Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have appealed to the World Bank to include their needs in its policies.

The call, coming at a time when the World Bank is reviewing its policies, aims to ensure that all countries incorporate PWD needs in programmes funded by the bank. According to the Executive Director of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (Nudipu), Edson Ngirabakunzi, the bank is critical in ensuring PWDs progress.

"The World Bank funds government programmes and projects. So, it can compel governments to design projects that are inclusive of the disabled," he said.

Ngirabakunzi argued that despite the promise to uplift PWDs, most governments had ignored their issues, leaving them marginalised. Ngirabakunzi wants a country undertaking a project in the education, health and construction sectors to ensure PWDs needs are catered for.

He said Nudipu would be the lead organisation lobbying on behalf of Africa.