In 1992, the United Nations declared 3 December the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. On this day the world is meant to pause, if only briefly, to confront how it treats over 1 billion people living with disabilities. One out of every eight people on this planet! Disability is not marginal; it is universally woven in humanity. Here in Zimbabwe, the statistics are just as powerful and the figures not negligible for policymaking and developmental plans such as NDS 2: more than 1.2 million people (9% of our population) are persons with disabilities, each with a story to tell and a right to belong.
Surviving environments Not Built for Us
As a person with disability, assistive devices are tools that enable independent living, yet they also reveal the built and attitudinal barriers that shape our daily lives. Obliviousness makes people believe disability lies in the body alone; yet often, it is the environment that disables. For many Zimbabweans with disabilities, accessibility is still the exception, not the norm. Ramps are few, most buildings and public transport are largely inaccessible, and pavements—where they exist—are unfit for purpose. Even basic inclusive facilities like public toilets are rare to nonexistent in most cities, including the capital, Harare. Every one of these barriers sends a message: “This space is not for you.” Yet accessibility is not charity; it is a right, and the foundation of human dignity.
Zimbabweans are resilient people in the face of difficulties, but persons with disabilities embody more resilience. In Zimbabwe, as in much of Africa, scarce resources, and competing budget priorities mean disability is not only a medical issue; it is an experience defined by societal choices and policy decisions. A person with a disability navigates obstacles such as physical, economic, and social, frequently with inadequate support systems, limited assistive devices, and inadequate rehabilitation services. But truly speaking, resilience must never replace rights. Human dignity should not depend upon one’s ability to endure hardship.
Intersectionality and Reasonable Accommodation
Disability intersects with other challenges such as poverty, gender, and geography. For a paraplegic person in Chikomba, the challenges multiply: from inaccessible roads to distant hospitals, limited assistive devices, and high levels of ignorance. Women with disabilities face heightened risks of violence. Children with disabilities face stigma, late enrolment in school, or exclusion entirely. Disability inclusion must reflect the diverse lived realities of our population. Reasonable accommodation—whether flexible work arrangements, accessible learning materials, or assistive technologies—remains poorly understood across institutions. Persons with disability do not ask for special treatment. They ask for fairness, and fairness begins with removing barriers that should not exist in the first place.
Unlocking the Potential of Persons with Disabilities
Attitudinal barriers often weigh heavier than physical ones. Too often, disability is met with sympathy instead of recognition, charity instead of inclusion. Yet persons with disabilities have talents, ambitions, and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to national development. Zimbabwe’s philosophies— “Leaving no one and no place behind” and “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”—can only be realised when acceptance shifts into active inclusion in schools, workplaces, leadership, and national programmes such as NDS 2.
Persons with disabilities are not seeking special treatment; theyare key contributors to Zimbabwe’s economic, social, and cultural growth. Disabilities can be visible or invisible, and many exist on spectrums, but across this diversity lies vast skill, creativity, and innovation. They are entrepreneurs, teachers, artists, farmers, scientists, professionals, and innovators—ready to thrive when provided with equal opportunities and accessible environments. The fast rise of technology, especially AI and digital tools, creates unprecedented possibilities. Voice-to-text software, mobility and communication technologies, remote work platforms, and other adaptive tools can remove long-standing barriers. If effectively embraced, technology can enable persons with disabilities to enter new fields, increase productivity, and contribute directly to Zimbabwe’s development goals. For Zimbabwe to build a modern, competitive, and inclusive economy, persons with disabilities must be recognised not as dependents, but as a strategic national asset. Unlocking this potential is essential for achieving a just and equal society by 2030.
A New Era for Disability Rights
It is worth noting that under the able leadership of H.E. President E. D. Mnangagwa, who has consistently championed inclusivity, Zimbabwe has made significant progress. The Persons with Disabilities Act (November 2025) marked a major milestone, giving legal effect to the National Disability Policy and moving the country from promises to enforceable rights. The Act strengthens accountability, provides legal protection, and sets standards for accessibility and equal opportunity. Thesecond milestone was the creation of the Disability Affairs Department in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, dedicated to driving disability programming and coordinating implementation of the policy. The third was the mainstreaming of inclusion across government, with President Mnangagwa directing all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to establish Gender, Wellness and Disability Inclusivity Directorates, ensuring disability is integrated into national planning and budgeting.
These steps place Zimbabwe ahead of many African nations with a clear, rights-based disability governance framework. But laws are only the beginning. Real change comes through implementation—through the conscious choice to remove barriers, champion accessibility, and create opportunities that allow every person to realise their full potential. Inclusion thrives when people with disabilities feel seen, supported, and empowered to write their own stories.
The Call to Action: Inclusion Cannot Be Deferred
Zimbabwe, we must now translate aspirations into actual actionby making all public buildings accessible, supporting inclusive education, enhancing job and entrepreneurial opportunities, prioritising disability-responsive budgeting, ensuring fair representation in leadership, and implementing and enforcing the new Disability Act. It is not disabilities that create limits. What limits persons with disabilities are the barriers created by society. Zimbabwe has already taken important steps. The next ones demand courage, political will, and commitment. It is time to turn policies into practice, aspirations into action, and promises into lived experiences. Disability inclusion cannot wait. Not here in Zimbabwe. Not anywhere.
Written by Mr. Ndudzo Tugwete, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations in Geneva. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official positions of the Government of Zimbabwe or The Southern African Times.
