Zambia Stalls on Disability Protocol


Activists warn delay in ratifying African Disability Protocol is deepening exclusion for persons with disabilities

By Francis Maingaila ♥️ 

Lusaka, Zambia24, (June 13, 2026) — Disability rights groups have urged the Zambian government to urgently ratify the African Disability Protocol, warning that continued delay is undermining inclusion and legal protection for persons with disabilities.

Speaking ahead of International Albinism Awareness Day commemorations on June 13, Chairperson for Persons with Albinism John Chiti said Zambia remains among a small number of African countries that have neither signed nor ratified the Protocol.

He said the instrument addresses discrimination, stigma, harmful practices, and barriers in education, health care, employment, justice, and political participation affecting persons with disabilities.

“Zambia must ratify the African Disability Protocol,” Mr. Chiti said.

The Protocol entered into force in 2024 after sufficient ratifications by African Union member states. Countries including Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe have already ratified it.

Mr. Chiti said signing the Protocol would signal political support, while ratification would make its provisions legally binding and enforceable.

He noted that disability organisations have advocated for ratification for more than five years and welcomed government assurances that the process would be completed in the first quarter of 2026, as referenced in parliamentary discussions in 2025.

However, he said there has been no visible progress toward depositing the instrument with the African Union.

“Every month of delay prolongs the barriers faced by persons with disabilities,” he said.

Mr. Chiti said ratification would strengthen legal protection, align Zambia with continental standards, and improve inclusion in education, employment, health care, justice, and civic life.

He said the delay is already affecting citizens, including children unable to access education, graduates facing employment barriers, and voters encountering accessibility challenges.

He urged authorities to expedite the process, saying:

“This is not charity. This is justice. This is development. This is Zambia keeping its word.”

The call comes as Zambia marks International Albinism Awareness Day under the theme “Proud in My Skin: Celebrating Our Skin Tone,” aimed at challenging discrimination based on appearance.

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