Date: 16/11/2006
Source: Department of social Development
Title: Benjamin: Disability Awareness Month
Speech by the Deputy Minister of Social Development, J Benjamin, at the Commemoration of the Disability Awareness Month, Calvinia Sports Ground
Master of ceremony,
The mayor of Namaqua district,
The mayor of Calvinia,
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Services,
Councillors from Namaqualand,
Representatives from the national and provincial departments of Social Development,
National and Provincial representatives form Disabled Children's Action Group (DICAG),
Dignitaries,
Fellow people with disabilities,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour and privilege for me to be here with you on this important occasion, as we commemorate Disability Awareness Month.
Today's event focuses on raising awareness through to sensitising the Calvinia community and relevant stakeholders regarding norms and standards to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. Today's event is centred on the theme "Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Development in Action," which calls on key stakeholders especially government to revert to their set objectives and goals on disability; and work to translate them into concrete realities for people with disabilities. It further focuses on the implementation of accessible programmes, changing mind sets and transforming to create a truly democratic, people-centred society where the people of South Africa in general and people with disabilities specifically, can share in the successes of such a society in the broadest sense. Today we are celebrating education and empowerment, a day that should inspire people with disabilities to rise to their full potential and achieve more.
The month has been declared the Disability Awareness Month to enhance the recognition that social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms requires the active participation, equality and development of people with disabilities and to acknowledge their contribution to the development initiatives of this country. It was further set aside to accommodate build up processes to the International Day of Disable People, which is celebrated on 3 December.
The Disability Awareness Month embraces part of 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women and Children. It therefore provides an ideal opportunity to sensitise all South Africans, in the fight against violence and abuse that is directed at women and children with disabilities. The majority of children with disabilities live in extreme poverty, and in harsh conditions. Youth with disabilities have fewer opportunities than their peers to access development programmes or work. This is compounded by the negative attitudes from their peers and the community, which impacts on their self-esteem and confidence. Most importantly, children with disabilities, in particular girls, are more vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse.
Allow me Programme Director, to share a connotation from a recent departmental event to celebrate women with disabilities: namely that woman with disabilities have come a long way, and still have a long road to achieve total equality with their counterparts. There are women, in rural areas, farming communities and small towns, who have yet to enjoy the fruits of liberation, women with disabilities, physical and intellectual disabilities, as well as those who are deaf and blind are experiencing worse forms of discrimination and abuse. Let us use this opportunity to share experiences, to educate and act against any form of abuse and to curb the abuse of our girl child with disabilities. These include our wives, neighbours and friends who have any form of disability.
Ladies and gentlemen, the challenges of ensuring that people with disabilities get their fair share of the proverbial cake make gatherings of this nature imperative. There should be no doubt whatsoever that people with disabilities are not only willing to play a meaningful role in our unfolding economic transformation, but they are also able and extremely well-endowed with the relevant and sought-after skills so sorely needed in the highly competitive global environment.
What then is the role that Government is expected to play?
Ladies and gentlemen, we have as a department entered a new course in our country's history, shifting from the welfare approach to the social developmental perspective, which reaches out to the millions of our people who are living in abject poverty and deprivation, and lack of access to resources. This paradigm shift from the tradition of helping the poor through handouts, to development and empowerment communities, will assist the department together and its partners in the fight against the socio-economic challenges facing the country.
Recently the Department of Social Development facilitated a disability consultative workshop to highlight the plight of vulnerable people with disabilities. It signified the partnership between the department and people with disabilities, breaking down the barriers and creating a culture in which differences will be recognised and diversities celebrated. This intervention came as a result of the department's corporate commitment to accelerate disability equity in its service provision.
In recognition of the need to promote the goal of sustainable development and to redress past imbalances, the social service sector adopted the developmental approach to service delivery that would integrate social development with economic development. This is evident in the following processes that the department has embarked on:
* Commissioned desktop study to determine the social needs of people with disabilities and trends in order to facilitate and inform policy and develop appropriate programme development responsive to needs of people with disabilities. A consultative workshop with the disability sector and key stakeholders was held in preparation for the development of an implementation strategy.
