Date: 06/10/2005
Source: Ministry of Communications
Title: Matsepe-Casaburri: PAMOJA 2005 SADC Disability Conference


  Address by the South African Minister of Communications honourable, Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, at the PAMOJA 2005 SADC Disability Conference

Distinguished Guests
Esteemed participants in this PAMOJA
Ladies and Gentlemen:

There is nothing that gives me greater pleasure than participating in this Pamoja today. You have all come from different parts of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, which is an indication of your commitment to the important objectives of the (World Summit on Information Society WSIS). As Minister of Communications in this country it is my great pleasure to welcome you all.

You will remember that at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) meeting in Minneapolis in 1998 and in Marrakesh in 2002 a resolution was taken, following a proposal by the Government of Tunisia that a World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) be held. In 2001, the ITU agreed that the summit be held in two phases. The first phase was to be held in Geneva, in 2003 and the second was to be held in Tunis in November 2005. What we are doing today is to prepare for the summit in November which incidentally, it is just next month.

WSIS has given member countries an opportunity to explore ways in which to ensure an inclusive information and knowledge-based society. The WSIS Declaration of Principles emphasises the importance and the need for the involvement of both Government and all stakeholders in the promotion of information and communications technology (ICTs) for development. It emphasises that we have an all encompassing and people-centred information society.

In order for us to achieve this, we need to address the needs and challenges of people with disabilities. We are gathered here today to do precisely that; in much the same way as we did with the youth and women in the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Youth Conference and the Mutingati for Women.

The WSIS Action Plan states that information and communications technologies (ICTs) should allow instantaneous access to information and knowledge by all people including people with disabilities. People with disabilities face physical obstacles in accessing public services as well as telecommunications because they are often not considered during the developmental phase of these solutions.

Apart from the purely physical obstacles that people with disabilities face, we need to elaborate a definition of disability which conforms to the values and principles of human rights.