Rethabile Pitso
VODACOM Lesotho Chief Executive Officer, Mohale Ralebitso, has called on the private sector to unite in promoting inclusion and creating equal opportunities for people living with disabilities.
He was addressing attendees of the inaugural Disability and Accessibility Conference hosted by the Vodacom Lesotho Foundation at Avani Maseru yesterday.
The event was held under the theme: From Awareness to Action: Creating a Disability Barrier-Free World for Sustainable Development.
It was graced by Gender, Youth and Social Development Minister Pitso Lesaoana, United Nations Resident Coordinator Amanda Khozi Mukwashi as well as Lesotho National Federation of Organisations of the Disabled (LNFOD) representatives.
The conference examined disability inclusion from a multifaceted perspective, exploring the specific challenges faced within Lesotho’s national context, alongside the government’s rights agenda.
Mr Ralebitso emphasised the need for concerted efforts to promote comprehensive inclusion, extending beyond education to address practical, non-commercial barriers faced by people with disabilities.
To advance its vision of inclusion, he said Vodacom had established the Vodacom Insight Centre at the National State Library in Maseru. The digitally-focused facility features cutting-edge connectivity, world-leading braille translation software supporting over 170 languages, and high-volume braille printing.
Vodacom also supports schools for special-needs pupils, including St Paul’s School for the Deaf, Makokoane Primary, and Mount Royal Schools in the Leribe District, through the Vodacom Lesotho Foundation.
The leading telecommunications company has embarked on initiatives to convert its documents into braille and incorporate sign language into events, following its recognition as an official language.
The Vodacom bursary programme further ensures people with disabilities are included, he said.
“We have, as our flagship, the Vodacom Insight Centre at the State Library in Maseru. It is my ambition that we grow beyond Maseru, because not everything in the country happens here. It should be natural for every district to have at least one such centre,” Mr Ralebitso said.
“We shall share the template of what we have with other corporates because this is not an issue we should compete over. It is an area where we should collaborate, so that other centres can be established. They should be branded collectively, to show that the private sector is committed to access, advancement, and inclusion in the country.”
He said current perceptions about inclusion are too limited urging society to shift its mindset.
“From a transactional perspective, we often think of inclusion only in terms of non-commercial issues. But consider this: everywhere in the world, things like handles and countertops are intuitively designed for people without disabilities. But for those with disabilities, this is often not the case. We must introspect and rethink the way we design infrastructure, especially public institutions, to ensure inclusivity.
“For those of you who are well-travelled, think about how it feels when spaces are not accommodating. It doesn’t feel right. We must not build a country where, in the spaces and places we control, we exclude others.”
In her keynote address, Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso urged the government to prioritise budget allocation for initiatives addressing the plight of people living with disabilities, particularly children.
“The Persons with Disability Equity Act is a significant landmark protecting these fundamental rights. Section 43 provides a critical mechanism for sustainable financing through the establishment of a Disability Public Fund.
“I appeal to the Honourable Minister of Finance and Development Planning to ensure this Fund is operationalised without delay. This is a concrete measure demonstrating genuine, sustainable financial commitment to the rights enshrined in legislation,” Her Majesty said.
She also urged the Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development to prioritise and expedite the adoption of the new National Disability and Assistive Technology Policy within this calendar year, to ensure Basotho with disabilities have access to affordable and appropriate technologies for learning, communication, and economic participation.
Her Majesty emphasised that disability inclusion should not be limited to the Ministry of Social Development but should become a responsibility of all ministries, departments, private institutions and communities.
“Disability is a cross-cutting issue affecting human rights and national development. It impacts education, public health, employment, justice, and access to essential services. Responsibility for implementation cannot be delegated solely to one ministry; it requires the active involvement of the entire state machinery and society.”
She further called for a review of current policies enabling inclusion.
“Lesotho has commendably established critical legislative and policy frameworks to advance the rights of persons with disabilities. The National Disability and Rehabilitation Policy of 2011 and the subsequent National Disability Mainstreaming Plan laid the essential groundwork. However, the lifespan of the current mainstreaming plan draws to a close this year, necessitating urgent, forward-looking action,” she said.
