Legal Perspectives of Resolving Social Stigma Towards Persons With Disabilities in Zambia
Date
2013-02-28
Authors
Jacobs, Sandra
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Abstract
This essay sets out to give legal perceptions on resolve social stigma towards the mentally disabled persons in Zambia. It focuses on the stigma towards persons with mental disabilities and questions why society finds it difficult to accept mentally disabled persons as being comparable to physical disabled persons, and as amenable to treatment and prevention. The essay further establishes what society itself is doing to integrate persons with mental disabilities into mainstream society.The essay proceeds to establish how government has interfered in resolving social stigma towards persons with mental disabilities. It discusses Article 23 of the constitution which generally protects from discrimination but however does not protect from discrimination based on mental disability, how the mental Disorders Act reinforces stigma towards persons with mental disabilities and the role of the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The essay also considers reasons why persons with mental disabilities in Zambia cannot benefit from the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) despite Zambia having ratified it.Based on the findings, the essay proceeds to give recommendations such as the need to use the media in educating society on the facts of the different causes, treatments and prevention of mental disabilities and the need for communities to form self-help support groups for families of mentally disabled persons. The essay also strongly advocates for the need to repeal of the Mental Disorders Act and the domestication of the UNCRPD so that mentally disabled persons are legally protected from social stigma in all sectors of society.
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Mentally handicapped--law and Legislation-Zambia