By 
Peter Libila, a student at Icof University’s Chipata campus, highlights the lack of awareness among individuals with disabilities and those residing in rural areas about their digital rights, resulting in limited access to media platforms for free expression.
Libila underscored the marginalization of people with disabilities in discussions on community development, leading to their exclusion from voicing their perspectives.
In an interview with Zambia Monitor in Eastern Province, Libila discussed the discrimination and stigma faced by individuals with disabilities in the media landscape.
Read More: Differently-abled person speaks on challenges impacting freedom of expression in rural areas
“Persons with disabilities are often overlooked when it comes to community developments,” he emphasized.
Moreover, as someone with a physical disability, Libala pointed out shortcomings in the Cybersecurity Act which failed to adequately address online barriers to freedom of expression.
“The act fails to ensure online safety for all; it only offers protection to certain groups while neglecting others,” he asserted.
He stressed the importance of bridging these gaps to foster inclusivity within the media.
“There’s a lack of sign language interpreters in most media outlets, which poses challenges for the deaf community,” he observed.
Libila also emphasized the necessity of providing braille reading materials and writing tools for individuals who are blind.
“Even basic resources like braille books are often unavailable for the blind,” he lamented.
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