The disabled community of Mtwalume recently held a peaceful march to create awareness on disability, also educating families not to feel ashamed of a disabled family member.
The founder of a disabled home in the area, Lungile Ndlovu said the march included people with various disabilities, including the mentally and physically challenged, the deaf and those born with albinism.
Ndlovu said the purpose of the march was for the community to remember that the disabled are also human and deserve to be taken care of like any other person.
“In the black community we often feel ashamed of our disabled child, sister, brother or other family members. We keep them indoors and hide them from the community which is a violation of their rights.
“Some of the disabled are abused in our communities and the perpetrators get away with it. We plead with the community to respect us and also know that we have rights. We ask the police to protect us from criminals and to take the abuse of a disabled person seriously,” Ndlovu added.
Ayanda Shozi who chairs the Disabled People’s Desk in Umzumbe Municipality said as the march is during the 16 Days of Activism, disabled people want to be respected and protected.
“Disabled rights are violated everywhere, especially at clinics, hospitals and police stations. At the clinics we are stigmatised, for example, as a disabled person when I take condoms from the stands, people ask me why am I taking condoms and what will I use them for, that is wrong and is a violation of my rights.
“With this march we are saying as disabled people we exist and we belong in our communities, and we are human and our voices should be heard,”Shozi concluded.
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