Lobby and Advocacy
Jairos Jiri has an established Advocacy Department that has the mandate of carrying out advocacy activities aimed at empowering people with disabilities as well as enhancing their participation in community development programmes. The organisation’s advocacy concept is hinged on social model of disability which is regarded as cost-effective and promotes better social integration by ensuring that people with disabilities have access to same benefits and services as others in the community. Thus the Association engages in both individual and systematic advocacy but focusing more on empowering men, women, boys and girls with disabilities who should champion their own cause. The Department has been running a governance programme through NASCOH in Mutoko and Mudzi. The experiences got from implementing the programme can be used to expand to other areas as in those two Districts; there have been major changes which have seen an increased number of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities participating in the just ended harmonized elections and decision making systems.
Key elements of the strategy
Lobby and advocacy activities
The Department is guided by the following norms and values
Norms and Standards for the Advocacy Programme:
In terms of physical accessibility, the programme focuses on the following:
Take measures, which include the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, which apply to;
Inclusion and Participation
Achievements
The programme raised awareness about the rights and equal opportunities to empower people living with disabilities throughout Zimbabwe and enabled them to take their rightful place as independent and productive citizens. Disability committees have been established in each operational ward and their role has been to ensure that men, women, boys and girls with disabilities in their communities have equal access and opportunities to services and programmes. Special attention has also been given to children with disabilities, for increased access to equal opportunities in education, social services and all other spheres of life. The programme has also managed to bring disability issues to the attention of authorities which led to election of special interest councillors with disabilities in Mutoko and Mudzi, thus, giving men, women, boys and girls with disabilities the opportunity to show their capacities. Other community structures like school development committees, political parties, chiefs ‘councils etc have also seen the need to include men, women, boys and girls with disabilities in their structures. There have been vast improvements in physical accessibility in most areas as people realise the need to accommodate men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
Key elements of the strategy
- Establishment of community advocacy committees
- Conduction of numerous awareness campaigns which include sensitizing Policy Makers and other decision makers in various sectors
- Identifying and researching on disability issues for advocacy
- Demanding that statistics documenting the participation of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities be done by various sectors of the society
- Creating networks in business, professions, Government, Trade Unions and other organizations for men, women, boys and girls with disabilities to share experiences and create solidarity
- Capacitate men, women, boys and girls with disabilities so that they can fight for their own rights even in the absence of the Association
- Advocate for the incorporation of a disabled people’s agenda in the platforms of political parties and make candidates accountable for the positions they take on disability issues
- Influence Government to formulate and implement policies that enhance the lives of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities.
- Engage the media in fighting for the rights of men, women, boys and girls
Lobby and advocacy activities
- Awareness campaigns which are done to raise awareness in the communities on disability issues
- Mobilizingcommunities so that they can take action on issues that affect their counterparts with disabilities
- Establishing disability committees which are aimed at enhancing community participation in disability issues and also empowering local communities to take responsibility of issues that affect them (including disability)
- Engaging decision makers and community leadership with the aim of sensitizing them so that they can also consider disability in all their community development programmes
- Identifying and researching on disability issues which are used to develop sound advocacy plan
- Establishing networks and partnerships with the aim of having disability mainstreamed in all areas of service delivery
- Carry out community education for partners and men, women, boys and girls with disabilities so that they become empowered citizens who can fight for their constitutional right
- Influence Government policies that enhance the lives of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
- Advocate for meaningful representation of men, women, boys and girls with disabilities in decision making foras
The Department is guided by the following norms and values
Norms and Standards for the Advocacy Programme:
- Advocacy efforts should be informed by national and international policies and legislature e.g Disabled Persons’ Act (1992: 1996), the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (2006), UN Declaration on Human Rights (1948)
- Should follow the social model of disability
- Research informed Advocacy through collaboration with research institutions e.g Universities
- Maximum participation of communities
- Established disability committees which are representative of all the sectors of the community from village level up to District level
- Engaging in both individual and systematic advocacy
- Capacity build men, women, boys and girls with disabilities and their families in advocacy skills for them to fight for their own rights
- Utilization of already established structures and respect of local cultures
- Form partnerships, networks and coalitions with other organizations who have an interest in our issues
- Use of participatory monitoring and evaluation methods to enable the participation of stakeholders
- Encourage men, women, boys and girls with disabilities to form advocacy groups or encourage them to join already existing disabled people
- Train and provide support to other organization, Government Departments and Community Based organizations for them to mainstream disability
- Work with the umbrella organization (NASCOH) on issues that require national address
In terms of physical accessibility, the programme focuses on the following:
Take measures, which include the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to accessibility, which apply to;
- The built environment, including buildings and transport system
- Public facilities take into account all aspects of accessibility for persons with disabilities;
- Training of stakeholders on accessibility issues facing persons with disabilities is provided;
- Facilitate access by persons with disabilities to quality mobility aids, devices, assistive technologies and forms of life assistance and intermediaries
- Information is available in the right formats e.g., Braille for the visually impaired persons (VIPs).
