African Decade (2010 -2019)

Second African Decade of Persons with Disabilities declared for the period 2010 to 2019

Translating sweet political Statements
into practical Programmes

It was a big success for the African Disability Movement when the first African Decade of Persons with Disabilities which worked from 2000 to 2009 was prolonged for another decade. Nevertheless there are some questions on what the first decade really achieved, what its role is and not at last – what its future plans are. The CEO of the Secretariat of the Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities is answering these questions.

What did the first African Decade achieve?

When accessing the achievements of the

 First Decade of Persons with Disabilities,

it is important to note that the twelve

objectives set in the Decade’s Continental

Plan of Action (CPOA) were targeted at

AU Member States. Thus, governments

 are responsible for the implementation

of the CPOA. Nevertheless various

organisations took responsibilities for

specific activities to support the efforts of

governments. The achievements summarised

below relate to the work of the Secretariat

of the Africa Decade of Persons with

Disabilities (SADPD) formed by civil society

organisations in 2004 after realising that no

meaningful progress had been made to

implement the Decade Proclamation                 

and CPOA.                                                  

The First Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities helped to create awareness about the need to mainstream disability in national development plans. Policy formulation processes were initiated in some countries. For instance in Uganda and Kenya, the governments formulated legislation using the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) as a base.

 Other achievements of the first Decade are:

· Promotion and establishment of disability networks and continental DPOs of previously marginalised disability groups and enabling them to prepare long term strategic plans;

· Work with the African Union, the Pan African Parliament and Parliamentarians in different countries placed the disability agenda at the centre of policy making;

· The concept on sector-wide planning (meaning ensuring that disability was not just a responsibility of one ministry, but all government ministries) was introduced and well understood in more that twenty-five countries in Africa;

· There was improved political will, generated by a number of activities within countries, including the process related to the UN Convention;

· The capacity-building work (which included training in planning, monitoring and evaluation) for DPOs and Government employees was well appreciated in the countries that the Secretariat implemented its activities;

· The need and usefulness of research as a means to back advocacy work was well established with increased cooperation between the Secretariat (and SAFOD) and African Universities in Namibia, Malawi, Sudan and South Africa.

The Decade provided a unique opportunity for African States to contribute to efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities. The Decade also provides African countries with an even bigger and broad-based opportunity to highlight the successes made in terms of integrating disability at country level.

In addition,

1. The Decade provided an opportunity to build the capacity of DPOs and governments in Africa, and to enhance co-ordinating processes among different DPOs and categories of disability and other actors. Attempts to establish coordinating structures, though not entirely effective and necessary in some countries, had the effect of highlighting the need for coordination, monitoring, and evaluation.

2. There was recognition of the inter-relatedness of disability issues in all aspects of political, social, and economic life of a country. In some countries this recognition translated into multi-sectoral programmes.

3. The Decade provided space and awareness for the planning of multi-faceted programmes that helped to articulate the needs of persons with disabilities in Africa. These programmes were in the fields of Policy and Legislation Development, Poverty Reduction Strategies, HIV/AIDS, UN Convention on the RPD, MDGs, Gender Programmes, and others.

4. Tactics for effective advocacy emerged from the Decade. The ‘carrot or stick’ approaches where used and put to test – and the carrot approach won! Let us not unnecessarily use radical methods as these tend not to be effective. However, other activists argued against giving governments the ‘full carrot’ as they may get too full and forget commitments to disability mainstreaming!

5. The Secretariat pilot the Ambassadorial Country concept, which proved to be an effective way doing advocacy. Ambassadorial Status is awarded to a country that facilitates planning and resource mobilization processes for programmes, projects, and strategies in the field of disability including those that the country has already or is in the process of implementing. This work includes progress made in the development of policies and legislation on disability, mainstreaming of disability in sectors of government and implementation achieved to date. Ambassadorial Status is awarded to a country that facilitates and contributes funding for a second-decade National Disability Programme (2010-2019) that is planned and implemented by the government in cooperation with Disabled Persons’ Organisations.

6. We would like mention the leading nations in this process that is Rwanda, Senegal, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. All thumps up to East Africa including the East African Legislative Assembly for leading the way in terms of disability mainstreaming!

Is the Evaluation of the First Decade already finalized? What were the results?

The evaluation of the First Decade is being coordinated by the AU Labour and Social Affairs Commission. A Consultant will shortly be appointed to review questionnaires received from African Governments. The Evaluation Report will be submitted to the Ministers of Social Affairs in November 2010 in Khartoum, Sudan, were the Ministers will request the next Heads of State Summit to note the progress (or lack of it) of the First Decade.

Unfortunately there has been some confusion (some emanating from the AU Labour and Social Affair Commission) as to whether the second Decade has already been declared or not and whether all is depended on the evaluation. The official position is that that the African Union, by resolution EX.CL/477 (XIV) of the Executive Council’s Fourteenth Ordinary Session of the African Heads of State held from 26 – 30 January 2009 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has declared the second African Decade of Persons with Disabilities for the period 2010 to 2019.

Nevertheless the results of the evaluation will be of some importance for the future of the Second Decade. The Questionnaire and Framework for reports on progress achieved by Member States towards the implementation of the AU Plan of Action on the African Decade of Disabled Persons was circulated to all AU member States. Copies of this questionnaire can be obtained from Mr. Lefhoko Kesamang KesamangL@africa-union.org

All DPO’s are kindly requested to ensure that their governments complete this questionnaire and send it to the AU.

What are the future plans for the new African Decade?

The evaluation of the first Decade will form the basis of planning for the renewed Decade of Persons with Disabilities. Future plans are likely to include some of the objectives of the CPOA for the First Decade, with adaptations to accommodate the UNCRPD and other African protocols and Charters. Governments must translate declarations and conventions to programmes that are backed by allocated budgets, time, and human resources to ensure effective implementation. They must also provide leadership and take more responsibility than was the case during the first Decade.

The Secretariat will continue to work as a civil-society technical agency and resource for governments and DPOs involved in disability programming, resource mobilisation, and translating sweet political statements into practical programmes that benefit persons with disabilities at country level. We will use international relations, diplomacy, and Article 32 of the UNCRPD to unlock resources and add value to disability programmes. We will, within our facilitator role, work with the African Union and governments on practical strategies to implement key elements of the new CPOA, UNCRPD, and other protocols.

By Kudakwashe Dube

 Kudakwashe Dube is the Chief Executive Officer of the Secretariat of the Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities

· Formulating or reformulating policies and national programmes that encourage the full participation of persons with disabilities in social and economic development;

· Creating or reinforcing national disability coordination committees, and ensure effective representation of persons with disabilities and their organisations;

· Supporting community-based service delivery, in collaboration with international development agencies and organisations;

· Promoting more efforts that encourage positive attitudes towards children, youth, women, and adults with disabilities and 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;

· Developing programmes that alleviate poverty amongst people with disabilities and their families;

· Mainstreaming disability on the social, economical and political agendas of African governments;

· Spearheading 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 people with disabilities in Africa;

· Apply all African Union and UN human rights instruments to promote and monitor the rights of persons with disabilities. All these objectives were expected to help realise the goal of the Decade, which is "the full participation, equality and empowerment of people with disabilities in Africa". The question, however, is to what extent have these objectives been addressed during the Decade? Has anything good come out of this Decade?

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