ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA P. O. BOX 3243 TELEPHONE: FAX: CABLES: OAU, ADDIS ABABA

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1 AFRICAN UNION UNION AFRICAINE UNIÃO AFRICANA ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA P. O. BOX 3243 TELEPHONE: FAX: CABLES: OAU, ADDIS ABABA DRAFT Continental Plan of Action for the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities

2 Contents List of Acronyms Preface Executive summary PART 1: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Introduction Emergence of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ) of the extended Decade ( ) PART 2: STRATEGIC THEMATIC AREAS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT NATIONAL LEVEL Introduction National coordination and mainstreaming mechanism for disability Priority action areas regarding national coordination and mainstreaming mechanism for disability Youth with disabilities Women with disabilities Children with disabilities Peace and Human Security Resource Mobilization Statistics, research and evidence gathering on disabilities Development an enactment of legislation regarding non-discrimination, equality before the law and freedom from exploitation and cruel treatment of Persons With Disabilities Priority action areas regarding non-discrimination, equality before the law and freedom from exploitation and cruel treatment of Persons With Disabilities Equality and non-discrimination Equal recognition before the law and access to justice Freedom of expression Freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse Health and Rehabilitation Priority action areas regarding health and rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities Health services Rehabilitation services Adequate standard of living and social protection Priority action areas for adequate standard of living and social protection for Persons with Disabilities 19 2

3 Social Protection Promoting Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in all sectors of society Priority action areas regarding inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in all sectors of society Self-representation Education Livelihoods, work and employment Sports, recreation and culture Institutional development, advocacy, organizational support and strong roles of Disabled People s Organizations (DPOs), Disability Desks in all Ministries Priority action areas regarding institutional development, advocacy, organizational support and strong roles of Disabled People's Organizations (DPOs), Disability Desks in all Ministries Organizational support to the crucial role of DPOs Advocacy and awareness Monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the implementation of the Continental Plan of Action on the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ) Priority action area on monitoring, evaluation and reporting Monitoring and follow-up on implementation 26 PART 3: RESPONSIBILITIES OF KEY ACTORS IMPLEMENTING THE CONTINENTAL PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE AFRICAN DECADE OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ( ) RELEVANT AU ORGANS: THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION AND THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS AFRICAN UNION MEMBER STATES THE TRANSFORMED AFRICAN REHABILITATION INSTITUTE (ARI)

4 CONTINENTAL PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE AFRICAN DECADE OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ( ) PART 1: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT 1.1 Introduction 1. The United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons ( ) was a period in which United Nations (UN) Member States were expected to implement the World Programme of Action Concerning People with Disabilities. The Decade raised many expectations on the part of persons with disabilities everywhere in the world. It was hoped that after the UN Decade, the quality of life of persons with disabilities in the world would have improved and that they would be fully integrated in mainstream society. While some states did something of note during the Decade, others have not managed to make significant impact on the lives of persons with disabilities. 2. The UN Decade of Disabled Persons had its successes and failures. The following are some of its successes which were more pronounced in the northern hemisphere than elsewhere: It created an opportunity for persons with disabilities to meet globally to discuss their issues; It resulted in an improvement in attitudes in some parts of the world towards persons with disabilities; It resulted in the formulation of the Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for People with Disabilities; It led to the creation of more organizations of persons with disabilities (DPO s) during the Decade than at any other time, and to the strengthening of those already in existence; and It led to the creation of the African Rehabilitation Institute (ARI) by the then Organisation of African Unity to spearhead disability issues in Africa. 3. The following problems were observed, however: The UN Decade was not well publicized by the UN, and some governments, despite supporting the UN Resolution, did nothing to promote the Decade; The UN itself and many governments did not provide adequate funding for the Decade activities; The funds that were mobilised for the Decade were not adequately monitored, resulting in ineffectiveness of some programmes; The UN Decade was, by and large, a global approach to the problems of disability and the solutions that were offered were general and global or based on assumptions of availability of economic and technical resources. 4

