Diwode calls for economic empowerment among women, girls
Disabled Women in Development (Diwode) on Friday engaged various stakeholders from Nkhata Bay District Council on the promotion of inclusion of girls and women with disabilities in vocational training and employment.
Speaking in an interview, Diwode executive director Sigere Kasasi said few women and girls with disabilities have access to vocational training and economic empowerment programmes.
She said: “Since the policies are open, there is need to have indicators of which girls and women with disabilities would achieve in those training programmes.”
Kasasi said since day-to-day living demands one to be economically independent, women and girls with disabilities should be encouraged to be skilled.
“A woman with disability needs to be self-reliant and not to be looking down upon herself thinking she cannot do it,” she said.
In an interview, Nkhata Bay District Disability Forum chairperson Mcdwelings Nkhoma said they are training people with disabilities in vocational skills at Mpamba in the district.
He thanked government for introducing community technical colleges where people with disabilities acquire vocational skills.
On his part, Nkhata Bay district labour officer Lanwell Mkisi said they are giving equal opportunities to all as long as they express interest.