Thousands of school children gathered to commemorate the African Child Day. |16th June 2022 |Credit:Doru Peninah/Eye Radio

A prominent civil society activist has appealed to President Salva Kiir to buy buses to facilitate school children with disabilities across the country.

Edmond Yakani – the Executive Director of the Community for Empowerment for Progress Organization – says children with special needs have been neglected by the government.

His call comes weeks after President Salva Kiir signed the convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The covenant sets out the fundamental human rights of people with disability with the aim to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities and their inherent dignity.

Speaking on the Dawn show today, activist Edmond Yakani called on President Kiir to provide means of transport to children with disabilities to encourage and keep them in schools.

He said this can be implemented through the Ministry of General Education and Instruction.

“I wish for the President to establish free transport for children with disabilities in the town where there is a school. I think he [Kiir] can help honorable Minister Awut Deng in making sure they buy buses,” said Edmond Yakani.

“You know there are so many gifts that have been given out to the Kings, V8s, how many millions to the kings somewhere, to the meetings, to the funerals of late veterans,

“I specifically want to appeal to His Excellency the President and if somebody is listening can communicate to the President today, let the President buy buses and put as his support for children with disabilities to access education.”

Disability is often stigmatized in South Sudan and as a result, children and adults with disabilities are hidden and isolated.

Statistics on comprehensive information on the number and situation of people with disabilities in South Sudan are lacking.

However, most estimates suggest that it is likely to be at least as high as the global estimate of 15%, and a few household surveys have found similar percentages of people with disabilities within households.