Twenty years into our democracy, South Africa has done well in recognising the rights of people with disabilities through the enactment of the country’s Constitution, Integrated National Disability Strategy (INDS), Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA), Employment Equity Act (EEA), the ratification of the United Nations (UN) Convention Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), to mention but a few.
The South African Government, led by the Department of Women Children and People with Disabilities (DWCPD), in partnership with Albinism Society of South Africa (ASSA), will host the first event conference on albinism to focus on the rights of people with albinism. This upcoming national conference to be held in October 2013, and is one of the outcomes of the Presidential Siyahlola Monitoring Campaign which took place in Mpumalanga in December 2012. This monitoring campaign was in celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities to promote and protect the rights of people with albinism. The conference is one of the steps that DWCPD has embarked on towards a process of drafting legislation that outlaws discriminatory language against people with albinism in South Africa.
The Conference will be constituted by 300 delegates, 90 of which will be children with albinism, intended to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Article 12 on child participation and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRDP) Article 7 on self-representation. The Conference will run over two days from 26 – 27 October 2013.
Date: 26 October 2013
Time: 08:30
Venue: Birchwood Conference Center
One of the highlights of the conference is the launch of a booklet “Understanding Albinism” developed by the Human Rights Media which will be launched in the evening of the 26th of October 2013.
For interview requests with the Hon Deputy Minister please contact:
Ms. Dirosa Lebona
Cell: 072 742 4769
E-mail: dirosa@dwcpd.gov.za
Ms. Emilie Olifant
Cell: 082 903 9250
E-msail: olifant@dwcpd.gov.za
