OFFICE ON THE STATUS OF DISABLED PERSONS
OSDP MID - TERM REPORT
20 October 2006
INTRODUCTION
This
report covers and reviews the period between April and
September
2006. It covers the strategic objectives of the OSDP as well as the activities
according to its expenditure.
MAIN
STREAMING
o
Department of Public Service and Administration: The OSDP worked on the JobACCESS programme between July
and September in order to facilitate the employment of persons with
disabilities in the public service to reach the 2% target by 2009. The OSDP
also developed a database of persons with disabilities in collaboration with
placement agencies, viz. Jobs.co.za, Nthuse, Nadis and Desto.
o
Departments of Health, Public Enterprises, Environmental Affairs and Tourism:
OSDP provided guiding principles into the Employment Equity Plan focusing on
recruitment, disclosure, development and retention and the establishment of a
Disability Consultative Forum within departments.
o
Department of Social Development: Bi-Iateral
Cooperation with Angola: OSDP participated in a workshop arranged by the
National Department of Social Development and the KZN Provincial department of
Welfare. Purpose: to exchange information with the Angolan Delegation on
approaches for addressing disability issues. This resulted in the two countries
exchanging best practices with regard to provision of social services to
persons with disabilities.
o
South African Police Service: The OSDP provided guiding principles on
accessibility of police stations and other facilities. This was as a result of
the equality court case which was brought against SAPS by persons with
disabilities. The judgment pronounced that SAPS has to ensure that all police
stations should be made accessible.
o
Department of Transport - Recently, the OSDP participated in the preparations
for the National Transport Indaba.
o
Department of Foreign Affairs- OSDP engaged in consultative and collaborative
work regarding the UN Convention of disability rights.
-- -
o
Stats South Africa: The OSDP attended a meeting and provided input into the
modeling of the 2011 census strategic plan on research. The OSDP ensured that
the schedule will use questionnaires that accommodate the needs of persons with
disabilities.
o
OSDP convened a consultative workshop with departments on the restructuring programme of the National Disability Machinery which
resulted in a formation of a temporary functional task team. All departments
participated in providing input in the draft of the South African submission to
the UN Convention.
M&E
· The
OSDP Held Consultation sessions with the IPF (Inter-Provincial ForumProvincial OSDPs) and the IDCCD(Inter-Departmental Coordinating Committee on
Disability- focal points) to discuss; INDS (Integrated National Disability
Strategy) review process, Implementation framework and the UN Convention
· A
consultative meeting with DPO's was held to discuss
the INDS (Integrated National Disability Strategy) review process, the
implementation framework, the UN Convention and also to select the restructuring
task team members.
·
Conducted a workshop at the DPSA congress in Bloemfontein in September
· The
unit is in the process of reviewing the disability specific indicators and
targets
in
order to include them in the M & E system of PCAS.
CONTINENTAL
AND INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS
· The
OSDP held a board meeting and established the African Decade programme steering committee in July.
· The
OSDP led and coordinated the South African delegation of the 8th session of the
Ad Hoc Committee on the Comprehensive and Integral Convention on the Promotion
and Protection of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities held from
14-25 August 2006 in New York.
· The
South African delegation went to the 8th Session with a solid position on all
the articles except for the new draft articles which were developed during the
session. The South African position document was presented before the Minister
prior departure.
· The
South African delegation participated in a number of forums. T his includes
among
others:
·
Informal and formal sessions
·
Civil society hearings
· Side
events
·
Special Seminars on specific articles and
· One
on one negotiations
· The
AD Hoc committee adopted the convention on the 25 August at 20h30 after
long
discussions. This process included a vote where countries could not reach
consensus, particularly on Article on Situations of Risk with regard to the
issue of foreign occupation which will be included in the Preamble of the
Convention.
CAPACITY
BUILDING
The
DSDP implemented the INDS (Integrated National Disability Strategy) traip.ing programme in
partnership with SAMDI in four provinces; i.e
Northwest, Free State, Eastern Cape and KZN. This programme
was geared at building capacity of specific departments in the understanding
and the implementation of the INDS vis a vis service delivery in the following provincial
departments; DoH, Social services, sports Arts and
Culture, Finance and Economic Affairs, Roads Transport and Public Works,
Housing and Local Government.
The
unit also implemented the same training programme at
the pilot phase in local government within the Westrand
District in Gauteng and Motheo
district in the Free State.
POLICY
- COORDINATION
· The
OSDP in partnership with ILD (International Labour Organisation) co-hosted a policy workshop on disability
management at the workplace. The workshop developed policy objectives and the
equity guidelines for disability management at workplace.
· The
DSDP concluded the assessment tool for legibility for free health care and
disability grants in consultation with the Health Task Team of the social
cluster.
ECONOMIC
EMPOWERMENT PROJECT FUNDED BY THE DANISH GOVERNMENT
o
This project involved NAFCOC which is going to be a partner in the SMME
development programme for empowering persons with
disabilities
o In
this project the OSDP engaged with Desto placement
agency which is going to create leanership
opportunities for young persons with disabilities.
o The
OSDP is working with Human Resource section in the plan to sensitize Presidency
personnel on disability issues at workplace.
ADVOCACY
AND SPECIAL PROJECT
The
following have been achieved through the Awareness Raising Project funded by
the Flemish Government:
o
Integrated Dance workshops in the Western Cape
The
DSDP implemented the Integrated Dance project in the Western Cape. Remix Dance
Company, a specialist company in integrated dance conducted the training
workshops with teachers and learners in two schools, namely Eros
Special School and Astra Special School. The main events and
performances on the 21st and 22nd September were attended by OSDP staff and the
representative of the Flemish Government.
o
Visual Arts and Crafts Project
The
Visual Arts and Crafts project was implemented in Mpumalanga
province between 18th and 29th September 2006. 10 artists and crafters with
disabilities
parlicil?ated in a training workshop to enhance their artistic and
marketing skills.
After
the training workshops the products were exhibited whereby members of the
public could view and purchase the art works. The official opening of the
exhibition was on the 29th September 2006 at the MAP Art Gallery in Graskop, Mpurnalanga.
o
Integrated Dance workshops in Limpopo province
The
Integrated Dance project in Limpopo was launched on
13th October 2006 at Thusanang Special school. The workshop included two ordinary schools, Mamakwa and Mampatile. From the
17th to the 20th October the workshops were conducted in three other districts
and involved six schools, three special schools and three ordinary schools.
Electronic
Media Training Programme
OSDP,
in partnership with the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa
(NEMISA) is currently implementing a training programme
on electronic media for people with disabilities. 40 candidates will be trained
in 4 areas of electronic media: TV Production, Radio Production, Web Site
Design and Computer Animation. The TV production training started on the 10th
of October and candidates for the other courses are starting from the 6th
November.
BOMBELA
- GAUTRAIN PROJECT:
- The
OSDP discussed with the consortium and guided them on how to ensure that
disability features in their plan of implementing SMME programmes
to empower persons with disabilities in the Gautrain
project.
BUDGET
o
Funds spent to date in the OSDP amount to R845 979
o The
balance from the budget allocation of R3 564 000 equals R2 718 021
o The bulk of this amount will be spent in this current quarter.
Benny Palime
Director OSDP