- The programme is able to deal with illiteracy among potential and actual beneficiaries.
- All relevant policy documents, acts and protocols that impact on men, women, boys and girls with disabilities are available in local language and right format and disseminated.
- Provide information intended for the general public to persons with disabilities in accessible formats and technologies appropriate to different kinds of disabilities in a timely manner and without additional cost to men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
- Programme promotes access by men, women, boys and girls with disabilities to information including to new information and communications technologies and systems like the Internet and other electronic services
- Public awareness campaigns designed to nurture positive attitudes and recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities.
- Programme ensures effective access to justice for persons with disabilities, promotes appropriate training for those working in the field of administration of justice, including police and prison staff e.g. in sign language
Inclusion and Participation
- Ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in social, political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives, including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilities to vote and be elected.
- Men, women, boys and girls with disabilities are elected into positions of authority from village to national level
- There is evidence of community participation in the programme.
- The programme involves men, women, boys and girls with disabilities and their families
- Programme shall cover all eligible men, women, boys and girls with disabilities of all types of disabilities.
- Programme staff provides training to men, women, boys and girls with disabilities on governance, human rights, social skills, leadership and Zimbabwe constitution as well as other relevant legislature.
- Take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of their right to be fully included and participate in the community, including by ensuring that men, women, boys and girls with disabilities have an opportunity to elect the government
Achievements
The programme raised awareness about the rights and equal opportunities to empower people living with disabilities throughout Zimbabwe and enabled them to take their rightful place as independent and productive citizens. Disability committees have been established in each operational ward and their role has been to ensure that men, women, boys and girls with disabilities in their communities have equal access and opportunities to services and programmes. Special attention has also been given to children with disabilities, for increased access to equal opportunities in education, social services and all other spheres of life. The programme has also managed to bring disability issues to the attention of authorities which led to election of special interest councillors with disabilities in Mutoko and Mudzi, thus, giving men, women, boys and girls with disabilities the opportunity to show their capacities. Other community structures like school development committees, political parties, chiefs ‘councils etc have also seen the need to include men, women, boys and girls with disabilities in their structures. There have been vast improvements in physical accessibility in most areas as people realise the need to accommodate men, women, boys and girls with disabilities
JJA Makes a Positive Move towards Being a Children Safe Organization
JJA places great importance on the safety of children in all its operational areas hence the realization of the need to develop a Child Safe Guarding Policy which is meant to regularize the operations of the organization and provide with guidance on how to deal quickly and effectively with any concerns about physical, sexual, emotional abuse as well as neglect of children. This is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which spells out that children have a right to be free from abuse. Thus as a first step towards having a user friendly, practical and relevant Child Safe Guarding Policy, the organization held a two day workshop in Harare drawing participants from the Board, workers and volunteers from the JJA Centres and units throughout the country. The targeting of the participants was done in a deliberate move to ensure that the participants are representative of all key JJA sectors which deal with children in different ways. All paid and volunteer staff need to be aware of their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and how they should respond to child safe guarding concerns. The policy is also meant to protect workers and volunteers and ensuring best practice in working with children as well as ensuring that any action taken is meant to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm as this is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play. The policy will also provide with a way of thinking through and analyzing the risks the organization may expose children to through its work or activities then consider child safeguarding measures that can be adopted to reduce these risks.
The policy, once finalized, will be cascaded to all JJA Centres and Units and all partners to ensure that they abide by the policy and maintain Child Safe Guarding standards stipulated therein.
JJA places great importance on the safety of children in all its operational areas hence the realization of the need to develop a Child Safe Guarding Policy which is meant to regularize the operations of the organization and provide with guidance on how to deal quickly and effectively with any concerns about physical, sexual, emotional abuse as well as neglect of children. This is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which spells out that children have a right to be free from abuse. Thus as a first step towards having a user friendly, practical and relevant Child Safe Guarding Policy, the organization held a two day workshop in Harare drawing participants from the Board, workers and volunteers from the JJA Centres and units throughout the country. The targeting of the participants was done in a deliberate move to ensure that the participants are representative of all key JJA sectors which deal with children in different ways. All paid and volunteer staff need to be aware of their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and how they should respond to child safe guarding concerns. The policy is also meant to protect workers and volunteers and ensuring best practice in working with children as well as ensuring that any action taken is meant to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm as this is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play. The policy will also provide with a way of thinking through and analyzing the risks the organization may expose children to through its work or activities then consider child safeguarding measures that can be adopted to reduce these risks.
The policy, once finalized, will be cascaded to all JJA Centres and Units and all partners to ensure that they abide by the policy and maintain Child Safe Guarding standards stipulated therein.
