ADA speaks to their achievements

Posted by Janice Scheckter on 15 May 2018, 15:10 SAST

The ADA has matured into an essential technical resource for continental/ regional political/ economic/social bodies and structures. A well-established organisation has emerged from the difficult formative phases with a clear vision and mission. The organisation has managed to turn around its own operations and its ability to influence development and implementation of policies in Africa in a manner that has reduced fragmentation in the disability policy formulation, strategy development and programming processes. 

The process of developing and mobilising champion States through the ambassadorial country status award initiative has achieved tremendous success in placing disability in the forefront of development in Africa. This innovative strategy has received international acclaim and placed disability at regional/ continental sessions of crucial ministerial delegations, political bodies, experts’ working groups and development partners actively working in Africa. 

The programming processes in continental/ political structures and within countries provide evidence of growing awareness about the need for persons with disabilities to provide not only political/ activist-type leadership but also technical support/expertise. Thus the ADA strategy of pushing policies to practice (i.e. implementation of provisions of policies, legislation, conventions) is starting to bear fruits. The alliance building strategy was a major contributor to ADA’s role as a user-led, demand-driven technical agency that placed disability at the centre on planning and resource allocations at regional and continental levels. 

Disability has also been placed on the agenda of a number of regional initiatives, including: 

a. Contribution towards the development of the Continental Plan of Action for the extended African Decade of Persons with Disabilities adopted by the AU Heads of States 

b. Organising and facilitating consultation sessions for purposes of contributing to the content of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa. 

c. Disability Inclusive Peace and Security (DIPS). 

d. Advocacy for an inclusive post 2015 development framework 

e. Social protection framework and strategies 

f. Inclusive Education at the level of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). An Inclusive Education strategy for learners with disabilities has been developed for approval by the SADC ministers responsible for education 

g. Providing leadership in African research Consortia including the African Network for Evidence-to-Action on Disability (AfriNEAD) 

h. Supported the development of Inter-sectoral disability mainstreaming strategies 

i. Developing Regional Champion Countries. Through the ADA disability Ambassadorial Award.