By Burnett Munthali
Vice President Justice Dr Jane Ansah SC opened the 2025 MACODA Flag Week with a firm call for Malawi to move past symbolic gestures and focus on measurable progress in disability inclusion.
She stressed that the gathering was not simply a formal launch but a defining moment in the nation’s effort to build a society where people with disabilities are fully recognised and supported.
Dr Ansah reminded attendees that the theme for this year’s commemoration, centred on advancing disability rights through purposeful reporting and practical action, demands genuine commitment rather than polite acknowledgement.
She urged policymakers and public officers to ensure that disability considerations are embedded within national development strategies instead of being treated as optional extras.
The Vice President reaffirmed the government’s belief that Malawi belongs to all its citizens, regardless of their physical abilities, origin, or gender, and that national progress must reflect this inclusive ethos.
She explained that this principle continues to shape the government’s agenda and must guide decisions across all sectors.
Reflecting on recent progress, Dr Ansah pointed to major reforms such as the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2024 and the newly adopted National Disability Policy, noting that these frameworks lay a solid groundwork for future action.
However, she cautioned that the real challenge lies in ensuring these measures are executed diligently so that they produce meaningful results on the ground.
She directed local councils to spell out how key public funds—including the Constituency Development Fund and economic empowerment schemes for youth and women—would specifically benefit persons with disabilities.
Dr Ansah insisted that disabled people must be addressed as a priority group and not included merely as an afterthought in development programmes.
She highlighted the government’s introduction of free secondary education, saying it must particularly support learners with disabilities who often face financial and social obstacles.
She encouraged education authorities to make sure such pupils are not pushed out of school due to economic hardship.
Turning to agriculture, the Vice President reminded district authorities that the revamped Farm Input Subsidy Programme is intended to reach over a million households, including those with members living with disabilities.
She warned that excluding eligible farmers with disabilities would undermine efforts to create equitable access to agricultural support.
Dr Ansah reaffirmed the state’s broader commitment to safeguarding the rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities, describing it as a key pillar of Malawi’s long-term development vision under Malawi 2063.
She pledged to continue pushing for disability rights to be fully integrated into Malawi’s laws and its Constitution.
Addressing MACODA’s financial constraints, she called upon the Ministries of Finance and Trade to increase investment in the Bangwe Weaving Factory, which she said has the potential to generate sustainable income.
She also encouraged government institutions to allocate part of their textile procurement to the factory to secure its long-term viability and support the livelihoods of disabled workers.
On infrastructure, the Vice President emphasised that legal and policy progress would be meaningless if public buildings and facilities remain inaccessible.
She urged the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, together with the National Construction Industry Council, to ensure public spaces are designed to accommodate everyone.
In closing her remarks, Dr Ansah expressed gratitude to all who attended and officially declared the 2025 MACODA Flag Week open.
Her message was unmistakable: Malawi must now transform its aspirations on disability inclusion into actions that deliver real change for its citizens.
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