According to the United Nations (UN), the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is estimated to be 112 811 280. There has not been a recent census on persons with disabilities. In the DRC, disability affects an estimated 13 per cent of the population with significant challenges related to poverty, conflict and lack of access to basic services. According to the UNPartnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD), the most prevalent forms of disabilities include: intellectual or developmental disability, hearing disability, visual disability, motor disability, autism, psychosocial disability, degenerative diseases, and albinism. The DRC signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as well as its Optional Protocol in 2015. The DRC's Constitution (article 49) and the law promulgated in 2022 on persons with disabilities aim to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities based on the Convention and the construction of an inclusive society. Although the government has enacted sectoral laws, the DRC currently lacks sufficient mechanisms to facilitate accessibility and full participation for persons with disabilities. Furthermore, the DRC does not have an official body specifically tasked with combating violations of the rights of persons with disabilities. The difficulties and challenges related to the legal and institutional framework have been partly resolved with the promulgation of the new National Disability Law, which relates to the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, and also previously by the creation and operationalisation of a dedicated ministry for the sector. The most urgent problems that need to be addressed progressively to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities include: lack of awareness of the Convention and the National Disability Act, lack of an appropriate legal/judicial framework in accordance with the Convention and the National Disability Act, lack of political will/interest/capacity, insufficient national budget and budgetary decrees in the provinces, low mobilisation capacity and low level of advocacy of organisations of persons with disabilities.
Public transportation systems across many African countries remain largely inaccessible to persons with disabilities, which critically hinders their social inclusion and economic participation. Despite technological advances significantly improving the quality of life for the majority ofpersons with disabilities, 36 per cent in developing countries, particularly in Africa, still regard public transportation as inaccessible due to inadequate infrastructure and slow adoption of assistive technology (AT). This analysis critically examines how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can integrate AT into African public transportation, promoting accessibility and inclusion. The paper is grounded in the social and human rights model of disability, reinforced by international and regional standards, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the African Disability Protocol (ADP). Case studies from South Africa (MyCiTi), Nigeria (Lagos BRT), and Kenya demonstrate that while progress is evident informal systems through features like audio-visual aids and low-floor buses, these efforts are often limited in scope or undermined by systemic challenges. Key barriers include the pervasive inaccessibility of dominant informal transport networks (matatus, minibuses), the reliability gap caused by inadequate maintenance and non-functional features in existing technology, and the inconsistent enforcement ofprogressive national policies. Deep-seated socio-cultural issues, such as discrimination by transport operators, also impede true inclusion. Achieving equitable transport demands a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach. This necessitates decisive government action to enforce robust policy standards, engagement of private and informal operators through training and affordable modifications, and collaboration with civil society in the design process to ensure systems are built 'with them'. Ultimately, only a holistic framework that strategically combines ICT and AT with consistent funding, strong policy frameworks, and vital changes in societal awareness can eliminate all obstacles and achieve a fully inclusive transport system.
According to 2024 World Bank data, the Kingdom of Eswatini (Eswatini) has a total population of 1 242 822, of which 610 191 are male and 632 631 are female. According to Eswatini's 2017Population and Housing Census (PHC), an estimated population of 146 554 individuals, representing approximately 13 per cent of the total population, faced one form of disability or difficulty in performing certain functions. The most prevalent form of disability is visual disability, with 47 812 persons with visual disabilities representing 32,6 per cent; followed by mobility 38 905 representing 26,5 per cent; hearing 22 054 representing 15,6 per cent; cognition 17 591 representing 12 percent; self-care 13 268 representing 9,1 percent; and communication 6 924 representing 4,7per cent. The Kingdom of Eswatini signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Optional Protocol to the CRPD in 2007 and ratified both documents in 2012. The signing and ratification of the CRPD in 2012 resulted in significant domestic legal effects, which include the enactment of the Persons with Disability Act 2018, which formally enshrines the rights of persons with disabilities and obligations in national law. The Constitution of Eswatini contains provisions that directly and indirectly recognise and address disability. Section 30 of the Constitution provides that persons with disabilities have a right to respect and human dignity, and the government and society shall take appropriate measures to ensure that those persons realise theirfull mental and physical potential. Section 14 of the Constitution contains the Bill of Rights and provides for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of everyone, including persons with disabilities. Eswatini also has policies and programmes that directly address the plight of persons with disabilities. This includes the National Disability Policy 