disability infrastructure key to tourism
By Chali Mulenga
COMMUNITY Based Rehabilitation (CBR)
Zambia, a Non-Governmental Organisation which promotes the rights of disabled
people, has called the introduction of a law which will compel developers to
ensure that their structures are friendly to the people living with disability.
CBR Zambia senior advisor Alick Nyirenda
said there need for the country to introduce a piece of legislation which would
ensure that all infrastructure in the country were friendly to disabled people.
He said accessible infrastructure was required
especially as Zambia is preparing to co-host the United Nations World Tourism
Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly in Livingstone next year.
Speaking in Livingstone in an interview,
Mr Nyirenda noted that most infrastructure in the country were inaccessible to
people living with disabilities.
Mr Nyirenda said was ready to support the
Zambia to come up with appropriate infrastructure for disabled people ahead of
next year’s UNWTO general assembly.
He urged the National Heritage
Conservation Commission (NHCC) to ensure that its heritage sites were
accessible to people living with a disability.
Mr Nyirenda said the putting of
buildings that were friendly to people with disability should be a continuous
exercise and not just for the UNWTO general assembly.
“There are a lot people with disability
that would want to come to Zambia and some of them are disabled.
We need to remember that we are
competing with Zimbabwe, so whatever we develop must be disability friendly,”
he said.
Mr Nyirenda said there was also need to
work on the old infrastructure so that it could be adjusted to suit the needs
of local and international guests.
End
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