In abid to make the country’s budget clear and understandable to all categories of people in the country, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has launched the Braille and Audio/Visual versions of the citizen’s guide to the budget for financial year 2023/2024. This is to enable people with audio/visual impairments to access the information in the budget.
While launching the Braille and Audio/visual version at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the Director budget Policy and Evaluation from the Ministry Paul Mwanja revealed that the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Uganda Debt Network, the United Nations Children’s Education Fund, and the Uganda National Association of the blind produced the first Braille version of the Citizens guide to the budget for the Financial year 2022/2023 for the purposes of bridging the gap with access to information on the budget by the visually impaired.
He added that in this Financial year 2023/2024, the Ministry has prioritised production of the audio/Visual version in addition to the Braille version to carter for stakeholders with hearing impairments, although it can also be used by those with visual impairment.
In his message that was delivered by the chief of social policy in UNICEF Moses Muse Sichei, the UNICEF representative to Uganda M.Munir. A. Safieldin applauded the the government of Uganda and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic development for their committee to ensuring that every citizen has equal access to information regardless of their abilities and disabilities through the development of the very first audio/visual versions to the citizens guide to the budget for the financial year 2023/2024 and the consistent publishing of the Braille version since financial year 2022/2023.
He added that this is a collaborative effort aimed at fostering inclusivity and this is the first initiative supported by UNICEF in 21 countries in East and Southern Africa region placing Uganda as the lead in the support for access to information by the visually and hearing impaired members of the society.
Meanwhile, the representative from the Uganda National Association of the blind Brenda Khasalamwa committed on behalf of UNAD to produce the quality Braille for any documents that will be supported under the continued support from UNICEF and do the dissemination to the beneficiaries since they can easily reach them.
In the same way, Patrick Tumwebaze from the Uganda Debt Network expressed that this is a great milestone towards inclusiveness in the budget as it will make budget information Accessible to people with special needs.
The Braille and audio/visual versions of the citizens guide to the budget financial year 2023/2024 has been made by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in collaboration with UNICEF, Uganda Debt Network, Uganda National Association of the Blind and the Uganda Association of the Deaf and the launch was attended by the Deputy director Civil society budget Advocacy group Carol Namagembe.
