The Minister for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya has urged all South Africans to demonstrate their support for persons with disabilities by participating in Casual Day taking place this Friday, 3 September.
Minister Mayende-Sibiya made the statement as she departs to lead the South African delegation to the third conference of the states parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, taking place at the United Nations headquarters in New York from tomorrow 1 to 3 September 2010.
On behalf of South Africa, Minister Mayende-Sibiya will act as the Vice-President of this meeting which will review global progress in the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Mexico is the current President.
“We are very excited about the leadership role assigned to us as South Africa at this meeting. In addition to Vice-Presidency, we have our renowned academic Dr Siva Moodley being earmarked to serve in the UN Committee of Experts on the Convention,” said Minister Mayende-Sibiya.
Dr Moodley has long history of service in the disability sector including in his capacity as a Director of Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities at the University of South Africa. His candidature to the UN Committee is supported by both the Ministry for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities and the South African Disability Alliance. The Committee of Experts on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is the body of independent experts which monitors the implementation of the Convention by the States Parties.
The Convention was adopted by UN General Assembly in 2006 in response to an overlooked development challenge facing people with disabilities who constitute approximately 10% of the world’s population (over 650 million persons). Its purpose is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. South Africa ratified the Convention in 2007.
“It is critical that as SA takes the lead on issues of disability globally, we demonstrate as a nation that we truly care about the various challenges facing people with disabilities in our own country by supporting such campaigns as the Casual Day,” said Minister Mayende-Sibiya.
Casual Day is the fundraising project which calls upon South Africans to dress differently on the first Friday of September each year and to wear the Casual Day sticker to show their support for disabled people.
Casual Day stickers can be purchased for R10 at any Absa, Game, Dion Wired, Edgars, Jet, Game, Boardmans and CNA or by visiting http://www.casualday.co.za. A total of R17,6 million was raised last year and this year’s Casual Day target is to raise at least R20 million this year. Hundreds of organisations serving people with disabilities benefit from these donations.
“This is the easiest way of demonstrating our support and raising awareness around issues of disability. We urge all organizations, public and private, to support this initiative. Let us cross over that R20 million mark this year,” said Minister Mayende-Sibiya.
Enquiries:
Sibani Mngadi
Cell: 0827720161
