28 May 2002
The Minister of Health,
Members of the South African National Aids Council,
MPs and MPLs present,
Representatives of the Disability Sector,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for inviting me to share this important occasion with you to, among other things, evaluate the participation of the Disability Sector within the South African National Aids Council and within the HIV/AIDS programme as a whole.
The meeting takes place during a crucial time when we are looking forward to reviewing the strategies and operations of SANAC in a few weeks' time.
Colleagues, we are also meeting during Child Protection Week, which began yesterday and will culminate in International Children's Day on Saturday.
This is a week for us to focus our energies on raising awareness about the rights of children, and also reminding everyone of the responsibility, we have of protecting and nurturing our children.
The majority of children with disabilities live in extreme poverty. They have poor access to appropriate health care facilities and educational opportunities. Myths and ignorance about disability often result in mothers of such children being ostracised by their partners, their families and their communities.
Youth with disabilities are less likely to access development programmes or work opportunities, compared to their peers, as they would have less access to formal education. Children and youth with disabilities are therefore recognised as a particularly vulnerable group and are a focus area within the National Programme of Action for Children.
In this regard, all sectors of our society need to become actively involved in de-stigmatising disability and in eradicating the ignorance, which leads to stereotyping and myths around disability.
The legal framework in the country provides us with the mechanism and ammunition with which to fight this stigmatisation and work towards improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.
We should all be aware that South Africans with disabilities are protected by the Bill of Rights in our Constitution. The Bill of Rights finds expression in the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act of 1999 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.
Most importantly as well, the 1997 White Paper on an Integrated National Disability Strategy adopted a social human rights and development approach to disability.
This was a departure from the medical approach of the past that viewed disability as an illness, or the welfare framework, which saw people with disability as different and in need of care.
During this year's Child Protection Week, let us highlight the status of children with disability and work harder to make the legal framework translate into a better life for them. Let us also assist, during this week, to raise awareness about the application for disability grants. You would be aware that government this week began the distribution of R2 billion in back payments to eligible social grant applicants.
Ladies and gentlemen, while we attempt to forge ahead in the quest for a better life for all. We need to acknowledge that the kind of thinking which treated disability as an illness or a welfare issue, has also in the past, shaped the direction that campaigns on critical issues such as HIV and AIDS have taken. Most of these campaigns have been targeted to the sector that the mainstream refers to as "normal".
The result that this kind of thinking has had is that people with disabilities have been left without any or with very little information or knowledge about HIV and AIDS, and the protective measures needed to be taken to prevent the spread of the disease or infection.
As this meeting deliberates on a two-year strategy for the Disability Sector within SANAC, we need to openly confront and challenge the stereotypes, which undermine our campaigns. This includes the myth that people with disabilities are not active in other aspects of life like sex.
It is this prejudice, which makes most HIV/AIDS messages to exclude people with disabilities. We need to openly tackle these issues which make people uncomfortable, as we face a bigger challenge, that of reducing, managing and ultimately defeating HIV/AIDS.
The other challenge we need to tackle relates to the fact that people with disabilities are not a homogenous group. There are various catego!erefore means that different approaches would be necessary to address the problem.
Let me touch, very briefly, on some of the key challenges we face in the context of the various categories of disabilities.
There has been a tendency for Aids related messages to be disseminated through the use of language that many cannot understand. Many AIDS educators cannot communicate in sign language. This has limited communicating critical messages on HIV and Aids to this sector of our population.
Secondly, a common form of communication that has been used widely in AIDS education is the spoken word, which is sometimes open to misinterpretation and messages may be forgotten. It is therefore crucial to ensure increased availability of HIV AIDS information in Braille to assist the visually impaired.
People with intellectual disabilities are the most vulnerable group, and the challenge remains that of developing mechanisms to effectively communicate so as to prevent infection. Young women with intellectual disabilities are vulnerable to sexual abuse and infection with HIV.
Besides preventing abuse, young people with disabilities are entitled to the same information that their peers obtain through programmes such as LoveLife and other awareness programmes.
Let me also emphasise, colleagues, that while all women are generally vulnerable due to the gender inequalities in our society, women with disabilities probably carry double the burden, and could be more at risk of abuse.
The sectors that I have briefly touched on above are not necessarily the only ones, but I just thought that we need to highlight some of the challenges that people with disabilities have to contend with when it comes to the prevention of HIV and AIDS.
The problem is a societal one and is multi-sectoral. We need to acknowledge as well that the Constitution on its own can never be enough in terms of dealing with this challenge.
Structures such as the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in the Presidency and in the Office of the Premiers in the provinces is aimed at mainstreaming disability programmes in all government policies and activities. A lot of work is being done in the non-governmental sector as well by the South African Federal Council on Disability and its affiliates.
Colleagues, let me reiterate once again that I am encouraged to note that you have taken the initiative to develop a strategic plan for the next two years to address the needs of people with disabilities in the battle against AIDS.
We are saying let us join our hands in a campaign of hope to mobilise our strength as a nation and as individuals to arrest the spread of this epidemic, and to provide care and suppo! affected.
The enthusiasm and hard work of the Disability Sector within SANAC gives us all encouragement and optimism that the battle against HIV and AIDS can be won if we work together.
I wish you all the best in your deliberations, and look forward to recommendations that will add utmost value to the campaign against HIV/AIDS, as it relates to our citizens with disabilities.
I thank you.