DITSHWANELO press statement on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

People living with disabilities worldwide, face many barriers to inclusion in society. There is constrained access to participate in society on a basis equal to other persons, in terms of, for example, access to and use of transportation, employment, education, and in social and political engagement.

On 2 December 2015, the Midweek Sun newspaper published an article with a heading “Help for Mentally Retarded Available”. The term “retarded” is a medical word used to describe someone who is mentally slow.Mental ‘retardation’ is considered to be an insulting and inappropriate term, which fails to respect the dignity of the person.