LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Federation of Disability Organization in Malawi (FEDOMA) has emphasized the need for the country’s leadership to enhance policies and legislations that promotes access to infrastructures and information among people with disabilities.
FEDOMA Acting Executive Director Simon Munde told The Maravi Post that easy access to infrastructures and information enables people with disabilities to participate in national development.
Munde lauded his organization for promoting rights of its members in the country over 25 years in existence.
He cited some key figures leading in both public and private orgainisations over the years of FEDOM existence.
Munde was speaking during the sidelines of FEDOMA’s Disability Rights Fund (DRF) and Disability Rights Advocacy Fund (DRAF) Grantee Convening under way in the capital Lilongwe.
“I’m delighted to note that rights for people with disabilities have been promoted over the years including access to education, political life. This is why we have inclusivity policies and legislation on education. Due to this, many of our members are in key positions both public and private sectors.
“As going forward after 25 years of existence, FEDOMA wants policies and legislations that enhance people with disabilities to have access to information and infrastructure for easy participation in national development,” urges Munde.
On the grantee convening, Munde said, “The Grantee Convening is also an opportunity for DRF/DRAF staff to review the progress that grantees have made, encourage collaboration amongst grantees taking into consideration the growing of number of OPDs, explain the DRF/DRAF new grant application system, grant making process in detail, different ways to apply for funding, and the willingness to support organisations working in alliances and reviewing of activities supported by DRF/DRAF.
“The upcoming 2025 national elections present an opportunity for the disability movement to advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the political spaces and the participation of persons with psychosocial disabilities and intellectual disabilities in these spaces. This is the reason we invited Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) legal counsel to brief our members on new electoral laws for easy participation for 2025 general elections”.
The meeting which runs from May 28 to 31, 2024 has attracted over 60 participants drawn from both public and private institutions, community grouping across the country.
The grantee convening aims at providing an avenue where the disability movement will have an opportunity to learn and understand what the Bill has and how they can use it to advance the rights of persons with disabilities within their organizations.
During the meeting, emergent organizations are expected to be equipped with knowledge on how these legal instruments can be used for advocacy.
The platform also provides initial engagement between grantees and various duty bearers
FEDOMA is an umbrella body of organizations of persons with disabilities in Malawi working to provide a unified voice for all persons with disabilities in the country.