As Uganda will be celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) on December 3, 2024, a day meant to create awareness on the importance of promoting equality and full participation of PWDs in social life as well as development.

The national celebration held under the theme Improved Household Incomes: For the Wellbeing of Persons with Disabilities underscores the importance of increasing household incomes to enhance their well-being.

Action Aid activist Immaculate Akello, said that celebrating the international day of persons with disabilities serves as an opportunity to highlight the importance of equal rights, access, and opportunities for individuals with disabilities in all areas of life, such as education, employment, and healthcare.

“By celebrating this day, we not only recognize the contributions of people with disabilities but also advocate for policy changes that enhance their quality of life and break down societal barriers, fostering greater understanding and acceptance,” Akello added.

However, according to Paul Katiisa, a member of the National Union of Disabled Persons in Uganda, the government has put up many programs to support persons with disabilities, but there is still more need for affirmative action for people living with disabilities, and the general public also needs more sensitization on the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

“We still have challenges with access to many places, as most public areas and services do not include the needs of persons living with disabilities; many buildings do not have provisions for access for persons with physical disabilities, and this is a big challenge to many, he said.

The government of Uganda, through its national policy on inclusive education, has paved the way for the empowerment of all the population through the education-for-all initiative, which was introduced in 1997 to ensure that all children, regardless of their disability, have access to quality education.

Addressing the media at Uganda Media Centre on November 25, 2024, the Minister of State for Disability Affairs, Hellen Grace Asamo, revealed that the government would allocate 10% of the funds of the Parish Development Model (PDM) for Persons with Disabilities.

“In education, the government has continued to promote the inclusion of learners with disabilities through scholarships in higher institutions of learning with 64 slots of both female and male given every academic year,’’ she said.

Build Inclusive Communities for PWDs—Ministry of Gender

She commended the government of Uganda for setting up different initiatives to uplift and promote PWDs.

“We have made great progress in economic empowerment, health and disability inclusion, education, and access to information, among others,” Asamo noted.

This year’s celebrations will be held in Kumi Boma grounds with side activities that will be undertaken to raise visibility of persons with disabilities issues.

The celebration will feature different lined-up activities, including a National Disability Symposium with panel discussions on improved household incomes and the well-being of persons with disabilities, health camps—disability assessments, distribution of assistive devices, medical camps, media engagements, exhibitions, and other activities.