UN in Zimbabwe Message on International White Cane Safety Day

Today, the United Nations Country Team in Zimbabwe joins the International Federation of the Blind in celebrating the independence, resilience, and achievements of persons who are blind or visually impaired. This year’s theme: “Vision Beyond Sight: Celebrating Independence, Resilience, and Recognizing Achievements of the Blind” highlights the strength and potential of individuals with visual impairments.

The white cane stands as a powerful symbol of freedom, mobility, and self-reliance. It reminds us that accessibility and inclusion are essential for people with visual impairments to fully participate in society and to navigate life with confidence and dignity. Across Zimbabwe, people who are blind or partially sighted continue to demonstrate creativity, resilience, and leadership, breaking barriers and redefining what is possible.

According to WHO (2023) at least 2.2 billion people globally experience visual impairment, including 1 billion with preventable or unaddressed conditions. In Zimbabwe, approximately 125,000 people are blind, including 62,500 due to cataracts, which points to a significant need for surgeries. The leading causes of visual impairment include uncorrected refractive errors, cataracts, glaucoma, trauma, and conjunctivitis, disproportionately affecting older persons and those in rural areas. These figures highlight the need for sustained action.  

Zimbabwe has made progress in advancing disability rights and inclusion including the ongoing process to enact Persons with Disabilities Bill, adoption of National Policy on Persons with Disabilities and development of a Costed Plan to implement the Policy. The launch of the National Assistive Technology Strategy and Assistive Products Priority List marked a major milestone toward equitable access to mobility aids such as white canes, low-vision devices, and communication technologies that promote daily independence.

These initiatives are aligned with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and the Zimbabwe United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2022–2026), reinforcing the principle of “leaving no one behind” and ensuring that persons with disabilities are central to national development.

Despite these advances, challenges persist. Attitudinal barriers as well as constrained accessibility in transport, public spaces, digital platforms, and information dissemination continue to limit the full participation of persons with disabilities including those who are visually impaired.  Improvements are also required in affordability, availability and necessary support for all visually impaired people to obtain the assistive products and/ technology they need.

“Vision Beyond Sight” is a call to action for Government, civil society and private sector to:

1. Expand access to assistive devices, training, and mobility aids.

2. Promote inclusive education and employment opportunities.

3. Ensure universal design and accessibility in public spaces and digital platforms.

4. Empower persons with disabilities to participate meaningfully in their communities.

A renewed commitment, focused action, and dedicated resources are urgently needed to ensure that all Zimbabweans living with visual impairments can achieve their full potential.

On this White Cane Awareness Day, the United Nations System in Zimbabwe stands in solidarity with persons who are blind and visually impaired and commits to working with Government to build a Zimbabwe where everyone can move freely, participate fully, and live independently.