By Amos Sikaonga 
By Cecilia Chiluba
A consortium of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has launched a US$1.3 million project to address challenges faced by people living with disabilities in the wake of climate change in Zambia.
The five year project, called “Collective Action For Disability Rights,” funded by NORAD, seeks to help persons with disabilities adapt to the effects of climate change.
Speaking during the launch of the project, Minister of Community Development, Doreen Mwamba, said the initiative is a significant step towards realizing shared vision for a just and inclusive Zambia.
Ms. Mwamba stated that inclusion is not just a human right issue but it is also critical to governance and national development.
“The project addresses challenges faced by persons with disability by promoting community based inclusive development in line with the recently launched National Disability Policy,” Ms. Mwamba said.
And representing Norwegian Partners, Ingunn Gihle, bemoaned the increase in the number of persons with disability due to non-communicable diseases, wars, conflicts and increased life expectancy.
She called for cooperation among partners to achieve the desired results at the end of the project, which will be implemented between 2025 to 2029.
“The project is very important to mitigate the suffering of the persons with disabilities,” Ms. Gihle stated.
Meanwhile, Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) Director Planning and Programmes, Inger Mutenekwa, urged the project’s implementers to prioritize the employment of persons with disabilities.
Cecilia Chiluba 
Joseph Tembo