* A directory of services is currently being and will be made accessible to stakeholders and service recipients across provinces.
* An overarching disability policy has been developed to provide strategic guidelines in the delivery of social services. The policy's aim is to facilitate the transformation shifts in line with the current policy framework of the department; to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities. It outlines a broad agenda to address disability issues. The policy will contribute immensely towards the improvement of the lives of people with disabilities.
* An Integrated Policy on the Management of Protective Workshops was developed to enhance the integrated social support services, development and delivery of comprehensive, quality services. This will contribute to the empowerment of people with disabilities, their self-worth, self-sufficiency and self-reliance.
* The department and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have a joint responsibility to providing social services. In this regard the department is providing financial support to both national and provincial councils, bodies and organisations rendering direct services to people with disabilities.
* Capacity building manuals are currently being developed to facilitate, support and promote provision of information regularly to disability organisations.
* Provision of social security though reach about 1,2 million people and children with disabilities receive the disability and care dependency grant.
* Sustainable livelihood programmes aim to train and generate long-term economic opportunities for people with disabilities.
I am also aware, ladies and gentlemen, that while we have made many strides towards improving the conditions faced by people with disabilities, we still face many challenges that we need to deal with urgently.
In terms of the Constitution citizens have a right to social services. As a result, government has a primary role to provide these appropriate services through an enabling environment. The strength of the department lies in partnerships with civil society. The provision of developmental social services is a collective responsibility of various role players including government, NGOs and the private sector in the provision of structural programmes of developmental nature. Therefore it becomes crucial that initiatives are strengthened.
Launching of DICAG
As we launch the DICAG, an organisation of parents of children with disabilities, we signify and symbolise the full participation and self-representation with the disability sector. DICAG represents the aspirations of the parents to empower themselves, to educate their children in an inclusive environment end to advocate for changes to the stereotypes and perceptions of disability in this country.
This ladies and gentlemen, has created a working partnership between government and the disability sector by putting in place mechanisms and an institutional framework for positive affirmation for people with disabilities. As outlined in the Integrated National Disability Strategy (INDS) of 1997, the process has ensured that people with disabilities are part of the mainstream beneficiaries of our democracy and freedom. They too have begun to make an impact in the processes that seek to shape the future of their children and of the country.
There should be no doubt whatsoever that people with disabilities are not only willing to play a meaningful role in our unfolding economic transformation.
All people with disabilities and parents with children with disabilities should be exposed to development programmes in order to enable them to build a better life for themselves. In order to achieve these goals, partnerships amongst the various sectors of society including business, labour, the government and, indeed, families and communities at large are of crucial importance.
The launch of DICAG today, ladies and gentlemen, denotes the development of a strategic partnership in the process of change, and the increased engagement on the issue or human rights for persons with disabilities. This is indeed a highly encouraging sign for the future.
I wish to extend my congratulations for the remarkable outreach work and achievements (partnership) acquired by the department, especially the provincial disability co-ordinators and the district representatives for ensuring integration of services. Ladies and gentlemen, disability is a cross cutting issue, which calls on an integrated and concerted effort from all stakeholders and all government departments to work together. It has been repositioned from being seen as a Health and Welfare issue to a developmental and human rights issue, making it everybody's responsibility.
In conclusion, comrades and friends, the world must acknowledge that people with disabilities across the world continue to face barriers that prevent them from enjoying their full civil, political, economic, social, cultural and developmental rights. Further to this, our responses should recognise that some categories of people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and abuse. Our efforts therefore have to pay specific attention to the rights of women, children, youth, and elderly people with disabilities, including those who live in remote rural areas or who have been displaced by violence and war, and people with severe intellectual or mental disabilities. The debate about the rights of the disabled is therefore connected to a larger debate about the place of difference in society.
It is for this reason that we invite NGOs and faith based organisations to invest in Calvinia, to enter into partnership with the department, to achieve our strategic goal and principles. Such partnerships include right to education, right to vocational training and the related rights.
