Disability Act crucial—Kachere

Malawi’s Minister of Disability and Elderly Affairs Reen Kachere says the easy-to-read version of the Disability Act 2012 will help raise awareness on disability issues.

Kachere said this during the second orientation meeting of easy to read version of the Disability Act 2012 in Mangochi on Tuesday.

She said the Act will safeguard the rights of persons with disability.

“The Act is a public document, which is there to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities in the country. This is why we have come together to share ideas and experiences for the mutual benefit of all of us and beneficiaries of the Act,” she said.

According to her, simplifying the Act will enable people to understand some of the issues.

“We are all aware that legal language is not easily understood by the public and therefore, it is only right and proper that the Act should be simplified so that the majority of people should understand when using it.

“In addition, the ministry is also planning to transcribe the easy to read document into English and Chichewa Braille as well as translating it into several local languages. The aim of the ministry is to ensure that the Act is widely publicised so that all citizens and other interested persons are aware about the contents of the Act,” she said.

The four-day workshop was made possible with funding from German Development Cooperation (GDC) and CBM through the Disability Mainstreaming Project.