By Anak Dut

The Deputy Chairperson of Lakes State Women’s Association and Businesswoman, Kana Akur Majak, has called on both levels of government to ensure people living with disabilities are protected.

In an interview with The City Review Newspaper, Akur said persons living with disabilities were part of the liberation struggle for independence, and they deserve fair treatment.

 “We all voted for our leaders, we need all services also, like we chose our leaders to serve us as South Sudanese people living with a disability.”

Akur said there are a number of women living with disabilities who are educated and do not have access to job opportunities in the state.

She noted that most of them are just surviving on the little support they get from well-wishers.

Akur highlighted some of the challenges, pointing out accessibility, especially for the visually impaired, who she said do not use walking canes.

“For instance, the visually impaired who move on the road going to Rumbek, which is very high. If somebody who is living with a disability comes from there, they cannot manage even to climb up or to go down the road, though you’re using a wheelchair or motorbike, it is very hard,” she explained.

“So, we have the right as a person living with a disability to be taken care of, looked after, and be comfortable.”

“It is time for the South Sudan government to think about people living with disabilities. Like now in the whole country, there is no school for people with hard-to-hear for the visually impaired,” Akur lamented.

Also, she noted that the education sector in the country does not encourage persons with disabilities to go to school due lack of learning facilities.

Speaking about access to justice, Akur, most girls and women, especially GBV survivors, do not know where to go to access their rights.

“The governments need to support women living with disabilities by imposing the law to protect those who have been impregnated and the culprits not held accountable.”

Akur noted that many of those young ladies keep silent because they believe they will not be granted justice.

“No one even talks about it. No one even goes to the court and opens the case to take care of them.”