I thank you for your attention! Issued by: Department of Social Development
16 November 2006
Source: Department of social Development
Title: Benjamin: Disability Awareness Month
Speech by the Deputy Minister of Social Development, J Benjamin, at the Commemoration of the Disability Awareness Month, Calvinia Sports Ground
Master of ceremony,
The mayor of Namaqua district,
The mayor of Calvinia,
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Services,
Councillors from Namaqualand,
Representatives from the national and provincial departments of Social Development,
National and Provincial representatives form Disabled Children's Action Group (DICAG),
Dignitaries,
Fellow people with disabilities,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour and privilege for me to be here with you on this important occasion, as we commemorate Disability Awareness Month.
Today's event focuses on raising awareness through to sensitising the Calvinia community and relevant stakeholders regarding norms and standards to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. Today's event is centred on the theme "Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Development in Action," which calls on key stakeholders especially government to revert to their set objectives and goals on disability; and work to translate them into concrete realities for people with disabilities. It further focuses on the implementation of accessible programmes, changing mind sets and transforming to create a truly democratic, people-centred society where the people of South Africa in general and people with disabilities specifically, can share in the successes of such a society in the broadest sense. Today we are celebrating education and empowerment, a day that should inspire people with disabilities to rise to their full potential and achieve more.
The month has been declared the Disability Awareness Month to enhance the recognition that social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms requires the active participation, equality and development of people with disabilities and to acknowledge their contribution to the development initiatives of this country. It was further set aside to accommodate build up processes to the International Day of Disable People, which is celebrated on 3 December.
The Disability Awareness Month embraces part of 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women and Children. It therefore provides an ideal opportunity to sensitise all South Africans, in the fight against violence and abuse that is directed at women and children with disabilities. The majority of children with disabilities live in extreme poverty, and in harsh conditions. Youth with disabilities have fewer opportunities than their peers to access development programmes or work. This is compounded by the negative attitudes from their peers and the community, which impacts on their self-esteem and confidence. Most importantly, children with disabilities, in particular girls, are more vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse.
Allow me Programme Director, to share a connotation from a recent departmental event to celebrate women with disabilities: namely that woman with disabilities have come a long way, and still have a long road to achieve total equality with their counterparts. There are women, in rural areas, farming communities and small towns, who have yet to enjoy the fruits of liberation, women with disabilities, physical and intellectual disabilities, as well as those who are deaf and blind are experiencing worse forms of discrimination and abuse. Let us use this opportunity to share experiences, to educate and act against any form of abuse and to curb the abuse of our girl child with disabilities. These include our wives, neighbours and friends who have any form of disability.
Ladies and gentlemen, the challenges of ensuring that people with disabilities get their fair share of the proverbial cake make gatherings of this nature imperative. There should be no doubt whatsoever that people with disabilities are not only willing to play a meaningful role in our unfolding economic transformation, but they are also able and extremely well-endowed with the relevant and sought-after skills so sorely needed in the highly competitive global environment.
What then is the role that Government is expected to play?
Ladies and gentlemen, we have as a department entered a new course in our country's history, shifting from the welfare approach to the social developmental perspective, which reaches out to the millions of our people who are living in abject poverty and deprivation, and lack of access to resources. This paradigm shift from the tradition of helping the poor through handouts, to development and empowerment communities, will assist the department together and its partners in the fight against the socio-economic challenges facing the country.
Recently the Department of Social Development facilitated a disability consultative workshop to highlight the plight of vulnerable people with disabilities. It signified the partnership between the department and people with disabilities, breaking down the barriers and creating a culture in which differences will be recognised and diversities celebrated. This intervention came as a result of the department's corporate commitment to accelerate disability equity in its service provision.
In recognition of the need to promote the goal of sustainable development and to redress past imbalances, the social service sector adopted the developmental approach to service delivery that would integrate social development with economic development. This is evident in the following processes that the department has embarked on:
* Commissioned desktop study to determine the social needs of people with disabilities and trends in order to facilitate and inform policy and develop appropriate programme development responsive to needs of people with disabilities. A consultative workshop with the disability sector and key stakeholders was held in preparation for the development of an implementation strategy.
