
09/06/2025
DISABILITY-RESPONSIVE BUDGETING
As leaders of organizations advocating for disability rights, we were invited to a pivotal workshop on Disability-Responsive Budgeting, hosted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare in collaboration with Sight Savers. The event brought together representatives from various organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), providing a crucial platform for engagement and advocacy.
One of the key facilitators was the Ministry of Finance, which guided participants through the budget cycle, ensuring that OPDs understand when and how to make their voices heard in financial planning. This framework was particularly significant in strengthening the participation of persons with disabilities in budgetary discussions, ensuring their priorities are integrated into national resource allocation.
A critical aspect of the discussion centered on the specific challenges faced by persons with psychosocial disabilities, a group often overlooked in budgetary considerations. While many OPDs focused on assistive devices such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, and braille equipment, we emphasized the importance of access to appropriate medication as an essential form of assistive support for individuals with psychosocial disabilities. This shift in narrative helped treasury officials recognize that accessibility extends beyond physical tools to include health-centred interventions that enable independent and meaningful participation in society.
The workshop was insightful and fulfilling, reaffirming the importance of inclusive budgeting as a mechanism for equity and social justice. Seeing the recognition of psychosocial disabilities in these discussions was a significant step toward ensuring that mental health needs are properly addressed in Zimbabwe’s national budget.