Various commissions at the Summit on Economic Empowerment for People Living with Disabilities have made recommendations for greater inclusion of disabled persons into mainstream economic activities.
The commissions have called for the provision of Enterprise Supplier Development points to be allocated to persons with disabilities as well as the inclusion of disabled persons in infrastructure projects, skills training and the digital economy. Shakila Maharaj is a Global Disability Strategist and Entrepreneur who is blind.
“We moving increasingly towards digital platforms. The digital platforms are not designed to bear in mind persons with disabilities and how they access it. These digital platforms need to be visited and made accessible. So how do we make all these accessible so that we can participate as a sector, it’s by including us. It’s by including us in the solution. We as persons with disabilities are there to show how accessibility can be incorporated,” says Maharaj.
VIDEO: Summit on Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: Keynote address by Ramaphosa
President Cyril Ramaphosa says people living with disabilities must play a role in designing, implementing and monitoring of policies that advance their participation in the mainstream economy. Ramaphosa say disabled people still experience discrimination and exclusion, despite progressive frameworks aimed at ensuring their inclusion in the country’s economic activities. Ramaphosa was delivering the opening address to the inaugural Summit on Economic Empowerment for People Living with Disabilities in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg.
