This year's theme: Together Building South Africa Inclusive of Disability Rights

3 December is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and is also commemorated as National Disability Rights Awareness Day.

The month long campaign carries weekly sub-themes which are reflected in the Medium Term Strategic Framework (2019-2024) of government. The following sub-themes are intended to focus conversations on priority areas identified by the disability sector, which also link to the seven priorities of government:

• Week 1: Children and young people with disabilities empowered to chart their own destiny through access to quality lifelong learning
• Week 2: A built environment accessible to all persons with disabilities
• Week 3: Persons with disabilities as equal players in building inclusive economies
• Week 4: Children and women with disabilities – feeling and being safe as equal citizens in their communities

Disability is the consequence of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental, or some combination of these. A disability may be present from birth, or occur during a person's lifetime.

Society is encouraged to be part of the conversation online by using the hashtag #DisabilityInclusiveSA and #DRAM2019

Original press release here.