for Persons with Disabilities tasked with ensuring equal opportunities for people
with disabilities. It further commits to the establishment of a National Development
Fund to provide for the basic rights and welfare of people, including children with
disabilities.
244.
Other complementary laws enacted to give effect to the welfare of the disabled also
include, the Child Rights Act, which prohibits the treatment of disabled children in
an undignified manner; the National Youth Commission Act, 2009, which as creates
the National Youth Commission to empower youth to develop their potentials,
creativity and skills for national development; the Prevention and Control of HIV and
AIDS Act, 2007, which, among other things, provides for the treatment, counselling,
support and care for persons infected with, affected by or are at risk of infection by
HIV and AIDS; and the National Drugs Control Act, 2008, which deals with control
and prevention of abuse of narcotic drugs and related issues.
245.
The education sector has advanced the rights of children with disabilities through
the allocation of grants to schools to accommodate children with disabilities and
has committed, in terms of its Education Sector Plan 2007-2015 to focus on building
additional special schools. In addition, the Special Needs Education Unit for the
establishment of Special Schools in the Ministry of Education (MEST), supported by
the Leonard Cheshire Home institution, has prepared a six-module curriculum for
the training of teachers in teaching pupils with disabilities, set up a computer and
braille training centre, and provided quarterly subventions to 12 Special Schools as
well as braille textbooks for four primary schools. Also, the University of Makeni
(UNIMAK) in Sierra Leone reportedly trains teachers and researchers on special
needs courses and the tertiary fees of all children with disabilities are paid in full
by the GoSL. Despite these innovations, severe resource and capacity constraints
means that very few children with disabilities attend school and universities, and
where they are accommodated, there are too few qualified teachers, inadequate
infrastructure and teaching and learning support materials to meet their needs
(Sightsavers and Plan Sierra Leone, 2013). The MEST is in the process of improving
the situation through the transformation of 40 schools into child-friendly schools
with basic facilities for children with disabilities. Teachers in these schools will be
trained on working with children with special needs.
246.
Whilst the 2011 Act commits to the provision of free health care for people and
children with disabilities, including the provision of assistive devices, severe financial
and human resources constraints mean that the GoSL has not been able to fulfil these
commitments.
247.
The MSWGCA established the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities in
2012. One of its priority tasks is to ensure the mainstreaming of disability into service
policy and provisioning. The combined efforts of the multi-sectoral commission
and the Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues – an umbrella organization which
actively advocates for the rights of people with disabilities – has raised the profile
of children with disabilities as a national priority.
248.
The gap between the commitments made in terms of the 2011 disability act and the
provision of services and support for children with disabilities will be addressed in
the next phase of development which will, inter alia, include:
66
Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone Initial Report on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child 2002-2014