5 4. The experience of the UN Decade led to calls for a Decade of People with Disabilities in various continents, including Africa, providing a local approach to the problems of disability and thus developing local solutions to the problems. 5. In Africa, The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, adopted in 1981, made provision for the rights of persons with disabilities to be respected, in that, Every individual shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind such as race, ethnic group, colour, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion, national and social origin, fortune, birth or other status. 6. The promotion of the rights, participation, education and employment of persons with disabilities were also emphasized in the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna (1993), the UNESCO Salamanca Declaration and Framework of Action for special educational needs (1994) and the Declaration and P rogramme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen (1995). 7. The Beijing Platform of Action for Women (1996) states that, Women are poorer because they have fewer economic opportunities and less autonomy than men. Women with disabilities always had fewer economic opportunities and less autonomy than non-disabled women. They had the least access to education and training facilities and economic resources and have hardly ever been involved in decision making processes regarding their rights, participation, education and employment, and hence the need to prioritize women and girls with disabilities in programmes of action. 1.2 Emergence of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ) 8. Since the late 1980 s, People with Disabilities Organisations (DPOs), in collaboration with the OAU, held a number of meetings at which the idea of having an African Decade was discussed. Extensive consultations were carried out between DPOs, non- governmental organisations, UN Agencies, the African Rehabilitation Institute, governments and other stakeholders. 9. The African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ) was the result of a recommendation made by the Labour and Social Affairs Commission of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) during its 22nd Session in April 1999 in Windhoek, Namibia, and adopted by the 35th Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Algiers, Algeria in July A formal Declaration of the Decade was subsequently adopted by the 36 th Session of the OAU Heads of State and Government in Lome, Togo in July Responsibility for organizing the Decade was given to the African Rehabilitation Institute (ARI), a specialized agency of the OAU, headquartered in Harare, Zimbabwe, with regional offices located in Dakar, Senegal (for West Africa) Brazzaville, Congo (for Central Africa) and Harare (for Southern Africa). At the time (2000) ARI shared the responsibility for the planning of Decade activities with DPOs, in particular the Pan African Federation of Disabled Persons (PAFOD), the African 5

6 Union of the Blind (AFUB), governments and other regional organisations for persons with disabilities. 1.3 of the extended Decade ( ) 11. The goal of the extended African Decade of Persons with Disabilities is the full participation, equality and empowerment of people with disabilities in Africa The Declaration of the Decade, adopted in July 2000, and still serving as the reference for the extended Decade, calls upon AU Member States to study the situation of persons with disabilities with a view to formulating measures favouring equalization of opportunities, full participation and their independence in society. Among other actions, Member States are called upon to: Formulate or reformulate policies and national programmes that encourage the full participation of persons with disabilities in social and economic development; Create or reinforce national disability coordination committees, and ensure effective representation of persons with disabilities and their organisations; Support community-based service delivery, in collaboration with international development agencies and organizations; Promote and encourage positive attitudes towards children, youth, women and adults with disabilities, and the implementation of measures to ensure their access to rehabilitation, education, training and employment, as well as to cultural and sports activities and access to the physical environment; Develop programmes that alleviate poverty amongst persons with disabilities and their families; Ensure gender equality during all disability-related activities and programmes; Put in place programmes that create greater awareness, conscientiousness of communities and governments relating to disability; Ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities from rural areas in all activities and programmes; Prevent disability by promoting peace and paying attention to other causes of disability; Mainstream disability on the social, economic and political agendas of African governments; Spearhead the implementation of the UN Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for People with Disabilities, and ensure the use of the Standard Rules as a basis for policy and legislation to protect the interests of persons with disabilities in Africa; Accelerated ratification and adoption of CRDP and immediate withdrawal of reservations which are against the basic objectives of the convention; Apply all AU and UN human rights instruments to promote and monitor the rights of persons with disabilities. 6

7 PART 2: STRATEGIC THEMATIC AREAS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT NATIONAL LEVEL 2.1 Introduction The AU Commission will, for the purposes of preparation of reports and reviews on the implementation of the Continental Plan of Action on the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ), engage with Member States regarding the status of advancing the following strategic thematic areas towards reaching the goal of the Decade: 2.2 National coordination and mainstreaming mechanism for disability The effective coordination and mainstreaming of the implementation of the strategic thematic areas of the Continental Plan of Action on the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ) (CPoA), the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and national policies and programmes for Persons with Disabilities (PWD s). a) To establish and/or strengthen the national focal point for the coordination and mainstreaming of disability issues in Member States (Preferably in the Office of the President or Prime Minister); b) To establish disability desks at all levels of Government; c) To facilitate signature and domestication of international instruments regarding disability (national focal point); d) To sensitize relevant line ministries about the respective strategic thematic areas of the CPoA and articles of the CRPD and the AU Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; e) To facilitate the establishment and regular meetings of National Disability Councils; f) To monitor and evaluate the implementation of the CPoA and the CRPD; g) To report to the African Union Commission on the implementation of the CPoA, to the African Commission on Human and People s Rights on the Protocol and to the United Nations on the implementation of the CRPD. 7

