Role-players’ actions uphold the rights, dignity & best interests of persons with disabilities

Over the past four decades, I have had the privilege of observing and participating in South Africa’s disability sector. During this time, I have witnessed remarkable progress in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities. Strong legislation, dedicated organisations, passionate advocates, and the voices of persons with disabilities themselves have helped transform the disability landscape.

At the same time, experience has taught me that no sector is without its challenges. Politics, power dynamics, competition for influence, and differing philosophies can sometimes create barriers to the very inclusion we seek to promote. These challenges are often unintentional, yet they can affect equity, accessibility, collaboration, and representation.

Recognising these realities is not about criticism. It is about creating opportunities for honest reflection so that we can continue building a stronger and more inclusive disability movement.

 

Hierarchies of Disability

Not all disabilities receive equal attention.

Visible impairments are often more easily recognised by society, policy makers, employers, and service providers. Invisible impairments — including psychosocial, neurological, intellectual, communication, and many sensory impairments — may receive less recognition because their barriers are not immediately apparent.

This imbalance can unintentionally influence funding priorities, public awareness campaigns, policy development, and access to services.

True inclusion requires recognising that every impairment deserves equal dignity, equal respect, and equal opportunity.

 

Competition for Resources

Resources within the disability sector are often limited.

Organisations compete for funding, media attention, government partnerships, research opportunities, and donor support. While competition is sometimes unavoidable, it should never replace collaboration.

When organisations work in isolation, duplication occurs and valuable expertise may be lost. When organisations work together, resources stretch further and the collective voice of persons with disabilities becomes much stronger.

Collaboration should always outweigh competition.

 

Different Approaches to Disability

The disability sector reflects a variety of perspectives.

Some focus primarily on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and assistive technology. Others emphasise the removal of environmental, communication, institutional, and attitudinal barriers through a human rights approach.

These perspectives need not compete.

Medical intervention and rehabilitation can empower individuals, while the social and human rights models remind society of its responsibility to remove barriers. Together they create a more holistic understanding of disability.

 

Representation and Tokenism

An important question continues to arise: Who speaks for persons with disabilities?

Representation should never become symbolic or tokenistic. Persons with disabilities must participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives.

At the same time, no single organisation or individual can claim to represent every disability experience. Disability is diverse, and that diversity should be reflected in leadership, consultation, and decision-making.

Nothing about us without all of us.

 

Intersectionality

Disability never exists in isolation. Every person also has a unique identity shaped by age, gender, race, language, culture, religion, geography, education, and economic circumstances. For many people, these factors combine to create additional barriers to participation.

Recognising intersectionality enables us to design policies and services that respond to people’s real-life experiences rather than assuming that disability affects everyone in the same way.

 

Ableism Within the Disability Community

Ableism is often associated with society at large, yet it can also exist within the disability sector itself. Sometimes assumptions are made about whose needs are most important, whose voices deserve greater attention, or which impairments should receive priority.

When this happens, persons with disabilities may unintentionally exclude one another.

Building an inclusive movement requires recognising and challenging ableism wherever it exists.

 

Power Imbalances Between Organisations

Large national organisations often have greater visibility, stronger funding, and easier access to decision-makers than smaller community-based organisations. Grassroots initiatives frequently possess deep knowledge of local communities but may struggle to access resources or influence policy. A healthy disability sector values both.

Strong national organisations and local community initiatives each contribute unique strengths that are essential for lasting change.

 

Rights-Based Versus Charity Approaches

Acts of kindness and charity have historically supported many persons with disabilities and remain valuable. However, inclusion cannot depend solely on goodwill. A rights-based approach recognises persons with disabilities as equal citizens entitled to dignity, equality, participation, accessibility, reasonable accommodation, and self-determination.

Support should empower people rather than create dependency.

 

Personal and Systemic Change

Empowering individuals is important, but individual resilience alone cannot remove societal barriers. At the same time, changing laws and policies without empowering people to exercise their rights is equally insufficient. Real inclusion requires both:

– Individuals who are informed, confident, and supported.

– Systems that are accessible, equitable, and accountable.

The two must develop together.

 

Generational and Cultural Differences

Our understanding of disability continues to evolve. Older generations may have grown up with medical or charitable perspectives, while younger generations increasingly embrace human rights, accessibility, and inclusion. Different cultures and communities may also understand disability in different ways. Respectful dialogue allows these perspectives to enrich one another rather than create division.

Listening remains one of the most powerful tools for building unity.

 

The NCPD Perspective

We believe that recognising challenges is the first step towards overcoming them.  We believe diversity within the disability community is a strength, not a weakness.  Every impairment group brings valuable lived experience. Every organisation contributes unique expertise. Every individual deserves to be heard.

Our vision is not to divide the disability sector, but to strengthen it through mutual respect, collaboration, and meaningful participation.

An inclusive disability movement leaves no impairment behind. It values visible and invisible impairments equally. It recognises that accessibility is not one-size-fits-all. It embraces diversity while pursuing a shared commitment to equality, dignity, and human rights.

Together we can move beyond politics and power toward partnership and purpose. Together we can build a disability sector where every voice matters, every contribution is valued, and every person has the opportunity to participate fully and equally in society.

No impairment should be left behind. No voice should go unheard. Together, we are stronger.

Dreaming of an inclusive world where everyone belongs.

 

Fanie du Toit
NCPD | Mentor: Hearing Loss Matters