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.

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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