By Tsepang Nare Respect for human rights is not social work, it is not an act of compassion. It is the first obligation of governance and the source of its legitimacy as alluded to by former US President Ronald Reagan. This is also espoused in the country’s Constitution where there is reaffirmation of commitment to upholding and defending fundamental human rights and freedoms. However, the advent of COVID-19 following the first reported case a year ago marked an escalation of erosion in the pathway of freedoms. Thus, making violation of human rights a characteristic synonymous with our society where persons with disabilities are not spared. March 20, 2020 became a day many dreaded as fear, anxiety and uncertainty predominated following announcement by the Health and Child Care ministry that a suspected COVID-19 patient had tested positive in the country. The psychological effect that had a bearing among many was as a result of seeing how the pandemic had wreaked havoc in first world countries. The major bearing the pandemic had on people was triggered by the fact that, despite developed countries having state-of-the-art healthcare systems, they were at the brink of collapse. That became worrisome looking at our already dysfunctional health system, and trying to visualise what would become of this nation and its people if a catastrophe of this nature was to befall Zimbabwe. As levels of emotional distress increased among persons with disabilities in particular, those with hearing impairement were in complete darkness as to what was happening. Even as public awareness was carried out including on television, there was no sign language interpretation. While the rest of the cluster fortunate to have access to mobile phones and or access to the internet relied on information shared on social media platforms, some of it malicious and concocted with fabricated stories, civil society organisations had to counter hegemony and ensure there is observance of human rights through proper information dissemination as enshrined in section 62 of the Constitution, which led to improved communication. However, exclusion of the Public Service, Labour and Social Services ministry, and people living with disabilities (PWDs) starting from the ad hoc inter-ministerial taskforce committee right up to provincial and district committees set up to deliberate on COVID-19 issues and mobilise resources has continued to prevail unabated. Therefore, voices remain suppressed as they are not included in meaningful and effective decision making. This is further evidenced by the recently introduced lockdown at the beginning of the year when there was a spike in COVID-19 cases due to unrestricted movements during the festive season. Despite a chunk of the national budget allocation channelled towards social protection of vulnerable groups, the Public Service, Labour and Social Services ministry was allocated $793 million which is 1,64% of the budget. Failure by government to see to it that vulnerable groups are well-catered for so that they do not experi