8 2.2.1 Priority action areas regarding national coordination and mainstreaming mechanism for disability Youth with disabilities Achieve full participation and equal rights for youth with disabilities. a. To raise awareness on the rights of youth with disabilities; b. To develop programmes and monitoring mechanisms to ensure young people with disability benefit from the AU Youth Charter; c. To ensure access to credit facilities for youth with disabilities; d. To eradicate vulnerability through empowerment, education and awareness of youth with disabilities; a. To adopt and implement relevant laws/policies and strategies to remove barriers that hinder or discriminate against the participation of youth with disabilities in society; b. To promote training and access to ICTs for youth with disabilities; c. To promote access to information by youth with disabilities, especially those in rural areas; d. To develop programmes that overcome social and economic isolation and disconnection and remove systemic barriers in the labour market for youth with disabilities; e. To promote full, inclusive, and accessible education for youth with disabilities; f. To put the needs and interests of youth with disabilities on the agenda of all national development programmes; g. To develop and implement special measures to facilitate full and equal participation of youth with disabilities in training at sports, culture, science and technology Women with disabilities Achieve full participation and equal rights for women with disabilities. 8

9 a. To raise public awareness on the rights of people with disabilities, especially focusing on women in rural areas; b. To develop programmes to address the needs of women with disabilities during the African Union Women s Decade ( ); c. To ensure women with disabilities have access to enterprise training opportunities and credit facilities; d. To eradicate vulnerability through empowerment, education and awareness of women with disabilities, especially focusing on rural women; e. To adopt relevant laws/policies and strategies to remove barriers that hinder or discriminate against the participation of women with disabilities in society; f. To provide training and access to ICTs for women with disabilities and promote access to information by women with disabilities especially those in rural areas; g. To adopt full inclusive education systems to promote the education of women with disabilities; h. To mainstream the needs and interests of women with disabilities in all national development programmes; i. To develop and implement policy and legal frameworks that will protect women with disabilities as enshrined in Article 23 of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights on Women; j. To undertake investigations on sexual violence against women with disabilities by the Special Rapporteur on Women s Rights in Africa or another appropriate body; k. To adopt full inclusive education systems to promote the education of children, especially those in rural areas; l. To ensure access to reproductive health services which are relevant to women with disabilities Children with disabilities Ensure the full enjoyment by children with disabilities of all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children. a. To empower (build knowledge, improve access to information, etc) parents, guardians, and caregivers of children with disabilities to realize their full potential and spectrum of human rights; b. To adopt full, inclusive, and accessible education systems to promote the education of children including early childhood development and education; c. To mainstream the needs and interests of children with disabilities, in health, education, sport and other social programmes; 9

10 d. To develop programmes to implement provisions of Article 13 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child [1999], which recognises the needs of children with disabilities and their care givers in respect to access to resources, employment and recreation opportunities and the importance of creating a conducive environment that will allow the child to achieve fullest possible integration individual development and cultural and moral development.; e. To adopt relevant laws/policies and strategies to remove barriers that hinder and or discriminate against the participation of children with disabilities in society; f. To provide training and access to ICT to children with disabilities, their parents and caregivers, and promote access to information, especially for those in rural areas; g. To ensure access to early childhood development programmes, enrolment of school-going age disabled children in primary, secondary and tertiary education Peace and Human Security To safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities in situations of conflict and postconflict reconstruction, as well as in disaster and emergency situations. a. To evacuate Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in situations of risk, including situations of armed conflict, humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters; b. To ensure that PWDs participate fully in peace building and reconstruction of their communities by promoting disability mainstreaming in development plans; c. To put in place protection mechanisms for the safety and the rights of PWDs in emergency and conflict situations based on the AU Peace and Security Architecture; d. To promote full and equal access to humanitarian relief for PWDs; e. To protect PWDs from all kinds of exploitation and violence during situations of conflict, including Gender Based Violence (GBV); f. To combat discrimination against PWDs with regard to freedom of movement; g. To protect the dignity of PWDs who find themselves forced to migrate for different reasons including persecution on the grounds of their disability; h. To enhance disability inclusive policies, guidelines and service delivery across stakeholders who operate in humanitarian crisis situations; i. To strengthen and allow continental Disabled Persons Organizations to be involved in the revitalization and establishment of local practices to monitor the protection, equal participation, and equal access to humanitarian services for PWDs; j. To ensure the participation of PWDs through their representative organizations in the prevention, resolution and reconstruction of post conflict areas; k. To develop and implement awareness and education programmes against domestic violence; l. To enforce occupational health and safety standards; 10

