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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Sunrise of currency reform - Index of articles and reports on Zimbabwe's new currency reforms
No
joy for the visually impaired as new currency hits the streets
National
Association of Societies for the Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH)
Extracted from NASCOH
Disability Update, Aug 17-24, 2006
August 24, 2006
It never rains but pours for the disability sector. The recent slashing
of three zeroes from Zimbabwe’s local currency and introduction
of new, streamlined bearer cheques, has brought some measure of
relief and convenience to the generality of Zimbabweans, who can
now move around easily unencumbered by having to lug around huge
sums of money, and no longer have to spend interminable hours in
bank queues. For the visually impaired, however, the nightmare is
just starting – they have no way of distinguishing the 13 denominations
of currency from one another.
People who are
visually impaired are able to differentiate different denominations
of banknotes by their size in the absence of Braille. However, the
newly introduced bearer cheques are of the same size, making it
virtually impossible for visually impaired people to distinguish
one denomination from the other, and this poses a number of complications
for the these people, who run the risk of being ripped off by unscrupulous
individuals. While the bearer cheques are now a fait accompli,
and nothing can be done about them, it is our hope that the concerns
of the visually impaired could be taken into account when the new
banknotes which will replace the bearer cheques are eventually introduced,
in order to afford them the opportunity to be able to independently
distinguish one banknote from the other. This would assist them
greatly in their daily transactions.
This unfortunate
incident is but a microcosm of an even greater problem, however
– the general invisibility of people with disabilities in all aspects
of social life. Persons with disabilities are the most qualified
and best equipped to support, inform and advocate for themselves.
It is therefore imperative to recognize the right of persons with
disabilities to self-representation and to strengthen their capacity
to participate in the decision-making process by appointing a disability
focal person in every major decision-making apparatus of the nation.
Visit the NASCOH
fact
sheet
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