“The day is meant to focus on disability issues and the plight of disability all over the world so that people may realize that the disabled are part and parcel of society and the communities they belong to,” he said.
Minister of labour, industrial relations and social security, Mathew Teambo, said that disability rights would be recognized and that the disabled would not be left behind.
“It is a global responsibility and the day represents a global event that people celebrate in the world whether in large scale or small scale but we are all celebrating”, he said.
Country Director, Sight Savers Sierra Leone, Nancy Smart explained that the work of Sight Savers was to ensure that they eliminated avoidable blindness and also promote equality by facilitating disabled friendly environment in the country with support from the very disabled through the commission.
President of the Sierra Leone Union of Disability Issues, SLUDI, Kabba Frankly Bangura, stated that disables should not be left behind in any on-going development issues, adding that there should be equality in terms of health, education and job vacancy in the country.
Meanwhile, secretary general of the UN, Ban Ki-Moon, mentioned that this year’s objectives included assessing the current status of the convention of the rights of persons with disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals and laying the foundation for a future of greater inclusion for persons with disabilities.
The Global theme for this year is “Achieving 17 goals for the future we want.” This notes the recent adoption of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the role of these goals in building a more inclusive and equitable world for persons with disabilities.
