Spinal Injuries Association of Malawi Calls for Budget Tracking on Disabilities

The Spinal Injuries Association of Malawi (SIAM) has urged organisations representing people with disabilities to closely monitor budget deliberations and scrutinize allocations in the national budget.

Speaking at the conclusion of a two-day budget tracking training session in Lilongwe, SIAM Executive Director Bylon Kondowe noted that many organisations lack the capacity to engage in disability-related budget advocacy.

He explained that participants were trained to track budgets within their own organisations, local councils, and the national budget through government departments.

On her part, Executive Director of the Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) Bertha Lipipa Phiri, who also facilitated the training, stated that the goal was to equip leaders of disability-focused organisations with policy understanding and advocacy skills.

She encouraged organisations to utilize the training to advocate for budgetary action through thorough tracking.

One of the participants, Esther Mbite, the Executive Director of Voice of Women with Disabilities, acknowledged the importance of the training but questioned the disparity in funding between the Department of Disability and the Ministry of Gender.

She said Out of K800 billion which was allocated to the Ministry of Gender, the Department of Disability has only been allocated K7 billion, which is not enough.

She suggested of having a standalone ministry of disability the can have enough time to track their budgets with ease.

Over 20 executive directors from organisations supporting individuals with various disabilities attended the training organized by SIAM with funding from the Disability Rights Fund.