* A directory of services is currently being and will be made accessible to stakeholders and service recipients across provinces.
* An overarching disability policy has been developed to provide strategic guidelines in the delivery of social services. The policy's aim is to facilitate the transformation shifts in line with the current policy framework of the department; to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities. It outlines a broad agenda to address disability issues. The policy will contribute immensely towards the improvement of the lives of people with disabilities.
* An Integrated Policy on the Management of Protective Workshops was developed to enhance the integrated social support services, development and delivery of comprehensive, quality services. This will contribute to the empowerment of people with disabilities, their self-worth, self-sufficiency and self-reliance.
* The department and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have a joint responsibility to providing social services. In this regard the department is providing financial support to both national and provincial councils, bodies and organisations rendering direct services to people with disabilities.
* Capacity building manuals are currently being developed to facilitate, support and promote provision of information regularly to disability organisations.
* Provision of social security though reach about 1,2 million people and children with disabilities receive the disability and care dependency grant.
* Sustainable livelihood programmes aim to train and generate long-term economic opportunities for people with disabilities.
I am also aware, ladies and gentlemen, that while we have made many strides towards improving the conditions faced by people with disabilities, we still face many challenges that we need to deal with urgently.
In terms of the Constitution citizens have a right to social services. As a result, government has a primary role to provide these appropriate services through an enabling environment. The strength of the department lies in partnerships with civil society. The provision of developmental social services is a collective responsibility of various role players including government, NGOs and the private sector in the provision of structural programmes of developmental nature. Therefore it becomes crucial that initiatives are strengthened.
Launching of DICAG
As we launch the DICAG, an organisation of parents of children with disabilities, we signify and symbolise the full participation and self-representation with the disability sector. DICAG represents the aspirations of the parents to empower themselves, to educate their children in an inclusive environment end to advocate for changes to the stereotypes and perceptions of disability in this country.
This ladies and gentlemen, has created a working partnership between government and the disability sector by putting in place mechanisms and an institutional framework for positive affirmation for people with disabilities. As outlined in the Integrated National Disability Strategy (INDS) of 1997, the process has ensured that people with disabilities are part of the mainstream beneficiaries of our democracy and freedom. They too have begun to make an impact in the processes that seek to shape the future of their children and of the country.
There should be no doubt whatsoever that people with disabilities are not only willing to play a meaningful role in our unfolding economic transformation.
All people with disabilities and parents with children with disabilities should be exposed to development programmes in order to enable them to build a better life for themselves. In order to achieve these goals, partnerships amongst the various sectors of society including business, labour, the government and, indeed, families and communities at large are of crucial importance.
The launch of DICAG today, ladies and gentlemen, denotes the development of a strategic partnership in the process of change, and the increased engagement on the issue or human rights for persons with disabilities. This is indeed a highly encouraging sign for the future.
I wish to extend my congratulations for the remarkable outreach work and achievements (partnership) acquired by the department, especially the provincial disability co-ordinators and the district representatives for ensuring integration of services. Ladies and gentlemen, disability is a cross cutting issue, which calls on an integrated and concerted effort from all stakeholders and all government departments to work together. It has been repositioned from being seen as a Health and Welfare issue to a developmental and human rights issue, making it everybody's responsibility.
In conclusion, comrades and friends, the world must acknowledge that people with disabilities across the world continue to face barriers that prevent them from enjoying their full civil, political, economic, social, cultural and developmental rights. Further to this, our responses should recognise that some categories of people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and abuse. Our efforts therefore have to pay specific attention to the rights of women, children, youth, and elderly people with disabilities, including those who live in remote rural areas or who have been displaced by violence and war, and people with severe intellectual or mental disabilities. The debate about the rights of the disabled is therefore connected to a larger debate about the place of difference in society.
It is for this reason that we invite NGOs and faith based organisations to invest in Calvinia, to enter into partnership with the department, to achieve our strategic goal and principles. Such partnerships include right to education, right to vocational training and the related rights.
I thank you for your attention! Issued by: Department of Social Development
16 November 2006
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