Disability Week 2022: Meaningful Inclusion Matters

Belize’s Disability Week 2022 is being recognized from the twenty-seventh of November to the third of December. The theme for Belize’s observation of Disability Week 2022 is “Meaningful Inclusion Matters”. To kick off the week, a church service was held at St. John’s Cathedral in Belize City, as well as a church service in Orange Walk.  On Monday, the Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities (B.A.P.D.A.) launched its donation appeal boxes in various locations across Belize City. There are several other activities planned for the week, including a parade on Friday. We spoke with Marshall Nunez, the Coordinator of the Disability Desk at the Ministry of Human Development.

Marshall Nunez

Marshall Nunez, Disability Desk Coordinator, Ministry of Human Development

“I want to appeal to the public on BAPDA’s behalf, anywhere you see the BAPDA appeals box please give generously. It is very challenging but using the WHO numbers, about fifteen to twenty percent of our population is persons who are living with disability, hence the reason for the level of public awareness that is needed. So, this week is going to accentuate that and highlight the awareness and bring forth the need for inclusivity and awareness participation, inclusion, nondiscrimination, empowerment of persons who are living with disabilities. There are several other events, the stakeholders including the special education unit of the Ministry of Education they are collaboration SpEd officers across the country and they are doing events, many of it within the schools. We have formed the municipality disability leaders. Everyone for the nine municipality has been given the portfolio of the disability service and each are organizing events within their respective municipalities. The disability desk in collaboration with Stella Maris, we are organizing a parade for Friday in Belize City. It will commence at ten o’clock at the Shell One Stop and it meander itself along Cemetery Road, Pound Yard Bridge, Orange Street and it end at Battlefield Park on Albert Street.”