Children from Lacor Primary School have asked Amuru district officials to promote inclusivity and disability rights, especially in schools. This was during a district-level dissemination workshop focusing on the concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons living with Disabilities (UNCRPD) held at Church Hill courts, Gulu.

The workshop aimed to secure commitments from district stakeholders to implement the recommendations of the UNCRPD report, with a special emphasis on the rights of children living with disabilities. The workshop fostered crucial dialogue between district technocrats such as District Planners, District Health Officers, District Education Officers, and District Probation and Welfare Officers, and the children.

This interaction ensured that the voices of children with disabilities are heard and considered in governance and district-level decision-making processes. By engaging directly with the children, leaders gained invaluable insights into the specific challenges and needs of these children, enabling more informed and effective decision-making that genuinely addresses their concerns.

Children recommendations  

1. District leaders should introduce the cash for education program for all children living with disabilities to help parents cover school expenses.

2. Children proposed provision of treatment for children with disabilities because in some cases when they go to the hospital, the medical personnel cannot interpret or communicate in sign language leading to incorrect diagnosis, which sometimes leads to death.

3. Assist parents on the school feeding programme by providing midday meals for learners at school, construction of ramps, and accessible toilets, and equipping children with adaptive learning materials like glasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, and white walking canes among others to help them be at the same learning pace with their colleagues.

Leaders pledge

Leaders pledged to incorporate the children’s recommendations into their upcoming annual plans for the financial year beginning July 2024/June 2025. They committed to progressively addressing the issues raised by the children to ensure inclusion and fulfilling the rights of children with disabilities.