Disability Right Movement (DRIM); a civil society group in Sierra Leone; championing disability issues in the country has formally written a complaint letter to the President and the Secretary General of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, accusing the United Nations Country Team (UNCT)in Sierra Leone of ‘’being insensitive to issues of disability in Sierra Leone.’’
The letter, signed by Dr. Vandy Konneh, the Executive Director of DRIM; claimed that the United Nations Country team (UNCT) in Sierra Leone is being insensitive in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and Sierra Leone’s national development agenda in respect of adequate and timely support (Funding, Logistics, and Technical), compliance and Monitoring the United Nation Conventions on the Rights of Persons with disability
(UNCRP) , .
According to DRIM; the UN team has also neglected the ‘’Sierra Leone Persons with disability Act 2011 and other national and international laws that protect and promote the interest with persons with Disability.’’
DRIM says it is among organizations working to protect those strategic groups – people with Disability and their families since 1998 in the country.
For them, UNCT in Sierra Leone has been ‘’neglecting the situation and resulting the individuals and groups of persons with disability continue to struggle in meeting their daily needs and national contributions. ‘’, the statement said.
It added that they had made several efforts to remind and solicit the relevant supports from UNCT to actualize its global commitment; but that all their moves had proven to be futile.
The letter further raised several other concerns such as ‘’lack of direct financial, technical and Logistics support; Not having Persons with Disability as Staff population which undermines their Job/Labour; no tangible action to facilitate the protection of Persons with Disability against the Coronavirus Pandemic; not supporting and participating in the observance of the International Day of Persons with Disability, and host of other complains.’’ It said.
DRIM says it is hoping that their complaints will be respected in the ’’ best interest of persons with disability and the Republic of Sierra Leone.”