11 m. To develop and implement awareness and education programmes against drug and alcohol abuse; n. To introduce and implement stringent road safety policies, or strengthen existing policies; o. To introduce a systemic land-mine clearance program, where mines exist, or strengthening of existing programs Resource Mobilization Implementing the provisions of the Continental Plan of Action of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ) at national level will have resource implications, both during the design and implementation phases. A plan or strategy for resource mobilization is developed for the national programme with an operational budget for the implementation of the strategic thematic and priority action areas of the CPoA of the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ). a. To include a disability component in all Government budgets and budgetary allocations in all their line functions; b. To ensure the inclusion of disability as a criterion in Poverty Reduction Strategy Programmes, and other programmes for consideration by international partners; c. To mainstream capacity building, development of technical skills and provision of human resources throughout the government to ensure uptake of disabilities issues in the public sector; d. To allocate financial resources with specific budgets allocated to the implementation of the Continental Plan of Action; e. To prioritize objectives in the Continental Plan of Action that may not need additional resources but a change in the way existing resources are administered; f. To bring on board stakeholders such as private sector representatives, religious organizations and the media into the National Disability Councils to facilitate resource mobilization for the implementation of the Continental Plan of Action; g. To provide leadership on the development of national policies and to challenge discriminatory practices regarding the rights of PWDs. The rights and needs of PWDs should be included in national budgets and governments should advocate for the allocation of resources for programmes to address disability issues; h. To request increased technical and financial support from international partners to compliment national and continental efforts for the implementation of disability programmes in Africa. 11

12 2.3 Statistics, research and evidence gathering on disabilities Continuous data gathering on the prevalence of disabilities in Member States, on the types of disabilities, disaggregated regarding gender and age, supplemented with research on the causes and effects of the disabilities. a) To establish an inter-ministerial epidemiological surveillance system on disabilities to gather evidence for consideration by National Disability Councils, policy bodies and relevant Government Ministries; b) To provide for indicators on disabilities in national census questionnaires; c) To collate disability data from health statistics regularly (ICD10); d) To stimulate research and conduct surveys on disabilities. 2.4 Development an enactment of legislation regarding non-discrimination, equality before the law and freedom from exploitation and cruel treatment of Persons With Disabilities Laws and public regulations in place that facilitate equality, access to justice, freedom of expression, and freedom from exploitation, abuse, violence and cruel treatment for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). a) To recognize that PWDs shall enjoy legal capacity and support to exercise their legal capacity on an equal basis with others in all aspects of life; b) Include disability issues in the implementation of human rights instruments at national level; c) To promote the right of PWDs to express themselves in political, economic and social spheres; d) To implement measures by the State and economic actors to ensure that PWDs are free from exploitation, violence, abuse and cruel treatment. 12

13 2.4.1 Priority action areas regarding non-discrimination, equality before the law and freedom from exploitation and cruel treatment of Persons With Disabilities Equality and non-discrimination To ensure that all Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) are equal before and under the law and are entitled to non-discrimination, equal protection and equal benefit of the law. a. To identify, then amend or repeal laws in Africa which discriminate against PWDs; b. To amend the constitutional bills of rights to include a non-discriminatory clause on the basis of disability, through parliaments and national assemblies; c. To ensure that Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) have access to training and advocacy resources on the CPoA and the CRPD principles of equality and nondiscrimination; d. To ensure that Member States enact and implement laws to stop discrimination against PWDs, with the active participation of DPOs; e. To ensure that Member States establish mechanisms for implementation, monitoring and enforcing of non-discrimination laws and policies; f. To eliminate barriers in society that discourage PWDs to participate in civil society; g. To advocate for governments to respect diversity Equal recognition before the law and access to justice The full recognition of Persons With Disabilities everywhere in Africa as persons before the law and ensuring effective access to justice and rights on an equal basis with others. a. To review, amend or repeal, and implement the guardianship and inheritance laws to protect the rights of PWDs; b. To promote the availability of sign and tactile language interpretation at public meetings and in the media and in courts of law; 13

