scholarly journals Inclusive Planning: African Policy Inventory and South African Mobility Case Study on the Exclusion of Persons with Disabilities and Other Vulnerable Groups

Author(s):  
Marianne J.W.A. Vanderschuren ◽  
Obiora Nnene

Abstract BackgroundAlmost half of the African population is under the age of 18 years, while females make up just over half of the overall population. Estimates of the number of persons living with disabilities, on the African continent, range between 60-300 million individuals. Children, the elderly, females and people with disabilities all require amendments to traditional transport planning.MethodThis paper investigates the availability of transport policies and guidelines in 29 different African countries, focussing on the inclusion of persons with disabilities, women and children. A desktop study was conducted, followed by the analysis of secondary data in the case study area, South Africa, demonstrating that the lack of adequate policies, guidelines and appropriate implementation leads to a lack of accessibility, opportunities and social isolation. ResultsThe data analysed revealed that Ghana and Kenya, have the most inclusive policy and legislative framework, while Tanzania has the most inclusive transport related framework. The private sector, NGOs, and NPOs are most active in the inclusion of people living with disabilities in Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa.In South Africa (STATSSA, 2013), over 2.2 million people (4.5% of the population) did not travel at all in the seven days before the interview, as their disability or age prohibits them to do so, or due to a lack of appropriate services. When comparing the trip rates per week, people with disabilities travel significantly less than their abled counterparts, between 65.8% and 27.2% less.ConclusionsThe study concludes that people with disability live less integrated, more isolated lives, due to the lack of accommodating infrastructure and services, in addition to the lack of binding policies, legislation, standards and guidelines. The results underpin the need for Disability Inclusive Planning in the African context and provides recommendations that mitigate the isolation challenges faced by people with disabilities.

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne J. W. A. Vanderschuren ◽  
Obiora A. Nnene

Abstract Background The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and universal design (UD) principles call for inclusive planning. Within the transportation field, this includes the development or improvement of facilities that accommodate people with disabilities. Between 10% and 20% of the African population is affected by disabilities. A lack of understanding of the needs of people with disabilities leads to isolation. Within the transportation field, isolation manifests itself as a reduction in trip-making. Methods This paper investigates the availability of transport policies and guidelines in 29 different African countries, focusing on the inclusion of persons with disabilities. A desktop study was conducted creating heat maps for 29 African countries, followed by the analysis of secondary data in the case study area, South Africa, demonstrating that the lack of adequate policies, guidelines, and appropriate implementation leads to a lack of accessibility, opportunities, and social isolation, measured through trip frequencies. Results The data analysed revealed that many African countries omit, or only superficially include, people with disabilities in their transport policy framework. Ghana has the most inclusive People with Disabilities Act, while South Africa is most inclusive regarding their planning and design of transport facilities and services. In South Africa, 4.5% of the population did not travel at all in the 7 days before the interview, as disability or age prevented them from doing so, or due to a lack of appropriate travel services. When comparing the trip rates per week, people with disabilities travel significantly less, between 27.2% and 65.8%, than their abled counterparts. Conclusions The study reveals that people with disability live less integrated, more isolated lives due to the lack of acknowledgement in the transport policy framework and accommodation in infrastructure and services. The results underpin the need for disability-inclusive planning in the African context and provide recommendations for actions that mitigate the isolation challenges faced by people with disabilities. Municipalities play a crucial role in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armand Bam ◽  
Linda Ronnie

Abstract Research on the employment experiences of persons with disabilities on a global level indicates that this group is faced with the challenge of inclusion in the workplace. While South Africa has a well-defined legislative framework that has been determined in consultation with disabled people’s organisations, compliance with legislation appears to have failed to ensure that employment targets are met. As a response to these challenges, this study explored the early inclusion experiences of persons with disabilities in the workplace via a qualitative, explorative, case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 people with a range of different disabilities and working for different organisations, in order to provide insight into the initial experiences of inclusion for persons with disabilities in the workplace. Findings showed challenges in induction and orientation practices, struggles with disclosure of disability to coworkers, a desire to strive for ‘normality’, and frustration and vulnerability in the workplace. Taken together, the findings point to the importance of early experiences of inclusion in the workplace – that is, inclusionary practices during the employee induction phase. This study offers insights to organisations and management practitioners for the promotion of better employment experiences. Recommendations include the appointment of a disability champion to account for disability equity within the organisation, the development of more inclusive recruitment and orientation practices, drawing on coworkers for support, and the active involvement of persons with disabilities in shaping onboarding processes. Embarking on these steps may ultimately result in a more diverse workforce within South Africa.


