2023.09.07
On August 31, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Record of Discussions with the Government of the Republic of South Africa for the Project for the Expansion of Respite Care Services to Families of/and Children with Disabilities, a technical cooperation project.
According to the 2011 South African Census, there are approximately 2.8 million persons with disabilities in South Africa, which is 7.5% of the total population. South Africa, having ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, is striving to ensure support for children with disabilities and their families. However, due to inadequate community-life support services, family members bear the primary responsibility for caring for these children (community-life support services include educational, health, welfare, and other services necessary for children with disabilities and their families to live in their communities of residence). In cases where this burden on family members is prolonged, children with disabilities are at a high risk of neglect and abuse.
Signing Ceremony
To mitigate these risks, the South African government and JICA have collaborated to establish public respite care services. This collaboration is grounded in the recognition that prioritizing child protection and supporting families who care for children with disabilities is essential.
In addition to providing respite care services, this project is expected to improve access to education and health services for children with disabilities and access to economic activities for family caregivers. By providing support to link these families to the services necessary for community life, the project will also address the neglect and abuse of parental responsibility, and promote the participation of children with disabilities and their family caregivers in the community.
JICA has partnered with the South African government in disability and development for around 20 years, focusing on "empowerment and mainstreaming of persons with disabilities" and "independent living."
This project will capitalize on the accumulated outcomes of collaboration to date, enhancing South Africa's capacity to deliver respite care services for children with disabilities and their families. Through the development and delivery of this respite care service model, this project will contribute to the achievement of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Goals 1 (No poverty), 3 (Good health and well-being), and 10 (Reduced inequalities).
Details for the project are provided below.
| Country | The Republic of South Africa |
|---|---|
| Project title | Project for the Expansion of Respite Care Services to Families of/and Children with Disabilities |
| Planned implementation period | 48 months |
| Executing agency | Department of Social Development |
| Target region | Mpumalanga province, Ehlanzeni district municipality, Mbombela local municipality, Khumbula town and Ka-Daantjie town Northern Cape province, ZF Mgcawu district, Dawid Kruiper local municipality, Upington town |
| Specific project details (provisional) | This project will develop a respite care service delivery model in the two project site provinces of Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape. The goal is for all provinces of South Africa to have the capacity to implement this model thanks to the independent efforts of the government of South Africa, within five years after the project's completion. |
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