14 c. To take all appropriate measures to ensure that AU human rights instruments and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) are domesticated in all Member States legal instruments and implemented; d. To ensure the enactment of legislations which require political parties to have disability inclusive party policies and manifestos with a view to enhance political participation of the disabled; e. To promote and ensure disability inclusive reform and policy of the justice, law, and order sectors. Member States shall promote appropriate training and oversight for those working in the field of administration of justice, including judges, police, and prison staff; Freedom of expression Persons with disability exercise the right to freedom of expression, opinion, and access to information in an accessible format. a. To provide information intended for the general public to PWDs in accessible format and technologies appropriate to different kinds of disabilities in a timely manner and no additional cost; b. To ensure that private and public entities and mass media, including providers of information through internet access make their services available to PWDs. c. To accept and facilitate the use of Sign languages, Braille, augmentative and other alternative communication modes and formats; d. To support the development of sign language and recognize it as an official language of deaf people; e. To support the development of tactile language as a language of deaf/blind people; Freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment To ensure adequate protection and guarantee freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). 14

15 a. To enact and enforce laws that protect PWDs from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment; b. To establish national mechanisms for monitoring, implementation and enforcement of laws that deal with torture, inhuman, cruel and degrading punishment or treatment to Persons with disabilities; c. DPOs, human rights defenders, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), national human rights institutes to identify and process prosecutions of cases of torture or of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse To ensure adequate protection and guarantee freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse. a. To take all appropriate legislative, administrative, educational and other measures to protect PWDs from all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse, including gender based aspects; b. To prevent all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse by ensuring that protective services are age, disability and gender sensitive; c. To ensure effective monitoring and enforcement by independent authorities of prevention strategies for all forms of exploitation, violence and abuse; d. To promote and ensure effective and full participation of PWDs in public and political life; e. To promote counseling, rehabilitation and social reintegration of PWDs who become victims of any form of exploitation, violence and abuse; f. To adopt policies and enact legislation to ensure that instances of exploitation, violence and abuse against all PWDs are identified, investigated and where appropriate, prosecuted. 2.5 Health and Rehabilitation Specialized measures are employed for the promotion of health and provision of rehabilitation services for Persons With Disabilities. 15

16 a) To allocate sufficient resources for the prevention of disability; b) To provide PWDs equal access to medical care within the same system as other members of society; c) To increase access to habilitation and rehabilitation services to PWDs within their communities, including rural areas; d) To eradicate the effects and prevalence of harmful traditional practices which result in disabilities Priority action areas regarding health and rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities Health services Member States shall take all appropriate measures to ensure access for Persons with Disabilities to health services that are gender sensitive. a. To ensure primary health care, early identification and early intervention for PWDs; b. To introduce a system of early intervention or referral, or strengthen existing systems, to minimize the occurrence of secondary disability; c. To institute disability modules in the curriculum of all health professionals training; d. Government, in partnership with DPOs, to carry out regular health sector reviews of policies governing PWDs; e. To incorporate the provisions of the African Health Strategy into national policies, laws and action plans; f. To develop disability sensitive family planning and reproductive health services; g. To develop health care policies and strategies suitable for PWDs living with HIV/AIDS; h. To provide information on HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases to PWDs, in all accessible formats; i. To supplement mother and child programs with ongoing programs of scientific and medical research; j. To assure the inclusion of disability in the design of awareness raising campaign related to the abuse of drugs and alcohol; k. To provide PWDs equal access to medical care within the same system as other members of society; l. To train health care providers to participate in areas such as early detection of impairments, the provision of primary assistance and referral to appropriate services. 16

17 Rehabilitation services Member States shall organize, strengthen and extend comprehensive habilitation and rehabilitation services and programs to enable Persons With Disabilities obtain maximum independence and full participation in all aspects of life. a. To increase access to appropriate, suitable and affordable devices; b. To support due design, development, production, distribution and servicing of assistive devices and equipment for PWDs, adapted to local conditions and dissemination of knowledge; c. To develop policies and programmes focusing on habilitation and rehabilitation for PWDs to attain maximum participation in society; d. To develop and implement accessibility regulations and universal design suitable to local conditions in respective member states of Africa; e. To design and implement affordable personal access programmes in such a way that the PWD using the programme has a decisive influence. 2.6 Adequate standard of living and social protection Priority action areas regarding adequate standard of living and social protection for Persons with Disabilities Social Protection To cushion PWDs from falling into or remaining in poverty and to empower them through enabling their participation in community and national development strategies targeting poverty reduction. a. To ensure access to affordable services, devices, and other assistance for disability related needs; b. To ensure access for PWDs to public housing programs; c. To ensure access for PWDs to retirement and benefits programs; d. To allocate resources towards provision of comprehensive social protection programmes targeting PWDs and to ensure the inclusion of disability issues in social 17