2021 ◽  
pp. 104420732110231
Author(s):  
Carli Friedman ◽  
Laura VanPuymbrouck

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) opened the doors to access and enhanced the civil rights of people with disabilities. However, a lack of accessibility to all segments of society continues throughout the United States and is frequently described by people with disabilities as a leading cause for limited participation. Beliefs and attitudes regarding disability can affect critical decisions regarding inclusion and people with disabilities’ civil rights. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore support and opposition to the ADA among nondisabled people. We had the following research questions: (a) What is the relationship between disability prejudice and support for the ADA? and (b) When controlling for disability prejudice, what other factors lead people to support the ADA? To do so, we examined secondary data from approximately 13,000 participants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Findings from this study revealed that people who oppose the ADA are significantly more prejudiced toward people with disabilities than people who support the ADA. Understanding and becoming aware of attitudes and prejudice toward persons with disabilities can be a first step toward dispelling such beliefs and possibly a priori step to achieving the intent and spirit of the ADA.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariane Lemos Lourenço ◽  
Mara Rosalia Ribeiro Silva ◽  
Rafael Santana Galvão Oliveira

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between empathy and social responsibility (SR) practices in a university organization in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Design/methodology/approach The research was qualitative, using case study methodology. The case study was about the Brazilian organization Ânima Educação, which is the greatest among the five largest publicly traded education companies in Brazil. Secondary data collection and content analysis was carried out. Findings As emotional response toward the problems caused by the pandemic, the company's leadership adopted an empathic behavior, allowing traces of its empathic culture to emerge. Empathy was expressed through the implementation of SR practices aimed at workers (policy of not firing in the first two months of the pandemic), at students (provision of technological apparatus, online classes, physical/psychological assistance and negotiation of late fees) and at the society (assistance to the elderly). Originality/value It was concluded that empathy can be taken as the emotional motivator for companies to engage in SR practices, especially in extreme circumstances in society, as the economic and health challenges that the world is experiencing with the COVID-19 pandemic nowadays. SR practices, in turn, can foster even more empathy in organizations, mobilizing leaders and their respective groups in the creation and implementation of new practices, thus demonstrating that the relationship between empathy and SR practices is a “two-way street.”


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred Coleman

The utilization of unused and retired mobile phones in South Africa and other African countries poses a significant environmental hazard. Disposing of retired mobile phones in a safe manner has become an issue of concern in South Africa because of health and environmental hazards associated with it. This study investigates the methods of disposing and recycling of old, unused and retired mobile phones and their associated environmental effect on humans and plants in Africa. A case study approach was used in this paper. Participants were selected from three cities in South Africa, targeting three government institutions and three mobile phone service providers. Semi-structured, open-ended interview questions were used to get evidence from the participants regarding how old, unused and retired mobile phones are disposed and possible effect of these on the environment. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded. Findings revealed that most common method of disposing of old, retired mobile phones was donating them as gifts, selling to second-hand shops or storing in homes as spare phones. Based on findings, a proposed framework was developed to guide the collection process, reducing, reusing and recycling of old and retired mobile phones in Africa. The framework will not only assist manufacturers and retailers in selecting a better option of disposing old mobile phones, but also will to improve the hazardous environmental conditions, which affect humans and plants.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (01) ◽  
pp. 161-177
Author(s):  
Simon Hutagalung

All local governments have the same responsibility and obligation in positioning themselves as institution that are friendly to persons with disabilities, including Central Lampung Regency in Lampung Province. There are two important questions from the research which is the basis of this study; (1). What are the efforts made by the Central Lampung Regency government towards groups with disabilities? (2). What are the problems that occur in the management of disability groups in Central Lampung Regency?. The type of this research is descriptive with a qualitative approach. The data used by researchers in this study are sourced from primary and secondary data. In this study, primary data obtained through interview techniques was carried out by giving several questions related to the problem issues in research to the informants who had been determined. Informants in this study was collected with a purposive sampling technique. The key informants in this study were 9 heads of local government organizations, 10 representatives of community organizations, and 5 members of the regional parliament. All of them play a role in data collection activities which include focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. Meanwhile, data analysis was carried out using interactive data analysis techniques. In the last three years, the number of people with disabilities in Central Lampung has increased. However, the increase in the number of people with disabilities in Central Lampung is due to the expansion of the meaning and scope of disabilities in Indonesia regulation. It is known that several actions at the level of local government organizations in facilitating groups with disabilities can be designed in a more focused manner in the design of programs and policies covering the government, population and civil registration, social, health, education, employment, and transportation, and public infrastructure sectors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mada Center

The task of navigating through new spaces can often be challenging for people with disabilities, and especially for people with visual disabilities and the elderly unless they were already acquainted with the pathways and key landmarks. This applies to both indoor and...


Author(s):  
Joanna Iza Belzyt

In South African countries education plays the important role in the context of double exclusion occurance of people with disabilities living in those areas. Factors like race, gender, social origin or disability affect social inequalities which powerful strength in society is strictly connected with a dominant ideology or state policy (eg. apartheid in South Africa). People with disabilities undergoing social exclusion caused by their social origin as African natives, simultaneously undergo exclusion caused by disability. In this context, apart from (the exclusion rooted in) the “heritage” of apartheid, one can also find a very meaningful factor folk beliefs, healers and shamans. Hence, disability, according to the particular area of the country and local folk beliefs, is perceived and understood as punishment or a thrown charm which eventually makes families being ashamed of their disabled children or relatives, force them to hide them for fear of ostracism, violence, ritual mutilation or death.


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