On Thursday, 18 July 2024, the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, Afioga Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, delivered the keynote speech at the official opening of the 5th Forum for Youth with Disabilities. The event, held at the Millennia Hotel in Fale Samoa, commenced at 9:30 AM.
Attendees included Rev. Ma’auga Motu, Secretary of the Union of Churches in Samoa, His Excellency the Australian High Commissioner to Samoa, representatives from government ministries, the private sector, civil society organisations, and organisations of persons with disabilities. The President of the Nuanua o le Alofa Youth Committee and other distinguished guests were also present.
Samoa’s commitment to the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the nation ratified in 2016, says Deputy PM. There are specific articles of the convention that call for the state parties to take necessary measures to guarantee persons with disabilities the right to access appropriate technologies, he continued.
“Articles 4, 9, 19, 20, and 26 of the present Convention call on all State Parties to take the necessary measures to guarantee persons with disabilities the rights to access appropriate technologies in all forms,” stated Ponifasio. He further elaborated on the state’s responsibilities to “invest in and ensure the availability of universally designed technologies for all, including persons with disabilities.”
The Deputy PM spoke about the importance of legislative measures to make these technologies accessible and affordable. “We must adopt legislative measures to ensure technologies are available, accessible, and most of all, affordable to all persons with disabilities to support them to live independently on an equal basis with others,” he asserted.
Ponifasio detailed the range of assistive devices and technologies, mentioning that they “can range from physical products such as wheelchairs, glasses, prosthetic limbs, white canes, and hearing aids to digital solutions such as speech recognition or time management software and captioning.” He noted that most users of assistive technology require multiple products, making integrated services crucial.
The Deputy Prime Minister also recognised the government’s efforts in collaboration with partners to promote and make these technologies available. “Today’s gathering is a living testimony of how the Government, with its partners and through its many efforts, promotes, makes available, and recognises the critical role of technologies as an enabler,” he remarked.
He enumerated several initiatives aimed at improving the inclusion and quality of life for individuals with disabilities. These included ensuring early detection and provision of hearing aids for young children, providing appropriate wheelchairs through the Mobility Device Services Unit of the Ministry of Health, and making therapeutic footwear for diabetes available to reduce the incidence of foot ulcers.
However, Ponifasio acknowledged the existing barriers faced by youth with disabilities. “We cannot ignore the multiple barriers experienced by our youth, such as the inadequate technologies that are accessible and affordable to meet the diverse needs of individuals,” he stated. He pointed out the lack of assessment to inform appropriate technology and the limited knowledge among youth with disabilities about available resources.
Ponifasio expressed his hope that the forum would serve as a platform for productive discussions and networking. “I trust that the deliberations over the next two days will provide a platform to converse, learn, and build networks on how to enhance access and availability of technologies for persons with disabilities in Samoa and beyond,” he said. “Their full and effective participation and inclusion at all levels of development is paramount.”
The forum, under the theme “Shaping Young Leaders Through Technologies,” aims to address these challenges and promote the inclusion of youth with disabilities in various aspects of society.
Speech in English
Lauga i le gagana Samoa
