CASE STORY – A person with visual impairment granted access to bank ATM card previously denied…
17 January 2024
NEGATIVE attitudes and perceptions toward persons with disabilities have continued to be a barrier to their quest to achieve and enjoy independent living. The case of Mr. Derick Hope Bwalya Mulipa is one of determination and inspiration in the area of financial inclusion.
Derick aged 35 is visually impaired and holds a Bachelor of Art in Education (English and History) from Kwame Nkrumah University and Master in Literature and Development from Zambia Open University. He was deployed by the government in 2016 as a secondary school teacher at Sefula Secondary School in Mongu Western Zambia. Immediately after being deployed and as per requirement, Mr. Derick Mulipa had to open a bank account to enable him access his pay. He chose to open an account with Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) Mongu Branch. For an ordinary person, once an account is opened, the bank will issue an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Card to such a client. For Mr. Mulipa that was not the case because he is a person with visual impairment. To his surprise when the account was ready for use, Mr. Mulipa was not given an ATM card but was told that he could only access his money over the counter for security reasons.
Since March, 2016, Mr. Mulipa has been accessing his money over the counter, the process he described as an inconvenience and hectic.
“While the bank saw the move not to issue me with an ATM card as secure, I have suffered more because whenever I want to get my money, I have to travel from Sefula to Mongu town. They could ask me to fill in a cash withdraw slip and sometimes to write a letter” Mr. Mulipa narrated. He added that when he is a minute late, he could not be allowed to get into the bank to access his money. Which was very unfortunate having travelled all the way from the Sefula and just to be turned back.
Having been inconvenienced and incurring withdraw changes ranging from K50 to K150, each time he went to the bank Mr. Mulipa decided to complain against the ZANACO branch to Disability Rights Watch in 2023 November, as he felt being discriminated against and being taken advantage of especially on bank charges.
Disability Rights Watch a Non-Government Organization registered under PACRA as a company limited by guarantee and also under the Persons with Disabilities Act through Zambia Agency for persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) as a Disability Service organization received the complaint under its paralegal desk and noted the discrimination on the basis of disability.
Without delays, the organization engaged the bank manager at Zanaco Mongu branch and in copy of Zanaco Head Office. The organization, noted that the ground for denying Mr. Mulipa an ATM card in the pretext of securing his funds had a negative bearing to him and his independent living. The organization also noted that the move inconvenienced the client and limited his enjoyment of social and economic rights. As such the organization wrote to the bank to demand that the client be issued with an ATM card with immediate effect as a way of promoting the financial inclusion of persons with disabilities.
As of January 12, 2024 Mr. Derick Mulipa informed DRW that the bank issued him an ATM card in December, 2023. He further shared that, with an ATM card in his hands, he is now able to access his money at any time and anywhere.
“I’m very excited that now I have an ATM card in my possession and I can even access money from Zanaco express booths unlike when I use to go to Mongu to just withdraw money”
DRW wishes to commend ZANACO for responding positively to the demand letter. At the same time take this opportunity to request any bank that is in the similar situation to issue ATM cards to clients with visual impairments without any form of discrimination.
Mr. Mulipa also urges banks to treat people with visual impairment like any other clients and more sensitization of bank staff on how to handle people with disabilities who seek their services.
DRW here urges all persons with disabilities facing any form of discrimination in the financial or banking sector to seek the intervention of the organisation’s paralegal services to ensure their rights and fundamental freedoms are protected as provided for by the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2012.
Disability Rights Watch.
