From: wsargeant@IGC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Southern Africa, disabled urge prot'
Date: 7 Apr 92 16:53:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: cdp.9204071653.AA12156

/* Written  9:04 am  Apr  7, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "SOUTHERN AFRICA: DISABLED URGE PROT" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: SOUTHERN AFRICA: DISABLED URGE PROTECTION OF THEIR RIGHTS


an inter press service feature

by khutliso sekoati

maseru, apr 4 (ips) -- as the u.n. decade for disabled peoples
rights (1982-92) draws to a close, disabled persons in southern
africa have called for the formulation of laws to protect their
rights.

the call was made here at the second seminar on equalisation
of opportunities on legislation for the disabled in southern
africa.

the three-day seminar, which ended apr 1, aimed at
formulating a code that would change prevailing social attitudes
towards disabled persons. its participants came from lesotho,
south africa and zimbabwe.

enactment of such laws would enable the full participation of
disabled persons in social and economic life, said lesotho's
constitutional affairs minister, kelebone maope.

marginalisation of disabled persons from economic issues
would become history if they were allowed sufficient access to
education, medical care, justice and fair distribution of
resources, maope told the seminar participants.

''there is need for a meaningful moral code relating to the
creation of equal opportunities for disasbled people. it would
act as a mechanism for securing social care and engendering
positive attitudes towards disabled persons,'' he said.

alexander phiri, deputy chair of the southern african
federation of the disabled (safod), called for the involvement
of the disabled themselves in formulating laws protecting their
right to equal opportunites.

''it would be appropriate legislation only if it involved us.
our countries must include some specific provisions about our
rights in the national constitutions,'' phiri said.

joshua malinga, chair of disabled persons international
pointed out that such legislation would be suitable to the
disabled if it regarded their rehabilitation ''as a human issue
and not as a charity programme.''

''we are part of the social indentity and must be seen as
human people with full human rights. but for long we have been
excluded from national matters relating to development,'' said
malinga. (more/ips)


southern africa: disabled (2)

''lack of such legislation has been precipitated by our being
denied opportunities in recreational facilities, medical care
and in the decison making process in general,'' he added.

an international labour organisation official, mike davies,
told the seminar that ilo had lobbied governments for
legislative measures which would force them ''to adopt to labour
standards that include workers with disability.''

''it is necessary that the disabled and the handicapped
initiate codes of conduct in their work places and influence
legislation that protects their rights in those places'', the
ilo official said.

the vienna-based u.n. centre for social and humanitarian
development is preparing a draft legislation on disability and
all southern african states have been asked to take part in the
process.

the centre's working group is due to meet in may to finalise
the standards of disability.

blars blomgren, the centre's legal officer, said ''the idea
is that those standards be practical as members have shown great
interest in the matter.'' (end/ips/ks/tvh/ar/92)