The United Nations Country Team in Namibia, in particular, UNFPA, UNDP and UNICEF received US$400,000, from the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) in December 2018, to implement the project “Strengthening Integrated Systems to Promote Access to Services for Persons with Disabilities in Namibia”. The implementation of the project started in February 2019 and will conclude in March 2022. The project aims to achieve the three main outcomes below which contribute towards disability mainstreaming:

1. Data collection systems are strengthened to inform planning, budget allocation and service delivery to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities under the coordination of UNFPA.

2. Strengthened coordination mechanism including participation of Organizations of Persons with Disabilities under the coordination of UNDP.

3. Children with disabilities identified very early in life and referred for assessment and early interventions and access inclusive ECD programmes under the coordination of UNICEF.

The Office of Disability Affairs is the overall project coordinator in Government, with UNICEF being the UN coordinator for the three main project outcomes.

Also available on the website is the Communication Strategy 2020 document which aims to strengthen the integration of systems and promote access to services for persons with disabilities. This document contains clear messages to be delivered by different stakeholders with the main purpose to eradicate stigma and discrimination towards the group of people in question. It is expected that through the commitment of all stakeholders addressed in this document, the issues affecting persons with disabilities will enjoy the attention they deserve so that their rights are respected, and they are fully integrated in society.

The Theory of Change: Early Identification and Early Intervention Services for Young Children with Developmental Delays and Disabilities in Namibia is also available on the website for further reading.  

The Division: Special Programme and Schools has already embarked on advocacy campaigns for the rights of persons with disabilities. We welcome any suggestions from the Management on how to address stigma and discrimination – which is quite rampant in our society still.

The third outcome of the UNPRPD project which directly affects our ministry is the early identification, referral and intervention of children with disabilities. UNICEF has appointed a consultant who conducted consultations on national and regional levels with over 200 stakeholders in order to compile this invaluable report which will guide access to services for young children with disabilities in the country.

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