3 November - 3 December 2013
The Right to Universal Access and Design:
Break Barriers, Open Doors to realise an Inclusive Society for All -
Action through Partnership
South Africa commemorates National Disability Awareness Month annually between 3 November and 3 December. 3 December is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and is also commemorated as National Disability Rights Awareness Day.
Disability is the consequence of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental, or some combination of these. A disability may be present from birth, or occur during a person's lifetime.
The Disability Awareness Month offers an opportunity for all of us to remove these barriers and to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities through concrete action.
The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities is responsible for driving the government’s equity, equality and empowerment agenda in terms of those living with disabilities.
Let’s break barriers to employment for people with disabilities
- According to the Commission for Employment Equity 2012/13 Annual Report, people with disabilities only accounted for 1,4% of our total workforce in 2012.
- Under the 2003 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, disabled black people should make up 2% of an organisation's total workforce in its first five years of existence and 3% for companies that are six to 10 years in existence.
- Government has been putting measures in place to reach 2% of people with disabilities in the public service by 2015.
- Government calls on civil society, labour and business to fully implement disability related policies and legislation for a just society.
Let’s open the doors of education to learners with disabilities
- Substantial funds have been spent on the strengthening of 295 special schools to ensure that they can become centres of excellence.
- From 2014 South African Sign Language will be standardised in schools to ensure all provinces teach the same curriculum from grades R to 12.
- Government’s adult literacy initiative called Kha Ri Gude, offers classes in Braille and sign language.
- According to the Department of Basic Education, there was an increase in the enrolment of 7 to 15 year-old children with disabilities who attended an educational institution from 73% in 2002 to 94% in 2010.
News and events during the Disability Awareness Month
- Calendar of events
- Media advisories
- Speeches and statements
- Disability Awareness Month - SA Government News Agency
- Women, Children and People with Disabilities on declaration of National Albinism Conference
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Blogs
- Treat our disabled people with dignity, 3 December 2013
- Compassion for the disabled is key, 13 November 2013
Services for people with disabilities
