Exclusion and Marginalisation PWDs are one of the most marginalised, socially excluded and poorest groups in the Zimbabwean society.44 In the last two decades reports and studies reveal an unchanging marginalised status of PWDs.45 It is a common perception within Zimbabwe that PWDs are passive, economically inactive and unproductive and therefore constitute a burden on the society.46 PWDs encounter multiple attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers that militate against their effective inclusion within society.47 Fundamentally flawed, is that the law and approach to disability rights in Zimbabwe still takes the welfarist approach – which approach has been condemned in international best practice and international law. Far worse, disability is still seen as a disease or a health condition in policy and programming. The government’s National Health Strategy of 20162020 captures disability as a non-communicable disease. Disability is not a disease and capturing disability as a disease is not in sync with the UNCRPD. Abuse of rights of the disabled is across the spectrum. The National Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH), an umbrella body for organisations working in disability in the country, stated that the public considered persons with disabilities to be objects of pity rather than persons with rights. PWDs encounter multiple attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers that militate against their effective inclusion within society. “In 2018 there was a commemoration of the Day of PWDs in Harare. The day was attended by PWDs and able-bodied persons. There was a scramble for food and the police fired teargas. People who suffered the most were the visually impaired who could not run away – nor make sense of where the teargas was coming from. There were also people on wheelchairs who suffered. The event was a real nightmare for people with disabilities. This was a manifestation of one of the main fears of people with disabilities, which is violence. Wherever violence occurs, people with disabilities suffer the most.” Eye-witness account. There was no existing government programme targeting PWDs in the provision of sexual and reproductive health services, family planning and HIV and AIDS treatment. Persons with mental disabilities also experienced inadequate medical care and a lack of health services. There are 8 centralised mental health institutions in the country with a total capacity of more than 1,300 residents, in addition to the 3 special institutions run by the ZPCS for long-term residents and those considered dangerous to society. Residents in the 8 centralised institutions received cursory screening, and most waited for at least one year for a full medical review. Electoral Participation For the first time, in the 2018 harmonised elections ZEC provided voting booths which could be used by PWDs at some polling stations. This included lowered booths which could be used by people on wheelchairs and people of 44. “Disability Scoping Study in Zimbabwe: Final Report” July 2007, https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lc-ccr/dpwnloads/scopingstudies/dfid_zimbabwereport. 45. “Living Conditions Among Persons with Disability Survey Report” March 2015, by Ministry of Health and Child Care & UNICEF; “The Forgotten Tribe: People with Disability in Zimbabwe” January 2007, by Progressio; “Children with Disability: Their Households’ Livelihoods and Experiences in Accessing Key Services” January 2007, by Nelson Marongwe and Rekopantswe Mate, published in January, 2007. This report was commissioned by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); “DFID Scoping Study: Disability Issues in Zimbabwe” July 2007, by Dr Raymond Lang and Gladys Charowa; and “Living Conditions Among People with Activity Limitations in Zimbabwe” December 2003, by SINTEF (a Norwegian Health Research Institute). 46. “900 000 live with disability” Weekend Post, 20 March 2015 at http://www.weekendpost.co.zw/articles/2015/03/20/900-000-live-with-disability 47. Disability Scoping Study in Zimbabwe: Final Report July, 2007 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lc-ccr/dpwnloads/scopingstudies/dfid_zimbabwereport. 46 STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ZIMBABWE 2018