Africa-Press – Lesotho. Following the implementation of the disability grant as envisaged in the Persons with disability Equity Act of 2021 by Ministry of Social Development, the Lesotho National Federation of Organizations
of the Disabled (LNFOD) deliberated their concerns with the manner in which the ministry intends to implement the disability grants. In a press statement released by
LNFOD, it appreciated the steps undertaken by government of Lesotho to budget for implementation of the disability grant. It stated that the provision of the
grant has a great potential of improving the social and economic status of persons with disabilities if implemented in the human rights-based approach.
“Ministry of Social Development did not involve the organizations of persons with
disabilities in the design and formulation of the disability grant resulting into exclusion of the voice of persons with disabilities in matters directly
affecting their lives,” reads the statement. Organizations of persons with disabilities were just told of the formulation of the disability grant by the
ministry on July 15th 2021 in which the disability grant presentation was made and inputs solicited. Exclusion of persons with disabilities in the formulation of the disability grant is a violation of the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) CRPD) article 4.3 which obligates the state parties including Lesotho to involve
persons with disabilities in all matters directly affecting the lives of persons with disabilities. In addition, their exclusion in decisions such as this will continue to perpetuate the social and economic disparities which
disproportionately affect persons with disabilities in Lesotho. The Persons with Disability Equity Act clearly states that the provision of disability grant is for persons with
severe disabilities. Contrary to this definition given by the Act, Ministry of Social Development seeks to determine severity of disability by looking at the
impairment or body condition of a person with disability instead of following the law by looking at the social and economic situation of an applicant with
disability. As a result, the test used by the ministry to determine severity of disability perpetuates discrimination and medical and charity model which is
contradicting with the same Persons with Disability Equity Act they are trying to implement with the provision of disability grant. The presentation by the
ministry stated that the successful applicant with severe disability will receive M400 on monthly basis while the caretaker, parent or guardian of such a
person will be compensated with M150 per month as stipend for caring for a person with severe disability. Without discounting the efforts by the government, it submitted that these amounts do not promote the independence of
persons with disabilities as the objective of the grant indicate. “The government stated that the objective of providing disability grant is to improve the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities but the M150 for
a caretaker, parent or guardian does not motivate him or her to support a person with severe disability. ” Among the recommendations made by LNFOD, it appeals
to the government to engage organizations of persons with disabilities in the decisions affecting them as required by the national and international law
including CRPD. It further strongly encourages the ministry to implement the disability grant in accordance with the Persons with Disability Equity Act
which adopts social models of disability in setting up a test for determined disability. Disability is no longer seen in a person but in an environment
which inhibits such a person to participate on an equal basis with others in society. LNFOD appeals to the ministry to adopt human rights-based approach in assessing persons with disabilities’
applications for the grant, by designing social assessment tools which consider the social and economic barriers faced by persons with disabilities and
involving medical experts to declare the impairment of an individual. Medical experts are not trained to tell what persons with disabilities are capable of
doing in life. In conclusion, LNFOD noted that it will continue to advocate for the provision of disability grant that is, meeting adequate standards of living to the Ministry of Social Development through
negotiations, lobbying and advocacy meetings. It has submitted the standpoint of persons with disabilities to the Ministry and awaits the response. LNFOD
warned that if the government does not respond accordingly, it will engage with the African and United Nations human rights mechanisms to highlight the
situation of persons with disabilities in Lesotho including through shadow reports and other means. Meanwhile Ministry of Social Development Information Officer Mpho Makhetha, told Informative Newspaper
that her ministry has not received any formal letter from LNFOD regarding the concerns they have raised in the press statement. “Therefore we are not able to respond to anything as yet,” she added.
