By Fuli Dickens Isaac.
Grace Akol, a visually impaired lady, spent several years trying to secure a job in South Sudan. Despite Akol being educated, the employment environment couldn’t make Akol to compete favorable with able-bodied job seekers. After sitting several interviews without success, her luck came when she got a job offer at Light for the World, a non-governmental organization, that supports visually impaired persons globally.
“We are neglected in the job market, as employers both in the public and private sectors say that we can’t work well. Many employers look at us as a burden,” Akol narrates, adding that despite South Sudan drafting good policies and laws to protect and encourage inclusivity like the South Sudan National Disability and Inclusion Policy 2013, (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://old.apminebanconvention.org/fileadmin/APMBC/Victim_Assistance_Docs/South-Sudan-National-Disability-and-Inclusion-Policy.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj9j_jij5OJAxXr9QIHHfBsD2YQFnoECBAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0n1yQFr316Dw7bWkLuVl11 ) their implementation by the concerned authorities has remained a challenge.
Akol adds, “In the education sector, many of the children with disability are excluded as the infrastructure established does not favor them. Many have consequently dropped out of school,” she elaborates.
According to Akol, some parents even don’t support the education of their children with disability. She however notes that “educating a child with a disability is an empowerment and I encourage the relevant authorities to ensure that persons with disability are enrolled in both public and private schools and emphasis should also be made to retain their enrollment.”
Grace Akol being interviewed by Fuli Dickens
Akol is one among thousands of persons with disability in South Sudan who are struggling with inclusivity in this country as the inclusion bill pending in parliament has still not passed.
Augustino Wudu Ilario, chairperson South Sudan Union of persons with disability says that all stakeholders need to be involved in supporting the bill to promote inclusivity in South Sudan.
“We are facing a lot of challenges in our communities in terms of education, health, and access to public facilities. Government must provide inclusive and free education for all persons with disability in South Sudan to empower us,” Ilario says, noting that many people say that persons with disability should not be sent to schools because they are wasting resources, but what able person can do, a person with disability can also do and even do better.
Ilario encourages the parents of persons with disability to always give them psychosocial support.
“We generally prefer the language of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability. I encourage the Ministry of General Education and instructions to put school-based policy and guidelines for promoting inclusion of children with disability in learning and co-curricular activities in the schools in South Sudan,” he adds.
Ilario continues, “The school-based inclusive education policy is intended to engage school administrators, stakeholders, and the general public in a frank discussion of issues and concerns regarding the development of inclusive education in the country. The school-based policy and guidelines for promoting the inclusion of children with disability in learning and co-curricular activities were piloted in a few schools in Juba and in Aweil South Sudan.”
Augustino Wudu Ilario-Chairperson of the Union of Persons with Disability in South Sudan.
(Photo by Fuli Dickens Isaac)
Edmun Yakani, Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), a Nongovernmental organization that supports inclusivity, says that persons with disability have the right to education. “All pupils and students with disabilities have the right to enroll in public and private educational establishments and also have the same right to receive scholarships as other pupils and students unless other contrary provisions apply,” he notes.
Yakani adds that “our mandate as a civil society organization in the country is to ensure equal opportunity for all. We need the State to develop Programmes for physical and mental rehabilitation aiming at enabling persons with disabilities to fulfill their potential and to fully exercise their capacities and talents in society.”
Yakani now encourages persons with disability who have the required qualifications and competence to carry out their duties, role, and responsibilities without fear or favor and without being discriminated. “As civil society organizations in South Sudan, we shall keep struggling to ensure that the persons with disability are heard by the government and private sectors.”
Yakani calls upon the South Sudan National Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of General Education and Instruction, and the Ministry of Gender, child, and Social Welfare to provide the actual database of persons with
Edmun Yakani-ED CEPO
The representatives of the persons with disability in government says that inclusion is being championed by the government at all levels. Hon. Moi Linga, the Member of Parliament representing persons with disabilities in the National parliament notes that inclusion is not a big challenge in South Sudan. “I will not disappoint my members of the union of persons with disabilities in South Sudan in addressing issues affecting their life in sector of education, health, livelihoods and public accessibilities,” the legislator notes, adding that “We continue to do advocacy to support persons with disability to encourage them to feel like anyone who has the right to education, right to vote among others” he stresses.
