Disability Rights Awareness Month is commemorated annually at the start of November till 3rd of December; which is International Day of Persons with Disability. The start of this year’s month-long programme was launched on Friday 2nd November 2018 at Boitumelo Special School in Kimberley.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the birth of the founding father of our democracy, Former President Nelson Mandela as well as Mama Albertina Sisulu who are both icons of our revolution; who dedicated their lives to the struggle for freedom and contributed immensely to the birth of the new South African nation.

The theme for 2018 is “A disability- Inclusive South Africa by 2030. Be the Legacy.” The purpose is to promote awareness and mobilize support for critical issues relating to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society as well as to draw attention to the benefits of an inclusive and accessible society for all.

The objective of DRAM2018 is to call on all South Africans to embody the “Thuma Mina” principles in their approach to persons with disabilities by encouraging all sectors to take action and build inclusive communities, to promote social cohesion where adults and children with disabilities are actively contributing to the development of their communities.  This is a time to reach out to the diversity within the disability sector by demonstrating how all human rights can and must be enjoyed equally by all persons with disability irrespective of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, type and severity of impairment, socio-economic status, educational qualification level, religion, culture, employment status or nationality.

The Northern Cape Province’s programme included donation of books written by disability rights activist to primary and secondary school libraries, hosting dialogues in all five districts on Disability Inclusion, a lecture on Madiba’s values at Sol Plaatje University and a Provincial Legislature sitting on Diability Inclusion on 3rd December.