THE government has improved the lives of people with disabilities since 1994, but some advocacy groups say there is room for improvement.
Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, speaking in Pretoria yesterday at the national launch of Disability Rights Awareness Month, said:
"We are at an advanced stage of finalising the National Disability Rights policy, which includes [a] monitoring and evaluation framework through which we will be able to track progress made in eradicating inequalities and reducing poverty among persons with disabilities and their families."
Dlamini recalled how before 1994 disabled people were denied basic services such as education, health and social grants on the basis of race, gender, age or ability, as these were privileges of a few.
"But this only served to galvanise persons with disabilities to action, and the release of the Disability Rights Charter of South Africa in 1992 set the tone for how disability was to be approached in our new democracy," she said.
Some disability organisations agree the government is making an effort but it's just not enough.
Gauteng Provincial Association for Persons with Disabilities director Beena Chiba said they acknowledge work government has done, but it was still a work in progress.
"Government must still look at building, some schools are not disability friendly . they have stairs and not wheelchair ramps and elevators," Chiba said.
Disabled People of SA spokesman Olwethu Sipuka said: "There's lots of progress made with empowering disabled people, however it's not enough. Government has still not met the mere 2% target it set to employ people with disabilities."
Dlamini said the main challenge now was improving the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
She intends doing this through accessible disability information services, inclusive early childhood development opportunities, training and peer counselling services, and removing barriers to the built environment, transport systems and communication.
"This will enable persons with disabilities to take up the opportunities created in much larger numbers, improving our performance in achieving equity targets," she said.
November is National Disability Rights Awareness Month.
ntsambab@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Progress 'not so good' in empowering disabled
THE government has improved the lives of people with disabilities since 1994, but some advocacy groups say there is room for improvement.
Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, speaking in Pretoria yesterday at the national launch of Disability Rights Awareness Month, said:
"We are at an advanced stage of finalising the National Disability Rights policy, which includes [a] monitoring and evaluation framework through which we will be able to track progress made in eradicating inequalities and reducing poverty among persons with disabilities and their families."
Dlamini recalled how before 1994 disabled people were denied basic services such as education, health and social grants on the basis of race, gender, age or ability, as these were privileges of a few.
"But this only served to galvanise persons with disabilities to action, and the release of the Disability Rights Charter of South Africa in 1992 set the tone for how disability was to be approached in our new democracy," she said.
Some disability organisations agree the government is making an effort but it's just not enough.
Gauteng Provincial Association for Persons with Disabilities director Beena Chiba said they acknowledge work government has done, but it was still a work in progress.
"Government must still look at building, some schools are not disability friendly . they have stairs and not wheelchair ramps and elevators," Chiba said.
Disabled People of SA spokesman Olwethu Sipuka said: "There's lots of progress made with empowering disabled people, however it's not enough. Government has still not met the mere 2% target it set to employ people with disabilities."
Dlamini said the main challenge now was improving the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
She intends doing this through accessible disability information services, inclusive early childhood development opportunities, training and peer counselling services, and removing barriers to the built environment, transport systems and communication.
"This will enable persons with disabilities to take up the opportunities created in much larger numbers, improving our performance in achieving equity targets," she said.
November is National Disability Rights Awareness Month.
ntsambab@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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