POSITION STATEMENT
OUR POSITION STATEMENT
We acknowledge that defining disability has been a complex, controversial, multidimensional and evolving issue dating back to the 17th century. However, at DCFA, we adopt the meaning of disability from Article 1 of the UNCRPD (2006) which states that:
“persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”
In line with the above standpoint, and that of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank, we regard disability as a multifaceted interaction of the human body and the society in which the person lives and not just a health challenge on a person’s body.
That is not to say we dismiss the traditional understanding of disability in African contexts as mere superstition, nor do we advocate against the development of indigenous philosophies of disability, but we assert that African scholars can still within the traditional understanding of disability reflect on and embrace the understanding of disability as enshrined in the UNCRPD, which is the major international treaty that guides disability practice in the world. We embrace intercultural exchange and reflect on all theoretical perspectives from both the Global North and the Global South, whilst upholding the human rights based approach, the social model of disability and the intersectional model as enshrined in the UNCRPD (2006).