Vietnamese Parliamentarians Meeting; Committee Planning Workshop Report: adoption

Meeting report

IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND STATUS OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND DISABLED PERSONS JOINT MONITORING Committee
24 June 2005
VIETNAMESE PARLIAMENTARIANS MEETING; Committee PLANNING WORKSHOP REPORT: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Ms Newhoudt-Druchen (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Committee Strategic Workshop Report
Committee Programme 2005

SUMMARY
The Committee met to consider the Report of their Strategic Planning Workshop. Initially, the report could not be adopted due to an insufficient number of Members. The Chairperson proposed that the rules governing the adoption of reports be altered for Joint Committees due to their nature and poor attendance.

The Committee was then addressed by a group of visiting Vietnamese Parliamentarians. The South African Members provided detail on current government policy. The present status of youth and disabled legislation was elucidated and future plans expressed. Additional Members were brought into the meeting and the Report, Committee Programme and past Committee minutes were adopted.

MINUTES

Committee planning
Members discussed their Committee programme and how meetings with all relevant Sector Education and Training Authorites (SETAs) could be arranged. Health and Welfare SETAs would be prioritised. The Committee would seek strategic plans from all pertinent departments. Oversight visits to facilities such as youth centres and places of safety would occur in the fourth term.

The Chairperson said the Committee Workshop Report could not be adopted due to the lack of quorum. A minimum number of ten Members had to be present. The rules regarding adoption of reports for the Joint Committee should be reconsidered due to the particular nature of the Committee and the regular lack of attendance by Members. The Workshop Report was adopted after additional Members had been recruited to attend.

The Committee Clerk’s minutes of 22 and 29 October and 10 November 2004 were also adopted.

Vietnamese delegation discussion
Mr L Nzimande (ANC) provided background detail on the role of the Committee and governing legislation. Currently 18 disabled persons served as Members of Parliament. The Integrated National Disability Act guided policy development, and disability units had been established in the Office of the President and provincial governments. Various Acts were directed at improving the lives of the disabled and youth, such as the Children’s Bill.

Ms T Tobias (ANC) added that a National Youth Service Programme had been set up in the President’s Office and youth development was contained within certain legislation.

Mr Nzimande stated that a free health policy for the disabled was in place. Only a third of those in need could currently be accommodated within special schools. The plan was to include the disabled within regular schools in greater numbers. Tertiary institutions had been instructed to have disabled students comprising 10% of total student numbers. The Health Department had made assistive devices available to the disabled and the government consulted with relevant civil society groups such as Disabled People SA regularly. The aim was to create social partnerships to address the challenges and provide meaningful policy.

Mr M Moss (ANC) declared that the integration of the disabled into society was a government priority and particular attention would be focused on schools to ensure a mix of able-bodied and disabled scholars. Private sector companies had also received points for employing disabled persons. Approximately 6% of the population were classified as disabled. Two million people currently received a disability grant of R700 a month.

The Chairperson stated that three related divisions had been established in the President’s Office, namely the Rights of the Child, Status of the Disabled and the National Youth Commission. The Committee had regular contact with relevant Portfolio Committees regarding implementation of legislation and oversight.

The Vietnamese delegation provided background on similar issues within Vietnam and the type of legislation. The government sought to facilitate national solidarity through policy initiatives and promote a respect within all communities towards the disabled.

The meeting was adjourned.