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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

UFS launches a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Observatory, first of its kind in South Africa

2013-12-04

In cooperation with its partners, the Centre for Development Support at the University of the Free State (UFS), launched the SME Observatory at a function on the Bloemfontein Campus. This initiative is the first of its kind in South Africa.

According to Willem Ellis, Director of the Centre for Development Support, this is a public-private partnership between the UFS, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (detea), which aims to gather information for research on small and medium enterprises. “With this research we will endeavour to empower policy formulators to make the right decisions in terms of development on a local, provincial and national level,” Ellis said.

Presentations and the panel discussion at the launch covered topics such as:

How many enterprises can survive in a town?
Are entrepreneurs being set up for failure?
Is SMEs the answer to the unemployment question?
The cost of red tape: is SMEs being tied down?

To demonstrate the applicability of the enterprise architect for issues relating to enterprise policy, as well as entrepreneurship strategies, it was decided to focus the pilot phase of the observatory on towns in the Free State. Dr Daan Toerien, research associate at the Centre for Development Support, and Johannes Wessels, Project Manager of the SME Observatory, compiled the report: “50 Towns in the Free State: What the Enterprise Architecture of these towns is telling us about Entrepreneurial Space.”

In his presentation at the launch, Dr Toerien said: “The Enterprise Observatory’s prime goal is to present valuable facts and insights about enterprises in the domains it is observing.” He has developed a database that contains information on a large number of South African towns. He said that studying the enterprise architecture of towns will contribute significantly to inform the policy and strategy debate on LED and enterprise development. “These activities will add valuable data and insights to approach entrepreneurship in the Free State and, after the pilot phase, also in other provinces in South Africa. The Free State government, district and local municipalities, and the consultant fraternity serving them, should find the SME observatory’s activities of value,” he said.

Wessels said that the SME Observatory of South Africa is dedicated to base its arguments on sound theory, science and applied research; to engage policy and decision makers on an evidence-based approach; operate in a politically non-aligned mode in order to mirror truthfully the impact of policies and decisions and to partner with policy makers, entrepreneurs, public administration, think tanks, research institutions, business representatives and NGOs on building networks and alliances to promote an open and competitive enterprise environment.

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