CEPO’s Yakani urges Kiir to sign UN convention on persons with disabilities

JUBA – Prominent Activist Edmund Yakani has urged President Salva Kiir to sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a few hours after the latter met the Miss Deaf African Josephine Kiden who was wounded by a gunman last August.

The United Nations convention is an international human rights treaty intended for the world to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities and has been effective since 2008 after having been adopted in 2007.

South Sudan is one of a few countries who have not yet signed the treaty.

Model Kiden was wounded when walking on a public space in August this year and was flown to Nairobi for treatment on order of the president. This evening, she met the president to express her gratitude for the goodwill.

Yakani who is the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) welcomed and hailed the meeting and further praised Kiir for the show of support to citizens with disabilities.

“CEPO appreciates and congratulates President Salva Kiir Mayardit for having the opportunity to meet Miss Deaf African Josephine Kiden in order to listen to the concerns of people with disabilities. This opportunity from the president is a clear demonstration that the president will support, protect and promote the rights of people with disabilities,” Yakani said.

The outspoken activist further urged the president to sign the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities to show further commitment to standing for the rights of the disabled people in the world’s youngest country.

“The president should sign urgently the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a practical demonstration of the needed will and commitment to stand for rights of citizens with disabilities in our country,” Yakani said.

“Let president take responsibility in signing this important document before the 3^rd of December 2022, the international day in which the rights of the people with disabilities are commemorated across the world,” Yakani stressed.

Yakani further said that the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) “will be effectively engaging the government of South Sudan to support, protect, and promote the rights of person with disabilities.”