Access 2004

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A conference on partnership in Disability

"All people are equal - they should be

The principle of equal rights for the disabled and non-disabled implies that the needs of each and every individual are of equal importance, that these needs must be made the basis for the planning of societies, and that all resources must be employed in such a way as to ensure, for every individual, equal opportunity for participation."

(World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, para 25)

In 2004 South Africans are celebrating a decade of democracy. Access 2004 is planned to coincide with the decade of democracy celebrations, but also International day of Persons with disabilities celebrated on the 3rd of December every year.

What has the effect of democracy been on people with disabilities in terms of access to ensure equal participation in and benefit from mainstream society? How will disabled people be Celebrating Disability in our Decade of Democracy, 1994 – 2004? We believe we need to take stock of access related achievements and best practices benefiting persons with disabilities since the first democratic elections in 1994.

We also need to be realistic and honest in looking forward at the key challenges that remain and seek opportunities for forming sustainable partnerships towards programme implementation that improve quality of life and that has grassroots impact.

To ensure that disability related planning, development and implementation as per the Integrated National Disability Strategy (INDS) and Integrated Provincial Disability Strategies (IPDS’s) remain relevant, one of the biggest challenges is still to ensure that disability becomes and remain part of mainstream development, planning and implementation.

This can only be achieved if initiatives flowing from the INDS and IPDS’s are synergised with international, continental, provincial and local mainstream priorities at both a macro and micro level especially on issues such as:

Universal access with a focus on the policy, the legislative framework and programmes especially in areas such as:

• addressing accessibility in areas of transport, information and structural access.

Is current legislation, policies and regulations sufficient to ensure the removal of access barriers through dedicated actions/programmes for persons with disabilities in mainstream society.

Social development in the context of development for all:

‘The ultimate goal of social development is to improve and enhance the quality of life of all people. Empowerment and participation are essential for democracy, harmony and social development. All members of society should have the opportunity and be able to exercise the right and responsibility to take an active part in the affairs of the community in which they live’.
(Report of the World Summit for social development, 6-12 march 1995)

In the context of social development the following access related areas are proposed for deliberation:

• Community based rehabilitation
• Transport
• Home based care and residential care with a focus on assistive
devices, medicine, medical supplies and personal assistance/assistants
• general assistive devices/technology for living, social life and working;
• structural and environmental accessibility with a special feature on tourism, public buildings, places of work in the private sector , housing and government subsidised facilities ensuring that persons with disabilities are able to access services (e.g. children’s homes and educare centers)

Capacity building and empowerment:

Building institutions and human capacity for full participation and self-determination requires that persons with disabilities are indeed able to participate in decisions that affect their lives. The following area will be focused on:

o Development of skills and capacitating disabled persons and their organisations to be able to participate and lead in all strategic areas affecting their lives as it relates to access.

Economic empowerment:

Are persons with disabilities able to access resources, markets and economic empowerment opportunities especially in areas such as:

• Accessing opportunities flowing from growth and development summit agreements that focuses on economic growth that benefits persons with disabilities; reducing inequality through increased areas of employment and broader participation in the economy by persons with disabilities, and delivering sustained relief in the short term to persons with disabilities as one of the groups who need it most.
• Accessing preferential procurement in terms of direct benefits to persons with disabilities as business owners and indirect benefits to persons with disabilities as employees in businesses that successfully procures from government.
• Access to well-matched skills development and training of persons with disabilities with available employment opportunities in both the private and public sectors.
• Addressing the accessibility of tertiary institutions for persons with different disabilities.
• Accelerated employment equity initiatives that benefit persons with disabilities in both the private and public sectors.
• Building effective partnerships towards implementation of skills related and economic empowerment related initiatives flowing from integrated strategies.
• Transformation of protective workshops
• Urban renewal especially in terms of infrastructure development in relation to structural/environmental accessibility for persons with disabilities as well as economic benefit as a result of participating in renewal initiatives by persons with disabilities.
• Rural development especially socio-economic development initiatives benefiting persons with disabilities as well as bringing disability co-ordination and implementation benefits closer to the people through support to district municipalities.