CEPO launches campaign for inclusion of people with disability in constitution-making process

JUBA – South Sudan’s civil society watchdog, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has announced that it will launch a campaign to advocate for inclusion of people with disabilities in the country’s constitution-making process provided for in the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.

This comes after President Salva Kiir Mayardit signed into law at least four bills that were present to him by the parliament last week. In a statement, CEPO congratulated the president for the signing of the bills into law and said it will engage in advocacy to push for inclusion of people with disabilities in the constitution-making process.

“Community Empowerment for Progress Organization congratulates H.E. President for this positive demonstrated political will and commitment. CEPO initiative of Disability Inclusion Advocacy is urging H.E. President to assent the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities, Maputo Protocol (African Union Charter for Women Rights), Un Conventions on Civil and Political Rights, UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights including the other national bills before the end of the year 2022,” CEPO said in the statement.

“Following the signing of the constitution making process bill, 2022 and the political parties Act, amendment, 2022 into law by H.E. President including accession of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, CEPO Disability Inclusion Advocacy will be engaging on campaigns of disabilities inclusion in the constitution making process, political parties’ establishment and implementation of the Pari Agreement on climate change. The campaigns are already developed and it will be rollout in January, 2023,” Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of CEPO, said.

“Embracing effective and meaningful participation of our population of persons with disabilities in our societal transformation process is essential and it is constitutionally is mandatory. Leaving behind persons with disabilities in our society growth and human development including denying them effective and meaningful participation and representation it constitutes discrimination against persons with disabilities. So, reconstitution of the independent commission and institutions the political parties should embrace representation and participation of persons with disabilities in the leadership and decision making. If possible, the political parties should allocate seat for representative of persons with disabilities,” Yakani stressed.

“CEPO is urging the political parties and presidency compromise for inclusion of persons with disabilities in the leadership and decision-making structures of the independent commissions and institutions that will be reconstituted soon. CEPO will engaging the political parties to ensure they allocate seats for representation of person with disabilities in the independent commissions and institutions

“Finally, CEPO will reaching out to partners for collaborations for more effective and meaningful advocacy for inclusive and participatory reconstitution of independent commissions, constitution making, political parties establishment and implementation of Pari Agreement on climate change.”