Rules
As Seen By Member Organizations of
Inclusion International - ILSMH

Zimbabwe

Download 'ILSMH Reports on the UN Standard Rules' as a PDF file (258 KB)

---

© Dimitris Michailakis 1997

Zimcare Trust, Zimbabwe
No reply was received from the Government of Zimbabwe.
Compare with the following Country Report(s): WBU (Zimbabwe National League of the Blind), WBU (The Council for the Blind), WFD

General policy

The officially recognized disability policy is expressed in law and in guidelines adopted by a national disability council. The emphasis in this policy - in descending scale - is on anti-discrimination law, accessibility measures, rehabilitation, individual support and prevention.

Since the adoption of the Rules the government has not done anything to convey the message of full participation.

Legislation

The rights of persons with disabilities are protected by a combination of special legislation and general legislation. The judicial mechanism available to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is due process (legal remedy through the courts), while the non-judicial is an Ombudsman.

General legislation applies to persons with different disabilities with respect to education, employment, access to court of law, the right to privacy and to property rights. The only benefit guaranteed by law to persons with disabilities is health and medical care.

No new legislation concerning disability has been enacted since the adoption of the Rules.

Accessibility

There are no rules to ensure accessibility of the built environment. No responsible body exists to ensure accessibility of the built environment. The only measure which has been promoted in order to facilitate this accessibility is the ensuring of access to public places. There are no special transport arrangements for persons with disabilities. The most difficult obstacles, when planning to build accessible environments, are attitudinal factors, economic/budgetary factors, lack of legislation and regulations, lack of co-operation from other organisations/institutions and lack of enforcement mechanism. There is no disability awareness component incorporated in the training of planners, architects and construction engineers.

Sign language is recognized as the official language of deaf people, is used as the first language in education of deaf people and is recognized as the main means of communication between deaf persons and others. There are government measures to encourage media to make their services accessible to persons with disabilities, but there are no measures to make other forms of public information services accessible. The only service provided in order to facilitate information and communication between persons with disabilities and others is literature in Braille.

Organizations of persons with disabilities

There is a national umbrella organization. There are no legal provisions mandating the representatives of persons with disabilities to participate in policy-making or to work with governmental institutions. Organizations of persons with disabilities are sometimes consulted, when laws and regulations with a disability aspect are being prepared. Consultations occur at the national level. The government gives financial support to organizations of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities participate to a very limited extent in government and legislature but to a great extent in political parties and NGOs. The role of organizations of persons with disabilities is to advocate rights and improved services, mobilize persons with disabilities, identify needs and priorities, participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services and measures concerning the lives of persons with disabilities, contribute to public awareness, provide services and promote/organize income generating activities.

Co-ordination of work

The co-ordinating committee is reporting to the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Ministry. The committee includes representatives of the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs, and of Education as well as from organizations of persons with disabilities. The government expects the committee to participate in policy development and to perform other tasks. It is too early for an assessment about the effects of the establishment of the co-ordinating committee.

It is too early to assess the effects of the Standard Rules.

---

Contents of the ILSMH Report | Compare with the following Country Report(s): WBU (Zimbabwe National League of the Blind), WBU (The Council for the Blind), WFD