Disabled groups discuss legal framework

KIGALI - Representatives of various associations bringing together people living with disabilities on Friday met at Laico Umubano Hotel to discuss findings of a study comparing international conventions and Rwandan laws on the rights of persons with disabilities (PLWDs). The report was presented by the Association Générale des Handicapés du Rwanda (AGHR). “International conventions are wide that sometimes national laws may not connect with them; there are times they contradict,” Zacharia Nkudiye, the legal representative of AGHR , said in an interview. Nkudiye said that the one-day conference would help discuss how policies in the country can extensively facilitate PLWDs access services. “For example, the Government has provided laws and policies that can facilitate PLWDs access education, but all the Nine-Year-Basic-Education classrooms have stairs that are not favourable to people with disabilities,” Nkudiye explained. He also talked about the planned strengthening of federations and associations of PLWDs in Rwanda which will help in solving many of the challenges they face. Nkundiye gave an example of disabled beggars who end up on the streets due to poverty. He, however, added that their numbers have started reducing following massive campaigns which led to a number of them being integrated in different associations. According to him, Government has also supported PLWDs by helping them enrol in different vocational training programmes, which saw some disabled people begin small scale businesses. Ends