Students with disabilities are being left out of decisions that directly affect their education, safety and daily lives.
Empowering Young Minds (EYM) has called for young people with disabilities to be given a bigger role in shaping policies on climate action, disaster risk management and inclusive education.
EYM Executive Director Temwa Zidana said many decisions affecting young people with disabilities are made without hearing from those who experience the challenges firsthand.
She said this leaves policymakers with little understanding of the barriers faced by students with disabilities in universities and other higher education institutions.
Zidana was speaking at the University of Malawi (UNIMA) during a high-level policy dialogue where students with disabilities shared their experiences with officials.
The dialogue brought together officials from Zomba District Council, the Zomba District Social Welfare Office, the Malawi Council for Disability (MACODA) and students with disabilities from UNIMA.
Zidana said the meeting was designed to give young people with different disabilities a platform to raise concerns about climate change, disaster preparedness and challenges affecting their education.
She said it was important for district officials to hear directly from students instead of relying on assumptions when developing policies and interventions.
“Our discussions went very well, and I am happy because the DPD has assured us that whenever we face challenges, we can go to their office and explain our concerns,” Zidana said.
Zomba District Council Director of Planning and Development Henderson Kaumi said the council would work to address challenges affecting students with disabilities at UNIMA and other colleges in the district.
Kaumi said the dialogue had given students an opportunity to directly explain the problems they face.
For fourth-year Bachelor of Arts in Theology student Deborah Mahilasi, one of those problems is simply reaching the university library.
Mahilasi, who uses a wheelchair, said the library’s location upstairs makes access difficult for students with mobility challenges.
She said the dialogue also helped her understand more about environmental protection and how communities can reduce disaster risks.
Participants said such discussions should continue so that the experiences of young people with disabilities are considered when policies on climate change, disaster preparedness and inclusive education are being developed.
