The national organisation advocating for the rights of people with disabilities, Nuanua o le Alofa (N.O.L.A.) has celebrated 20 years of service in Samoa.

The milestone was marked in a small celebration that was held on Thursday at the TATTE Building with various stakeholders of the N.O.L.A. sub-groups in attendance.

According to the General-Secretary of N.O.L.A, Mata'afa Fa’atino Utumapu, the celebration is to acknowledge the organisation’s journey with its members.

“What a journey, I should say! Indeed, we had challenges but we have come a long way and also there is still a lot to be done to ensure that persons with disability are included are recognised and having their rights to be realised at all levels.”

Mata'afa said that while they cannot afford to have a big celebration they still need to acknowledge their journey thus far.

The milestone was marked at the closing of a two-day programme that focused on revisiting the last five year's strategic plan for the organisation highlighting the key achievements as well as challenges.

“The meeting was also about developing the next five years’ strategic plan based on the priorities by members as well as taking into consideration COVID-19," said Mata'afa.

“The idea is to ensure that persons with disability who own the organisation still have a voice in the development of its programmes and its advocacy work to the community and at national level.” 

Mata'afa said part of the programme is highlighting the key achievements and reaffirming the organisation's priorities for the next five years with an emphasis cross cutting priorities of safety, access to justice and violence free for all.

“We intend to have a stronger focus on addressing the multiple layers of discrimination on the basis of disability and gender inequality which is the root cause of violence," she said.

Some of the key achievements of the last five years include but not limited to leading advocacy work for ratification at the international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities which Samoa ratified in 2016. 

Another achievement is improving the recognition of persons with disabilities as the advocacy body for themselves in national development.

“And also improving the capacity of persons’ with disabilities to take ownership of their development and themselves in terms of making decisions both as individuals and as members of the organisation," said Mata'afa.

“Despite the restrictions of COVID-19 the organisation was able to reach out to both its members and persons’ with disabilities whom we haven’t been able to identify.

“We provided them with COVID protection resources and information but also raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities and the work of the organisation.”

She also acknowledged the partners of N.O.L.A. such as the UNDP and the Australian government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (D.F.A.T.).