“DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT – DISABILITY INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT” Lefhoko Kesamang Senior Social Welfare Officer African Union Commission

What is African Union? i.From a liberation organization to spear- heading Africa’s development and integration  inter alia, to accelerating the process of integration in the continent to enable it play its rightful role in the global economy while addressing multifaceted social, economic and political problems compounded as they are by certain negative aspects of globalisation.

PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT  During their 17th Ordinary Session, the AU Executive Council in 2005 in Sirte, Libya adopted resolution EX.CL/Dec. 200(VII) that among others: I.URGES all development partners, including UN-HABITAT and UNEP to provide necessary support and to cooperate with AMCHUD in its effort to address the challenges of rapid urbanization, especially the growth of slums, in Africa; II.CALLS UPON Member States to provide sustained and adequate support to the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development and to implement the outcomes of AMCHUD;

PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT III.REQUESTS the Commission to provide the necessary support to African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (AMCHUD) in order to facilitate its endeavours to the promotion of improved living conditions in African cities and towns.

AFRICAN CHARTER ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS “The AU has prioritized the development of an African Charter on Urban Development and Human Settlements to lay down key principles and minimum standards towards facilitating sustainable urbanization and human settlements development.” The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said during the Presidential Dialogue on the African Urban Agenda, on 24 September 2015, on the margins of the 70 th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS ON DISABILITY  The AU Member States have realised that more could be done for persons with disabilities if specialised facilities would be shared regionally to assist them in their socio-economic integration. There were clear landmark events and processes which gave lead to special attention to Persons with Disabilities on the Continent:

PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS ON DISABILITY i.Continental Plan of Action on the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2010 – 2019) ii.The Draft Proposal on the African Union Disability Institute (AUDI) after the dissolution of the ARI; and iii.The development of the Draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa.

AFRICAN UNION DISABILITY ARCHITECTURE (AUDA) AUDA Draft PROTOCOL CPoA (2010 – 2019) REPLACEMENT STRUCTURE

RESPONSE BY THE AFRICAN UNION REGARDING DISABILITY Development of the Continental Plan of Action for the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities ( ) – joint exercise with stakeholders as the PROGRAMMATIC COMPONENT OF THE AU DISABILITY ARCHITECTURE Development of the AU Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in conjunction with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, Banjul, The Gambia, and after the adoption the PROTOCOL will constitute THE LEGAL COMPONENT OF THE AU DISABILITY ARCHITECTURE

CONTINENTAL PLAN OF ACTION ON THE AFRICAN DECADE OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ( )  Goal: The goal of the extended African Decade of Persons with Disabilities is THE FULL PARTICIPATION, EQUALITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN AFRICA  The CPoA has 9 Strategic Thematic Areas, each with Priority Action Areas.  The overall implementation of the CPoA will be coordinated by the DSA and the regional and national implementation will be facilitated and technical assistance provided for by the Replacement Structure of the ARI.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE WAY FORWARD i.The AUC is calling upon all partners and Members States to honour their obligations made in the declarations on disability, disarmament and urban development; ii.The AUC is calling upon Member States to develop national accessibility and inclusive policies and laws to realise the rights of persons with disabilities;

RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE WAY FORWARD iii.The AUC is in the process of engaging an expert to carry out an audit of the AUC infrastructure and polices with regard to accessibility; iv.Thereafter, draft a framework on accessibility and inclusion in Africa. v.The monumental progress achieved in demining Mozambique was only possible through the Government’s leadership and continuing support of International Community. Therefore, a positive case study for other Member States