According to Linga, all eyes are now on government which is expected to take a proactive role in the Domestication of the United Nation convention on Right of persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). This, he explains involves establishing a National Disability council to provide technical advice and monitor the implementation of the UNCRPD.
Hon.Julius Moi Linga-National MP representing persons with disability
The National Disability And Inclusion Policy
The national disability and inclusion policy 2013 is aimed at the realization of human rights by Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and the promotion of PWDs well-being. This is key to achieving sustainable and inclusive development.
Ayaa Benjamin Warrille, National Minister of Gender Child and Social welfare says that the ministry is working closely with PWDs to achieve the desired goal set the national disability and inclusion policy.
Warrile adds, “We are now working on the National action plan and disabilities Bill which is now before parliament for enactment before its sent to the president for final endorsements. As a ministry, we are optimistic that once that inclusion Bill becomes law, it will greatly protect the rights of persons with disability and encourage inclusivity in South Sudan.”
Ayaa Benjamin Warille, National Minister for Gender Child and Social Welfare.
(Photo by Fuli Dickens Isaac)
When asked about the disability inclusion Bill pending in parliament, the national legislative assembly spokesperson said at soon the Bill will be passed into law.
Hon. Oliver Mori, the spokesperson of the Revitalize Transitional National Legislative Assembly notes that parliament has not forgotten this Bill, adding that Parliament will continue working with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare to see that every issue affecting persons with disability is addressed.
Oliver Mori TNLA Spokesperson
Despite decades of conflict and its impact on poverty and services, leaving many South Sudanese with different types of disabilities, there are no official statistics in relation to disability prevalence.
However, according to a national census carried out in 2008, before the 2011 independence of South Sudan, persons with disabilities accounted for 5.1% of the population, although the census is controversial and the number of disabled people is believed to be an underestimate (Legge, 2016, p. 1; Anyang, 2016, p. 4; Sida, 2014, p. 1).
Based on global estimates of 15% of the world’s population living with disabilities, South Sudan is estimated to have more than 1.2 million people with disabilities (HRW, 2017; Forcier et al, 2016, p. 4). A 2016 household survey carried out by the Food Security and Livelihood Cluster in South Sudan also found that around 15% of households have at least one disabled family member (WFP, 2017, p. 6). Figure 1 shows the percentages for each state.
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Steps to End Stigma and Discrimination
There remains limited awareness of disability issues among policymakers, planners, community leaders, and the population in general. Communities often discriminate against and marginalize PWDs because of negative beliefs, norms, and customs. This is mainly due to the limited understanding by the communities of the causes of disabilities as well as of the rights, potential, and abilities of PWDs. It is necessary to raise awareness at all levels, including at the family level, regarding the rights of people with disabilities
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In a September 2024 National Disability Assessment report by the South Sudan Ministry of Gender Child and Social Welfare, 89.3 percent of persons with disability were unemployed, 4.5 percent had been employed and 6.2 percent were engaged in business.
The report adds that persons with intellectual impairments are the least likely to be employed (7.7 percent) and the most likely to be unpaid workers when active and with a high risk of exploitation.
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Persons with disabilities as other citizens of South Sudan are guaranteed by the constitution to access equal services though often excluded in the design and implementation of interventions. This has greatly contributed to their inadequate participation and employment in the key government and private institutions.
They lack representation in various government institutions affects full participation in planning, decision-making, designing and implementing interventions for improved service delivery.
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On 24 February 2023, South Sudan took a historic step forward for disability inclusion by signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This means that the government will now have a legal duty to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of people with disabilities in South Sudan.
Article 3 of the CRPD covers the General Principles. This includes respect for inherent dignity, non-discrimination, full and effective participation and inclusion in society, and respect for difference and acceptance of people with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity.
The CRPD also urges governments to make sure that people with disabilities are consulted and have an active role in developing laws and policies that concern their rights.
