Somalia introduces Persons with disabilities bill

Somalia’s Federal government on Thursday introduced a bill protecting the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PWDS), which will improve the lives of people with disability, their families and carers.
The bill covers a variety of issues relating to people with disability, such as physical, mental and multiple disability, was part of the weekly-cabinet meeting agenda.
According to the Ministry of Labour and Social affairs officials, the main purpose of the Bill is to enhance protections and enshrine the rights of people with disability into law. However, the debate on the bill was postponed to the next weekly-cabinet-meeting.
‘’This bill is aimed to protect and safeguard the rights of the disabled people,’’ read a statement following the meeting.
More than two decades of conflict, inadequate health services and discrimination have left people with disabilities in Somalia at risk of forced marriage, violence, rape and repeated forced evictions, Amnesty International said in a report released earlier this year.
It called for the Federal government of Somalia ‘’to act decisively to ensure the rights of people with disabilities are protected in law and in practice’’.
Horseed Media