18 protection policies, laws and national development plans e.g. Poverty Reduction Strategy Programmes (PRSPs) and Millennium Development s (MDGs) plans; e. To increase the participation of PWDs and their families in designing and reviewing existing national poverty reduction plans, social protection policies, and strategies; f. To provide training, awareness, and financial assistance to PWDs and their families; g. To increase disability awareness and programming capacities within the public and private sectors, development partners and other bodies responsible for national development plans and social protection programmes; h. To establish coordinating mechanisms for disability within line ministries in charge of social protection programmes; i. To develop the capacities of PWDs and their organisations in lobbying and advocating for their access to social protection programmes; j. To introduce a disability module in the curriculum of all social development professionals training; k. To extend favourable social protection schemes for PWDs living with HIV-AIDS and disabled people as a result of AIDS; l. To ensure the inclusion of disability as a criterion in PRSP, and other programmes for consideration by international partners; m. To promote investments related to the realization of capabilities of PWDs through providing assistive devices and technology. 2.7 Promoting Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in all sectors of society Full inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in all sectors of society, to effectively participate in their own development and in the development of their communities, societies and country. a) To have PWDs represent themselves in all structures that affect their life spheres; b) To ensure accessible and inclusive education for all PWDs; c) To ensure equal employment opportunities for PWDs; d) To promote accessibility and inclusion of PWDs to recreation, sport and cultural activities for PWDs. 18

19 2.7.1 Priority action areas regarding inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in all sectors of society Self-representation Promote the self-representation of people with disabilities in all public decision-making structures. a. To develop and implement strategies for the effective inclusion and efficient participation of members with disabilities in parliaments or national assemblies. At national, provincial, district and local government levels, the conversation of rights of PWDs need to be conducted, and also reflected in decision making processes; b. To engage in advocacy, training, and awareness raising that helps motivate youth with disabilities to participate in the political process and share their experiences with other members of the youth community; c. To strive to include at least one disabled member, with consideration of gender equality, in their representation of five members per Member State to the Pan- African Parliament; d. To train MPs and build their capacity, knowledge and skills for effectively articulating and engaging in disability issues, including through direct collaboration with DPOs; e. To promote and encourage the development, by all political parties, of party policies and manifestos relating to equalization of opportunities for PWDs, including those of disabled youth, women, children, and other marginalized groups; f. To advocate for changes of electoral laws to be inclusive of the needs of PWDs; g. To ensure that all stages of elections are inclusive and accessible for PWDs, including the campaigning, elections observation and polling stages; h. To create opportunities for PWDs to contest and act as election monitors; i. To ensure that PWDs effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others directly or through freely elected representatives; j. To implement affirmative action measures to guarantee participation of PWDs in political and public life; k. To train and build capacity of PWDs to prepare them to conduct public affairs; l. To enact laws that guarantee the rights of PWDs to participate in political process and electoral systems; m. To ensure the full participation and inclusion of PWDs in all aspects of the preelection, election and post-election processes. 19

20 Education s To attain universally inclusive and accessible quality education for all Persons with Disabilities in Africa. a. To ensure that teacher education curriculum mainstreams all categories of disabilities; b. To develop teacher and personnel skills and learning materials to teach children with disabilities; c. To develop teaching and learning materials appropriate for PWDs; d. To ensure PWDs benefit from programmes of the Decade of Education for Africa , in particular the quota system for the award of AUC scholarships; e. To establish policies to ensure that girls and boys with disabilities have access to relevant education in integrated settings at all levels, paying particular attention to the requirements in rural areas; f. To encourage institutions of education to develop curricula on disability studies at tertiary level education; g. To ensure students with disabilities are afforded equal access to teacher training programmes; h. To ensure effective participation of students with disabilities in the field of sciences and mathematics at all levels of education; i. To allocate specific budgets for the education of children with disabilities; j. To foster partnership between school, families and other members of educational teams; k. To enact, implement and enforce policies and programmes that promote inclusion and full participation of PWDs in education, taking cognizance of gender and rural areas; l. To ensure that PWDs are enabled to access general/tertiary and lifelong education without discrimination and on an equal basis with others; m. To ensure that educational data collection is inclusive of all PWDs; n. To ensure that there is effective individualized support measures that are provided in environments that maximize academic and social development consistent with the goal of full inclusion. 20