House Chair
Honourable Minister
Honourable Members
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
“Among the yardsticks by which to measure a society's respect for human rights, to evaluate the level of its maturity and its generosity of spirit, it’s by looking at the status that it accords to those members of society who are most vulnerable, disabled people, the senior citizens and its children.” (Mbeki, INDS, 1997).
The recent exposure of incidents of child-on-child violence and the rape of young children with disabilities, speak to the mental state of our nation, although it is not a new phenomenon.
The protection of children and women with disabilities from exploitation and sexual abuse is a constitutional obligation placed on every South African.
The recent cases of sexual abuse of young people with intellectual disabilities, have once again brought to the attention of ordinary South Africans the realities disabled people and their families live with on a daily basis. Their abuse often goes unreported, but even if they do speak out, they are unlikely to be believed.
It is however regrettable that this on-going abuse has to go viral on social media before South African society sits up and takes notice.
The media regrettably often unintentionally contributes to an environment in which the abuse of people with disabilities occurs by the manner in which they portray people with disabilities as powerless, helpless victims and objects of pity.
It is the responsibility of the media to ensure that they use the power of word and image responsibly, and that their reporting promotes a culture of respect, dignity and human rights of people with disabilities.
Honourable Members, as we would all agree, education remains a crucial weapon to liberate people from oppression.
Honourable Deputy Minister Surty and us have agreed on critical areas for intervention in facilitating progressive access to education for the estimated 467 000 children with disabilities of compulsory school-going age, who are currently out of school, at the beginning of the 2013 school year. Particular attention will also be given to accelerating the pace of implementation of inclusive education, and the creation of safe environments in special schools.
Similarly, we have also agreed with the Ministry of Higher Education and Training that the focus this year will fall on developing minimum norms and standards for the establishment of disability rights units at all institutions of higher education as well as further education and training colleges.
These units will, amongst others facilitate access to reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities.
House Chair,
Allow me to remind this House of President Zuma’s commitment in his State of the Nation Address for 2012 that government must achieve the set target of 2% employment in the public service for people with disabilities by March 2013.
We have agreed with the Public Service and Administration Ministry, supported by the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, on what will be done differently to achieve the set target by the set date.
It is with humility that I can share with this house that the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities currently stands at 5,5% employment equity for people with disabilities.
Other focus areas this year will be on monitoring equal access by people with disabilities to government’s economic empowerment programmes, such as the Jobs Fund, cooperatives development and the review of the sheltered employed workshops.
The majority of people with disabilities in South Africa live in rural areas and survive on social grants. The inclusion of people with disabilities in the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) programme by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform is therefore recognised as an important step in ensuring sustainable livelihoods for those with disabilities and their families.
We will be working with the Department to mainstream disability considerations in the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme by targeting the existing Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) sites to ensure that the roll-out of rural infrastructure meets the requirements of universal access and design. This will contribute to the equalisation of opportunities and building inclusive rural communities.
Honourable Members,
Our commitment to rural development also extends to universal access to health services. The Department will monitor the roll-out of the National Health Insurance (NHI) in the 11 pilot districts to ensure compliance with our Constitutional obligations to equity, equality and non-discrimination.
Community-Based Rehabilitation is an important aspect of the provisioning of rehabilitation and assistive device services to people with disabilities in rural communities, and we will work with the Department of Health in escalating the roll-out of these services.
We commend the Department of Health for the progressive steps they are taking to re-position mental health within the social model of disability, and the affirmation of the rights of those with mental impairments.
Noting the tortoise pace of progress over the past 19 years in creating an inclusive society for all, we therefore have changed the approach to coordinating and consolidating our work in championing the National Disability Agenda.
Honourable Members, the principle of self-representation by people with disabilities is non-negotiable. We acknowledge the representation from the Judiciary, to the Legislatures, to the Executives, as well Chapter 9 Institutions.
We salute the African National Congress in its centenary year to have understood this important principle, and we pay tribute to those disabled leaders like the late Friday Mavuso and Maria Rantho who picked up the spear when given the opportunity by the august movement.
To them we say, Aluta Continua!
House Chair, we remain committed to ensuring that the face of HIV and AIDS changes from that of a burden of a black woman, to that of society in general. We will be monitoring the implementation of the National Strategic Plan, and we have made contributions to the operational plan as it affects women, children and people with disabilities.
The sectors we represent remain the most affected by the scourge of poverty, which leads to many other challenges.
We recognise that without partnership and collective action across all sectors of society spanning all three spheres of government, we will not succeed.
We also realise that our work in this department will never be done unless South African men stand up and proclaim “Not in my Name”.
Honourable Members,
There are very few people in this House who can with any certainty proclaim that disability will not directly affect them in their life time. We have all submitted our applications, we are just waiting for authorisation.
In view of the above, we urge all Members through their oversight commitments, to ensure that any infrastructure roll-out in their constituencies, complies with the universal access design principles. In this way, Members will prepare to enjoy our golden years within the midst of our families and communities.
“The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives” This was said by William James, leader of the philosophical movement of Pragmatism, 1842-1910).
Announcements
It should be noted that this department carries the biggest burden of government’s international obligations.
- The Day of the African Child, commemorated on June 16 every year, this year is dedicated to “the rights of children with disabilities: the duty to protect, respect, promote and fulfil.”
- The UN theme for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2012 will be “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all”. It will be celebrated in Mpumalanga.
- We will be depositing the First UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) Country Report with the UN by August 2012.
- The department will lead a South African delegation to the UNCRPD Conference of Parties from 12-14 Sept 2012, as well as the 52nd Session of the African Commission on Human And Peoples' Rights in late October/ November this year.
- The department will in addition form part of the South African delegations to, among others, the World Health Assembly in May and the World Assembly on HIV and AIDS in July 2012.
- We are lobbying for South African representation on Committee of Experts on the UNCRPD.
Together, committed to creating a caring and inclusive society for all!
