Programme Director
Representatives from Disabled People’s Organisation
Women with Disabilities
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone who has made an effort to attend and participate in this important consultative meeting. This is the first meeting of Women with Disabilities by Department of Women with Disabilities to be hosted by my department since its inception.
I therefore expect maximum participation and crucial inputs into the social dialogue that will help us craft to craft a way forward towards empowering women with disabilities economically and promoting their social participation by addressing all barriers that cause their exclusion.
The purpose of this consultative meeting is to provide an open platform for women with disabilities to revisit and review the commitments made by government in terms of economic empowerment and social participation of women with disabilities. Furthermore, this meeting aims to promote awareness of existing economic opportunities available for women with disabilities within government and the private sector. This consultation will also address the economic and social challenges faced by women with disabilities and propose new strategies and new initiatives to resolve them.
Women with disabilities experience multiple forms of discrimination based on gender, age, urban/rural divide and disability. In order to address this level of discrimination, there is a need to adopt a multi disciplinary approach through policy and legislation. The mainstreaming strategy of government will therefore have to include women with disabilities in all economic empowerment programmes and plans.
The United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which South Africa has ratified adopts a twin track approach in dealing with issues that affect women with disabilities. Article six of the Convention requires state parties to take appropriate measures to integrate and mainstream issues of women with disabilities to ensure full development, advancement and empowerment for the purpose of guaranteeing them the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Convention also stipulates issues of women with disabilities as fundamentally important in most of its Articles.
The theme for the 2011 Women’s Month is “Working together to enhance women’s opportunities to economic empowerment”. In order to realise this theme, sharper focus should be placed on the most critical aspects of economic empowerment for Women with Disabilities. Fundamentally, business for women with disabilities will thrive if there is better access to trade and investment opportunities as targeted assistance.
Legislative measures should be put into place to increase the investment opportunities for women with disabilities, taking into consideration the need for policy changes that need to take place at both National and Global level.
There is a need to also increase the number of women with disabilities and available opportunities in the Agricultural Cooperative Schemes and Farming programmes. Access to capital by women with disabilities to start their own businesses is also necessary in order to allow them opportunity to participate equally in the business sector.
Skills development programmes should be put in place in order to address economic barriers preventing women with disabilities from accessing employment and empowerment programmes. Gender parity also need to be reached in employing women with disabilities in both Public and Private sector. In doing so, issues of reasonable accommodation such as provision of assistive devices, accessible workplaces, disability sensitive training should be taken into account.
Disability sensitive economic governance will require that public investment and public finance be responsive to the needs and priorities of women with disabilities. This means that budgeting method and processes should take into account targeted and integrated equity plans which are Disability and Gender sensitive. It is also important for young women with disabilities to be included in all economic empowerment programmes offered by Public and Private sector for young Women.
This consultative meeting should propose a set of recommendations to bridge the gap between policy and practice in order to ensure implementation of Legislations and service delivery. Women with disabilities should participate in developing and growing the economy of our country on an equal basis with others.
The outcome of this consultation will be visible when women with disabilities are integrated fully into the mainstream economy and are economically empowered to live independently.
I thank you.
Enquiries:
Sello Molekwa
Tel: 012 359 0190
Cell: 082 539 0090
E-mail: zandile@po.gov.za
For interview requests:
Siyabulela Makunga
Cell: 072 768 0238
Fax: 086 525 2219
E-mail: siyabulelam1@gmail.com
