GOVERNMENT REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO GREATER INCLUSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN 2026

Basseterre, Saint Kitts, December 18, 2025 (SKNIS): Persons with Disabilities have been assured of greater mainstreaming in 2026, as the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis continues its pledge to build an inclusive society.

In May 2025, the Federation deposited instruments of accession at the Organisation of American States (OAS), affirming the nation’s commitment to advancing human rights protections, which include the Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities.

On Day one (1) of the Budget Debate on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Senator, the Honourable Isalean Phillip, highlighted that the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Ageing and Disabilities has successfully increased engagement and built consciousness about persons with disabilities and their experiences in society.

“We have been able to support building capacity to be able to better engage with persons in this community. We’ve hosted sign language training for civil servants so that we can increase the way we communicate and engage with persons living with disabilities,” Honourable Phillip stated. “We also partnered with the Ministry of Education in order to build capacity in our schools, and that is intended to help us mainstream more children living with disabilities so that they can participate in mainstream education.”

To help students with disabilities transition to life in public schools, the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Ageing and Disabilities, overseen by Honourable Phillip as Minister of State, hosted inclusion workshops for teachers from various schools. Equipped with the knowledge from the training, the teachers are better able to guide and manage effective learning and positive experiences for students who are disabled.

Senator Phillip shared that a committee was also established to assist with parking permits for wheelchair users to make it easier to move around in the centre of Basseterre and other communities.

She said that advocacy efforts will continue with public and private stakeholders to improve access to housing, employment options and skills building for persons living with disabilities so that they can lead productive lives as the Federation transitions to a Sustainable Island State.