Disability council appoints new CEO

THE National Disability Council of Namibia (NDCN) has appointed a CEO Angelique Philander after more than six years without someone in the post.

Philander’s appointment is effective as of 1 April 2022.

“As the director, she is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the affairs of the council; the management and development of the national policy on disability, integrated strategic business plans and to facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the national policy on disability,” said NDCN board chairperson Lidwina Shapwa.

She said to enable the NDCN to put effective programmes, projects and strategies in place will create a conducive environment for all stakeholders in the disability fraternity, and actualise the promotion of the general welfare of persons with disabilities.

Shapwa said Philander is also responsible for the implementation of programmes for persons with disabilities; to advocate and raise awareness on issues pertaining to persons with disabilities, their rights and mainstreaming and to mobilise resources for the council to strengthen its capacity to achieve greater inclusion and more active participation of people with disabilities in society.

“The NDCN is sincerely thankful to Mrs Philander for accepting the position of the director and the employees are all the more grateful at having the opportunity to work under her leadership,” she said.

For 23 years, Philander has been working in the research, science and technology sector, championing issues of gender mainstreaming and inclusivity at both national, SADC and international level. She can look back on a decade of middle and senior management.

“I am fascinated and convinced by the mandate of the council, matters pertaining to persons with disabilities and the disability fraternity,” she said.

Philander said it is imperative for the council to conduct a landscape mapping exercise of persons with disabilities, matters pertaining to disability and all role players in the funnel of disability in Namibia, to develop evidence-based legislative frameworks, as well as make informed decisions in the interest of persons with disabilities.

“Therefore, the NDCN together with the GIZ and the National Federation for Persons with Disabilities Namibia has also launched a media awareness campaign for the disaggregated data collection project on 20 April 2022.

Through this project, important data will be collected with the aim to ensure that we monitor, evaluate and learn from the progress that Namibia has made in meeting the goal of leaving no one behind as established under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” she said.

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