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UFS International Conference on Disability Rights advances inclusion and equality

09 May 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Supplied

Disability Conference 2024 — Empowering change: Advocates and experts unite at the UFS Conference on Disability Rights to foster inclusion and equality for all.

The Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) through its Free State Centre for Human Rights, in collaboration with the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) and Counterpart International, recently hosted the International Conference on Disability Rights from 24-26 April 2024. This significant event not only convened experts and advocates but also marked the launch of the Disability Rights Unit within the Faculty of Law.

Themed “Embracing Inclusion and Equality: A Perspective on Disability Rights Transformation", the conference served as a platform for insightful discussions and presentations aimed at fostering a more inclusive society.

Prof Serges Kamga, Dean of the Faculty of Law, emphasised the importance of the newly established Disability Rights Unit, stating, “The Disability Rights Unit will pave the way for promotion and protection of disability rights in our society.”

Martie Miranda, Head of CUADS, echoed this sentiment, underscoring the crucial role of such initiatives in advancing disability rights. “While CUADS provides holistic student support to students with disabilities, the Disability Rights Unit will provide for leverage in terms of access as their fundamental human right to optimally participate equally to their peers.”

Lessons from Mozambican disability legislation

Felisberto Elija Nhanenge and Jytte Nhanenge from Mozambique shed light on community inclusion through an examination of Mozambican disability legislation. Despite strides in policy, challenges persist in ensuring full societal participation for people with disabilities. The presentation highlighted the systemic barriers hindering access to education, healthcare, transportation, and employment. Moreover, it drew attention to the underlying influence of Western paradigms, emphasising the need for a holistic worldview to address entrenched biases and promote inclusivity.

Barriers to inclusion: The case of “unsound mind” provisions

Dr Dianah Msipa from the University of Pretoria delved into the legal hurdles faced by individuals with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities due to “unsound mind” provisions in African legislation. These provisions, found in several countries, restrict fundamental rights such as voting, property ownership, and personal liberty based solely on disability. Dr Msipa highlighted the urgent need for African states to align with international standards, advocating for universal legal capacity to ensure the full inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Visibility of disability: Data collection challenges

Bianca van der Schyff, representing the National and Provincial Women's Representative for DeafBlind in South Africa, addressed the critical issue of data collection regarding dual sensory impairments. She stressed the inadequacies in existing legislation which fails to capture the unique challenges faced by DeafBlind individuals, particularly concerning domestic violence. Van der Schyff put emphasis on the necessity of specialised research and comprehensive data collection to inform targeted interventions and support services for this marginalised group.

Advocating for dual-sensory impairments

The presentation underscored the importance of advocacy and empowerment for DeafBlind individuals, urging for a nuanced understanding of their needs and rights within broader disability discourse. Advocacy organisations play a vital role in raising awareness and promoting inclusive support services, yet there remains a pressing need for greater recognition of the complexities inherent in dual-sensory impairments.

In conclusion, the UFS International Conference on Disability Rights served as a catalyst for dialogue and action, reaffirming the university’s commitment to fostering an inclusive society that upholds the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of ability, as stipulated in Vision 130 – the strategic intent of the UFS to reposition itself for its 130th anniversary in 2034. As discussions continue and initiatives take shape, the conference represents a pivotal step towards realising the transformative potential of disability rights advocacy.

News Archive

Top PhD graduates hailed for excellent research in development and historical studies

2017-07-11

Prof Melanie Walker and Prof Ian Phimister

The Centre for Research on Higher Education and Development and the International Studies Group celebrated its PhD graduates on 26 June 2017. The four graduates were joined by their PhD promoters Prof Ian Phimister and Prof Melanie Walker, the Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, and their families, who came from far and wide, as well as various faculty academics and staff. Their areas of study ranged between Development Studies and Africa Studies, exploring issues that make a significant impact on the Southern African region and the continent as a whole.

In the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, specialising in Development Studies, Dr Faith Mkwananzi, promoted by Prof Merridy Wilson-Strydom, explored the lives and educational aspirations of marginalised migrant youth, a case study in Johannesburg. She focused on the complex nature of the daily lives and experiences of marginalised migrant youth and the complexities that influence the formation and achievement of educational aspirations in contexts of vulnerability and disadvantage. The study provides compelling evidence for policy and practice that can make the lives of marginalised young migrants better.

A focus on teaching and learning in Zimbabwean universities with a focus on quality as a human development, was what Dr Patience Mukwambo, put her research efforts into. Her work makes an original contribution to national, continental, and international debates on conceptualising and operationalising the quality of teaching and learning in higher education. She successfully developed a significant alternative approach to understanding what quality in higher education teaching and learning entails, the factors that influence the realisation of quality as she theorises it, and the overall importance for human development and human well-being in universities and society.

Dr Bothwell Manyonga, who also specialised in Development Studies, examined the broader debates on the purposes and practices of teaching and learning in higher education with a case study at two South African universities, with an emphasis on principles of social justice and equity. In the thesis, he developed a model that proposes grounds for (re)thinking sociology teaching and learning to address how the capabilities approach and dominant human capital theory might complement each other in higher education and curriculum development. This takes into account both the instrumental aim of employment, which is of concern to students, as well as the intrinsic goods of critical discourse and personal development.

In the Faculty of the Humanities, with a specialisation in Africa Studies, Dr Abraham Mlombo’s doctoral research explored the relationship between Southern Rhodesia and South Africa 1923-1953, examining the ‘special relationship’ between the two countries from the former’s perspective, highlighting the complexity of the ties between them by examining (high) political relations, economic links and social and cultural ties. “It is through Abraham’s research that for the first time, black experiences of both sides of the colonial border are detailed,” said Prof Phimister.

In congratulating the graduates, Prof Melanie Walker expressed that a lot of hard work was put into training the PhD candidates and they had without a doubt produced work that was of the highest level, at international standards.

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