Empowering People with Disabilities for Rural Development
Living in rural areas poses particular challenges for people with disabilities in accessing education, training, and employment opportunities. Dismantling the barriers that rural disabled people face enables them to improve their livelihoods, those of their families, and take an active role in rural economic development.

Manage mental Illness in the Workplace Proactive management is the best medicine for mental illness in the workplace. By Dr Ali Hamdulay Mental illness in the workplace leads to decreased productivity, increased sick-related absenteeism, poor work quality, wasted materials and even compromised workplace safety. Despite the significant financial loss to employers and broad economy, many mental disorders fly below the radar in the workplace. A more proactive approach for managing mental illness in the workplace is a strategic imperative for South African employers. Most employers tend to completely underestimate the financial impact of mental illness on their bottom-line. Increasing levels of mental illness drive up disability costs and demand more medical scheme spend. There is also a strong correlation between mental health disorders and substance abuse. The South African Association of Social Workers in Private Practice estimates that 50% of workplace accidents is related to substance abuse. An undetected substance abuser can cost the employer 25% of that person’s wages. However, in many workplaces, employees choose to suffer their mental illness in silence, fearing stigma should they speak out, while employers avoid asking too many questions, hoping mental health disorders will just disappear on their own. Nevertheless, the latest Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) Report 2013-14 confirms that the prevalence of mental illness amongst medical schemes beneficiaries is rising. Total benefits per average beneficiary per month (pabpm) paid to psychiatrists increased by nearly 35% from 2011 to 2013. The total benefits paid to psychologists pabpm increased by 26% from 2011 to 2013, while the total benefits paid pabpm to mental health institutions from 2011 to 2013 increased by 58%. www.sadag.org.za

Eye Care Awareness Month is commemorated from 21 September to 18 October to raise awareness about the importance of eye health, specifically around the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness.

Seventy-five percent of all cases of blindness is avoidable either through prevention or through treatment – which is why is important to get your eyes tested at least once per year.

Symptoms of eye conditions can include:
•vision loss
•altered eye movements
•eye pain
•visual field loss
•bulging eye.

Transport Difficulties disabled passengers face with public transport Be it trains, planes or automobiles disabled people still face massive challenges in getting around. 1.Disabled people travel a third less often than other people 2. Over a third of disabled people who do travel experience difficulties, the most common being getting on or off trains or buses 3.The national average for accessibility of buses is only around 30% 4.Of disabled people who use public transport, over half (56%) have to resort to using costly taxis for easier access 5.Nearly two-thirds (60%) of households containing a disabled person do not have access to a private car, compared to 27% of the general population 6.More than one in five spaces reserved for disabled drivers are abused by non-disabled motorists 7.In terms of convenience and ease of use, taxis and minicabs are rated the most highly, with rail services the worst 8.Eight in ten disabled people never use light rail, tram or Underground services. Three-quarters never use ferry services and two-thirds do not fly 9.Bus drivers are rated as the most unhelpful public transport employees by disabled people, with 20% of respondents saying that they are unhelpful, compared with 13% for train station staff, 6% for both on train staff and taxi drivers, and just 2% for airline stewards 10.Nearly half (41%) of disabled people in England and Wales say they experience difficulty with traveling. A quarter (25%) experience difficulty travelling to and from the doctor or hospital, 23% have experienced problems visiting friends or relatives and 18% visiting leisure facilities. Some 23% of disabled workers say they find travelling to and from their place of work difficult www.johngilltech.com

Mrs Eunice Kennedy Shriver started this organisation 49 years ago to provide opportunities for people with an intellectual disability in her back yard. Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day is an annual celebration of her life and a global call to action for people to live in a more unified society in sport, in the community and in the work place. What an incredible legacy! The Special Olympics South Africa team was out in Mpumalanga in 4 districts running a Unified "Skillz for Life" camp for over 500 athletes and partners. A fitting way to pay tribute to our founder, Mrs Shriver. The Special Olympics movement has come a long way, the journey of having an inclusive South Africa still continues. We are indeed honoured to have had Mrs Shriver and are grateful that her vision has helped bring change into the lives of individuals living with and without an Intellectual Disability across the globe. www.specialolympics.org

The Office of the Status of Disabled Persons has been very useful to DICAG's campaign for the equal rights of disabled children. Our peer group organisation, Disabled People South Africa (DPSA), is a valuable asset. Together, DICAG and DPSA have a powerful, united voice in joint lobbying and advocacy ventures.

Tests and diagnosis A complete diagnostic work-up for albinism includes a: •Physical exam •Description of changes in pigmentation •Thorough exam of the eyes •Comparison of your child's pigmentation to that of other family members A medical doctor specializing in vision and eye disorders (ophthalmologist) should conduct your child's eye exam. The exam will include an assessment of potential nystagmus, strabismus and photophobia. The doctor will also use a device to visually inspect the retina and determine if there are signs of abnormal development. A simple test can measure the brain waves produced when light or a reversing pattern is flashed into each eye. This can indicate the presence of misrouted optical nerves. www.mayoclinic.org

White Paper: The Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The country’s first ever White Paper on the rights of persons with disabilities acknowledges deficits in access to education, reproductive health and rights services as well as health care among people living with disabilities.
Persons with Disabilities Approved by Cabinet in December and released in March, the 194-page White Paper is built upon nine pillars, namely:
•Removing barriers to access and participation;
•Protecting the rights of person at risk of compounded marginalisation;
•Supporting sustainable integrated community life;
•Promoting and supporting the empowerment of children, women, youth and person with disabilities;
•Reducing economic vulnerability and releasing human capital;
•Strengthening the representative voice of persons with disabilities;
•Building a disability equitable state machinery;
•Promoting international co-operation; and
•Monitoring and evaluation.
The document advocates for transforming the health system to improve the lives of disabled people by for instance removing communication and information barriers, reducing costs associated with care and skilling health personnel to provide equitable services to persons with disabilities.
Among the paper’s specific recommendations are the establishment of a centralised database of children living with disabilities to improve access to social support and education as well as the provision of accessible transport to health care facilities.

An estimated 10 per cent of the world’s population live with a disability. These people have the same sexual and reproductive health needs as other people. Yet they often face barriers to information and services.
This guidance note addresses issues of programming in the area of sexual and reproductive health for persons with disabilities. It is intended for experts and advocates within UNFPA and WHO as well as those in other development organizations and partners. Those who address issues of family planning, maternal health, HIV and AIDS, adolescence, and gender-based violence may find this information particularly helpful.

The month of October has been declared Mental Health Awareness Month with the objective of not only educating the public about mental health but also to reduce the stigma and discrimination that people with mental illness are often subjected to.
Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse and job stress are common, affecting individuals, their families and co-workers, and the broader community. In addition, they have a direct impact on workplaces through increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and increased costs. Very few South Africans seek treatment for their mental disorders. Mental illness can be treated at your nearest clinic, hospital or healthcare provider.