Deputy Minister of Social Development to dialogue with short statured people

In December 2019, the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mrs Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu held a session with short statured people to deliberate on issues affecting their everyday lives. Following that inaugural session, the Deputy Minister will host a 3-day series of dialogues on sexual and reproductive health and rights for short statured South Africans in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), from 10 to 12 November in Pretoria, Gauteng.

The dialogue will highlight the challenges experienced by short statured people. The prevalence of short statured persons in South Africa has not been accurately documented, it is estimated to be around 3 to 5% and for prevalence of growth hormone deficiency being around 1 in 4,000 persons.

There is currently no data existing around sexual and reproductive health and rights for short statured people. The impact of and services on HIV and AIDS and gender-based violence and femicide is the  reason for continuous engagements and dialogue with short statured South Africans to begin to build an information hub for the sector, which will inform government’s programmes, policies and services for short statured people.

South Africa has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which has been domesticated through the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (WPRPD).

The Department of Social Development is responsible for developing policies, services and programmes to promote the rights of vulnerable people and persons with disabilities. Persons of short stature still experience discrimination, exclusion and compounded marginalisation, as part of an under-represented disability group.

South Africa commemorates National Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM) annually between 3 November and 3 December and the deputy minister has chosen to focus on short statured people. This year the month is commemorated under the theme: “The Year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke – Create and Realise an Inclusive Society Upholding Rights of Persons with Disabilities”

Source: Government of South Africa