White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The Department of Social Development has published the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. "The WPRPD does not introduce a policy shift. Nor does it replace any sector specific policies on disability. It reiterates that the primary responsibility for disability equity lies with national, provincial and local government; and other sectors of society but also allocates responsibilities to persons with disabilities and their families. The vision of the WPRPD is the creation of free and just society inclusive of all persons with disabilities as equal citizens."
"This WPRPD:
• Updates South Africa’s 1997 White Paper on an Integrated National Disability Strategy (INDS),
• Integrates obligations of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and in the Continental Plan of Action for the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities (both of which South Africa has signed), with South Africa’s legislation, policy frameworks and the National Development Plan 2030,
• Endorses a mainstreaming trajectory for realising the rights of persons with disabilities,
• Provides clarity on and guides the development of standard operating procedures for mainstreaming disability,
• Guides the review of all existing, and the development of new, sectoral policies, programmes, budgets and reporting systems to bring these in line with both Constitutional and international treaty obligations,
• Stipulates norms and standards for the removal of discriminatory barriers that perpetuate the exclusion and segregation of persons with disabilities,
• Broadly outlines the responsibilities and accountabilities of the various stakeholders involved in providing barrier-free, appropriate, effective, efficient and coordinated service delivery to persons with disabilities, and
• Guides self-representation of persons with disabilities.