By The Respondents Reporter
The National Environment Management Council (NEMC) has used the International Day of Persons with Disabilities to call for stronger national commitment to creating accessible and inclusive environmental services for all Tanzanians.
While joining the global commemoration, NEMC shifted attention to the structural challenges that persons with disabilities continue to face in accessing safe and clean environments.
The Council said these barriers must be addressed urgently if the country is to achieve true environmental justice.
NEMC Director General, Dr. Immaculate Sware Semesi, said disability inclusion is no longer an optional consideration but a central pillar of sustainable development.
She stressed that environmental protection will only be effective when every citizen can participate fully in planning, decision-making and day-to-day environmental activities.
“We cannot build a resilient, sustainable nation if millions of people are still navigating obstacles in accessing basic environmental services,” Dr. Semesi said.
“Accessibility is a right, and it must be reflected in every facility, every project and every policy.”he added
Dr. Semesi noted that many public and private facilities still lack accessible pathways, ramps, sanitation services and user-friendly systems.
NEMC is now strengthening its oversight to ensure institutions comply with inclusive design standards, saying accessible infrastructure should be treated as a national obligation rather than a recommendation.
She also raised concern over the limited representation of persons with disabilities in environmental decision-making forums.
NEMC is taking steps to change this by creating avenues for their participation in committees, policy dialogues and planning sessions at different levels of government.
Environmental hazards remain a major threat, and persons with disabilities often suffer disproportionate impacts during floods, pollution incidents and poor waste management.
Dr. Semesi said NEMC has improved guidelines to help local councils prepare emergency plans that identify, reach and protect vulnerable groups during disasters.
Beyond policy and infrastructure, NEMC is also investing in nationwide education efforts to challenge negative attitudes and promote broader understanding of disability rights within environmental management. Dr. Semesi said changing mindsets is as important as upgrading systems.
“Tanzania cannot speak of environmental justice without disability justice,” she said. “Our commitment is to build a country where every person, regardless of ability, enjoys the same safety, dignity and opportunity.”
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed globally each year on December 3 to promote inclusion and advance the rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities.