The very motto of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) stating ‘No one is left behind,’ is presumably practically exercised in Ethiopia as the government is working hard to provide all citizens, including people with disabilities, with balanced and inclusive service. The government has time and again heralded that the development which is run across the nation has to take the issues, interests and citizenship matters these people do possess into account since every sphere of progress undertaken setting their concerns aside leads nowhere.
It is also well recognized that people with disabilities, as precious segments of citizens, have to be provided with respect, amicable way, optimism, and willingness to find ways to communicate as the latter are the best tools to make them closer and feel safe among their compatriots.
The government is working towards empowering people with disabilities thereby making them full participants in every simmer of the society across the nation. Citizens can all make this goal a reality by respecting and accordingly assisting people with disabilities.
The Office of the First Lady Zinash Tayachew has been inaugurating schools, disability centers and other suitable establishments for citizens with a range of disabilities. The launching of The Sheika Fatima Bint Mubarak School for the Blind built through the Office of the First Lady is a clear manifestation of such a lucid commitment of the government to well empower people with disabilities. It was emphasized that meeting the needs of individuals/citizens with disabilities in due course of designing as well as building infrastructure in cities and towns is of paramount importance in boosting the confidence and courage of these segments of the society.
Yes, constructing schools for the blind, for the deaf and for those individuals with various forms of disabilities in general is a sign of civility, indeed! Here citing the words of the Premier during the launching of the aforesaid would be quite important to initiate others to do the same, ‘Learning from the success of this school for the blind, we need to make sure that the city infrastructure we build needs to pay attention to the needs of those with disabilities.”
The inauguration ceremony incorporated individuals with visual impaired entails that they are given due emphasis more than ever before. Most importantly, the significance of ensuring cities’ infrastructure helps accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities, maintain their safety and discharge respective responsibilities towards serving these people equally with those who are out of the category, and is part and parcel of the national agendum, too.
Unequivocally, as people with disabilities have the same needs all human beings do possess, first and foremost is to be treated with dignity, respect and sympathy, their interest has to be well met. Hence, when people interact with disabilities, they have to focus on their abilities, not their disabilities. People with disabilities are unique individuals who have a wealth of knowledge, skills, talents, interests, and experiences that add tremendous diversity, resourcefulness, and creative energy to the existing humanity.
True, the launch of the new centre/school signifies a considerable progression in delivering comprehensive services and inclusive administration and treatment. Plus establishing the visually/hearing impaired—focused centre would alleviate the worries of parents/guardians as well as the burden they themselves bear. In so doing, the government has helped citizens with disabilities lead happier and more prosperous lives via increasing the opportunity they would be benefited by providing them with equipment to walk, hear and to be led. As the school inaugurated comprises all facilities that are designed to make learning easy, students with disabilities will attend education with no difficulty.
All in all, Ethiopia has been doing a remarkable deed to put the ‘No one is left behind,’ principle of SDGs into practice.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 21 MAY 2024
