Empowering Voices: Cooperating with South Sudan Association of Visually Impaired

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IASC-Guidelines Pilot Countries Uncategorized
Group of persons, having white canes in their hands, pose for the camera during stakeholder’s roundtable discussion workshop in Juba, South Sudan.

© Obale Musa / HI

South Sudan Association of Visually Impaired (SSAVI) supported by HI’s “Phase 3-Leave No One Behind” project team in South Sudan, organized a one-day stakeholders roundtable discussion workshop on 16th October 2024 in Juba to commemorate International White Cane Day as part of a series of events. The workshop attracted 26 participants from various government institutions, both National and International Non-Governmental Organizations, as well as Organizations representing individuals with Disabilities (OPD’s).  

The roundtable discussion workshop was one of several events organized by the South Sudan Association of Visually Impaired (SSAVI) in October, including an awareness campaign, radio talk shows, and mobility orientation training. The workshop focused on enhancing inclusion of persons with disabilities in society and promoting their rights by increasing the uptake of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action by all stakeholders.

Stakeholders were made aware of the difficulties faced by persons with disabilities in accessing services and participating in society. Persons with visual impairments reported experiencing disrespect, abuse, stigma, and inaccessible infrastructure when navigating using their white canes. Also lack of available white canes is making many individuals with visual impairments unable to exercise their freedom of movement. 

The HI’s “Leave No One Behind” project team led a session on the IASC Guidelines, covering their purpose and the roles of key stakeholders like governments, donors, program implementers, and OPDs. The session focused on the twin-track approach and the four “Must Do Actions” —Meaningful Participation, Barrier Removal, Empowerment & Capacity-building, and Data Disaggregation— to improve disability inclusion and access to humanitarian assistance. Participants gained valuable insights, with one highlighting the session’s key takeaway.

“I had no knowledge about the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Guidelines on inclusion of Persons with Disabilities. I believe these guidelines are crucial for all stakeholders to possess and review in order to effectively incorporate disability into their programs and tackle the issues faced by Persons with Disabilities.” 

Text and photo by Obale Musa, HI South Sudan