President Mugabe arrived in Malawi on Sunday 9th February 2014 to attend the African Leaders Forum on Disability. He was welcomed by Malawian president Joyce Banda and her foreign affair minister Ephraim Chiume. He was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Secretary in the
Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George
Charamba, and other government officials.The two-day forum seeks to improve the welfare of people living with
intellectual disabilities in both their social and economic
circumstances, and their access to basic human rights. Sexual abuse of people with developmental disabilities is common because
of their greater risk of victimization, and often goes unreported. Most
times, the perpetrators are authority figures in the victim's life.Research suggests that 97 to 99 percent of abusers are known and trusted by the victim.
Most abusers assume the mentally challenged will not report the abuse
and, more often than not, they are right. Malawi and Special Olympics
-- the largest organisation for people living with disabilities in the
world -- are hosting the forum together with African leaders, disability
and global development organisations, businesses and civil society, and
Special Olympics athletes, to make a difference in the largely
marginalised lives of people with intellectual disabilities.
The goal is to ensure that global development policies, programmes,
organisations, and the post-2015 development agenda are fully inclusive
of people with disabilities. Other delegates to the forum include the
Chair of the African Union Commission Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, UNESCO
director for education Mmantsetsa Marope, Malawi Minister of
Disabilities Rachel Kachaje, and Unicef Zimbabwe deputy director Dr Jane
Muita.
The forum will conclude tonight with a State dinner hosted by President Banda at Kamuzu Palace.
No comments:
Post a Comment