2013; National Disability Plan of Action (NDPA) (2018-2022; 2024-2028); National Deployment Strategy 1999; National Population Policy (2002); National Education Policy and Special and Special Education Policy (1999); Broadcasting Content Guidelines 2017, revised 2022; and Infrastructure and Technological Access Programmes. At the time of drafting this report, Eswatini does not have specific official bodies other than courts or tribunals that are established to address the rights of persons with disabilities. However, there are bodies, although not specifically established to address the rights of persons with disabilities, that can address violations of such rights. A key example is the Eswatini Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration (ECHRPA). Disabled people's organisations (DPOs) are both nationally organised and regionally coordinated and are actively involved in engaging with the government of Eswatini on issues relating to persons with disabilities. This research report reveals that DPOs have contributed to the implementation of the CRPD, Disabled Persons Act, and other legal frameworks, as well as policies that will promote their rights; therefore, there is a need to train DPOs on disability rights and human rights programmes. The Department of Social Issues is embedded within the Deputy Prime Minister's Office; this department and other bodies lead disability inclusion by coordinating national policy development, overseeing the National Disability Plan ofAction, and engaging with DPOs. Despite policy advancement in the country, persons with disabilities continue to face cultural and structural challenges, such as access to education, access to quality healthcare, discrimination, and otherforms of challenges. While the Kingdom of Eswatini has made significant strides in terms of legal and policy advancement, implementation remains a challenge. There must be a concerted effort to ensure that legislation and policy are translated into concrete action that will impact on the lives of persons with disabilities on the ground.
This paper examines the legal challenges affecting financial inclusion for persons with visual disabilities in Tanzania, assessing its role in poverty reduction and the realisation of socio-economic rights. It specifically analyses how the absence of accessible assistive technologies (AT) within FinTech platforms compromises the privacy and security of persons with visual disabilities, thereby limiting their safe participation in digital financial services. Tanzania has ratified the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol and has domesticated disability rights through the National Policy on Disability, 2004, the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2010, and article 13(4)-(5) ofthe Constitution, which guarantees equality and non-discrimination. Notwithstanding these commitments, existing legal frameworks remain inadequate in addressing financial inclusion as a core component ofeconomic empowerment. Although policy initiatives such as the National Financial Inclusion Framework (NFIF) aim to expand access to financial services, they lack explicit measures to ensure the accessibility of FinTech platforms for persons with visual disabilities. Using doctrinal and comparative legal methodologies and drawing on international best practices, this study critically evaluates Tanzania's laws and policies governing digital finance. The research identifies substantial legislative and regulatory gaps in safeguarding accessibility, privacy, and security for persons with visual disabilities. It argues for the development of specialised policies and enforceable legal standards mandating inclusive FinTech design and technological accommodations to enable the meaningful participation of persons with visual disabilities in Tanzania's digital economy.
According to the United Nations (UN), the population of Guinea-Bissau is estimated to be 1.8 million. There has not been a recent census on persons with disabilities. In Guinea-Bissau, disability affects an estimated 0,94 per cent of the population (a significantly underreported figure compared to global estimates) with significant challenges related to poverty, conflict and lack of access to basic services. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the most prevalent forms of disabilities include deep-seated prejudice and negative social norms (linking disability to curses), limited access to essential services (for example, 59 per cent school non-attendance among youth with disabilities), poverty, and exposure to harmful traditional practices and ritualistic violence. Guinea-Bissau signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its Optional Protocol in 2014 and 2018, respectively. The Guinea-Bissau Constitution (articles 15, 16, 24) addresses disability indirectly through provisions on equality and access to health/ education and directly references incapacity for work in social security (article 46(3)). However, the Draft Basic Law for the Protection, Promotion, and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities is currently pending. Furthermore, Guinea-Bissau does not have an official body specifically tasked with combatting violations of the rights ofpersons with disabilities, but the National Commission for Human Rights and Citizenship (CNDHC) can indirectly address these issues. The difficulties and challenges related to the legal and institutional framework have been partly resolved with adoption of the National Strategy for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities (2023) and the National Strategic Plan for Inclusive Education (2023), and also by the creation and operationalisation of a department for the sector in the Ministry for Women, Family and Social Solidarity (MFMSS). In addition, Disabled People's Organisations (DPOs) are critical in advocacy and filling service gaps. The most urgent problems that need to be addressed progressively to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities include lack of awareness of the Convention and the National Disability Act, lack of an appropriate legal/judicial framework in accordance with the Convention; and lack ofpolitical will/interest/capacity.
