Aid Exit Sparks Urgent Budget Calls
The international partnership “We ARE ABLE” closed operations this month, ending four years of technical and financial support for disability inclusion across South Sudan. Its exit has jolted local advocates who fear a funding vacuum.
Organisations such as ZOA, Light for the World and The Hague Academy had supplied training, small grants and policy advice. Their combined footprint reached seven states, according to project briefings.
Parliament Faces Inclusion Test
Union chairperson Augustino Wudu Elario urged lawmakers to earmark resources in the upcoming fiscal plan, arguing that oil revenue can underwrite assistive devices, ramps and inclusive schooling.
“One day of production could change lives,” he told reporters, challenging the perception that social spending must wait for future prosperity.
Government Outlines Support Plans
Director General Regina Ossa Lullo reiterated the Ministry of Gender and Child Welfare’s commitment to mainstream disability across education, health and justice portfolios.
She said inter-ministerial teams are drafting enforcement mechanisms so that inclusive policies move from paper to practice.
Treaty Raises Accountability Stakes
South Sudan ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in February 2023, binding the state to progressive realisation of accessibility and representation.
Legal scholars note the treaty can guide budget priorities, offering a blueprint for aligning domestic law with global standards.
Voices of the Disability Movement
Activists now focus on sustaining momentum without foreign coaches. Elario has appealed for leftover project vehicles and equipment to bolster outreach in remote counties.
Advocates frame the moment as a moral test. Inclusive budgeting, they say, signals whether the young nation intends to leave no citizen behind.