published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

This dissertation explored the lives of women with disabilities who have to suffer more than men with disabilities despite prevailing disability policies in Nepal that emphasize nondiscrimination against people with disabilities. The study explored the idea that there are policy gaps between disability policies and the narratives of women with disabilities. This dissertation used critical sexual theory and postcolonialism as critical frameworks and narrative analysis as a method to analyze the disability policies and narratives of women with disabilities to explore policy gaps and the need for supportive gender policies. The researcher analyzed the literary works of five female Nepali authors with disabilities: Radhika Dahal, Jhamak Ghimire, Sabitri Karki, Parijaat, and Mira Sahi, in Nepal. With the support of NVivo qualitative research software, and the use of the frameworks and methodology, the researcher discovered the policy gaps and underscored the need for supportive gender policies to address the emotional and psychological needs of women with disabilities. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Among the diverse citizenry that comprise Commonwealth countries are persons affected by disabilities and who remain vulnerable and under-represented. In light of the challenges of under-representation and the stigmatisation of persons with disabilities globally, the democratic principles of the Commonwealth of Nations have been placed under scrutiny. Thus the constitutionality and fairness of governmental policies and national legislation are criticised for their degree of reflection and representation of the social and political rights of persons with disabilities. This thesis will critically analyse the national legislative and policy frameworks affecting persons with disabilities in selected Commonwealth countries. Comparisons will be made between these selected countries, namely Canada, India, Kenya and South Africa. The Commonwealth and subscription to the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will serve as a standardised platform for comparisons. Comparisons of the legislative prescriptions of the respective countries will be instrumental highlighting the challenges in the representation of the rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities globally and in improving and strengthening legislative prescription affecting persons with disabilities. The varying levels of development amongst countries and the lack of appropriate infrastructure continue to be detrimental to the effective representation of persons with disabilities and the ability of national governments to develop strong and effective legislative and policy frameworks remains compromised. It is thus essential that attention is directed to the challenges facing countries so that appropriate actions and remediation can improve the vulnerabilities linked to persons with disabilities. This study adopts a theoretical and case law approach. It firstly provides a conceptual framework for disability. The conceptual framework comprises the perspectives on disability that have justified the approaches to persons with disabilities. Theories and values and the international legal framework relevant to persons with disabilities will be provided. The theories and values provide a traditional framework and play an instrumental role in guiding actions toward the effective development of public policy and prescription of legislation. The selected countries will be analysed as separate cases. The countries will be analysed individually prior to the comparative component to acknowledge the strengths, weaknesses and challenges facing each country in relation to its own structure and level of development. The findings are based on themes which emerge from the analysis of the legislation and policies affecting persons with disabilities in the selected countries. The findings are presented in a comparative format owing to the comparative nature of the study. Recommendations that flow from the comparative analysis and findings are proposed in the final chapter. The adoption of the proposed recommendations can strengthen legislative prescriptions affecting persons with disabilities both nationally and internationally and improve the representation of the rights and freedom of persons with disabilities in the global context.

The purpose of this study is to examine if in the accommodation situation, coworkers are likely to use the need rule when determining whether an accommodation is warranted or not, and if they do, if using the need rule is likely to result in more positive justice judgments.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the implementation strategy of free health care policy for disabled persons at hospital level in KwaZulu-Natal. Since the introduction nationally, in 2003 of free health care policy for disabled persons, no evaluation has been conducted in KwaZulu- Natal to inform health service managers and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health on the implementation of this policy. A provincial implementation strategy is needed for effective implementation of the policy. To date, no such provincial implementation strategy is available and the lack of an implementation strategy for this policy motivated this study. METHODS An exploratory qualitative study design was implemented to elicit information from health service providers and representatives of persons with disabilities to inform the development of an implementation strategy for the free health care policy for disabled persons at public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal. Data was collected through interviews and focus group discussions. Data was analysed by utilising a thematic approach. RESULTS Respondents reported a variety of understandings with regard to policy context of the Free Health Care Policy for disabled persons, policy content in terms of purpose and eligibility, policy implementers and their roles in implementing the policy, and the implementation process of this policy at state hospitals of KwaZulu-Natal. CONCLUSION There is limited understanding of the Free Health Care Policy among some health service personnel and some disability groups, and this may have contributed to the erratic and poor implementation of the policy at public hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal. Factors necessary for policy implementation such as a communication strategy, guidelines for implementation, assessment of availability of resources, training of implementers, monitoring and evaluation strategy are crucial for effective implementation of any policy including the Free Health Care Policy for disabled persons. / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Despite efforts to promote increased employment, people with disabilities are considerably underrepresented in the workplace. As a flagship model of skills development, the researcher conducted a longitudinal study of learners with disabilities and Learnership stakeholders to identify successes, challenges and long-term outcomes of a Western Cape Learnership. The research relies heavily upon the experiences of the Learnership stakeholders, particularly learners with disabilities, to articulate how experiences are impacted by the model design as well as societal factors. What is revealed is a social and political context whereby the artefacts of the past amalgamate with present actions of redress, which impact strategies to better prepare learners with disabilities to integrate into the formal economy. The findings examine the impacts of Learnership design and implementation; interconnectedness between disability, race and poverty; influence of government and policy; and overall efficacy.

Even though the post-apartheid democratic government introduced a “social model” approach to address disability, there is still low employment rate of People with Disabilities. Government has enacted different legislation aimed at the inclusion of people with disabilities into the mainstream of society; however, the majority of people with disabilities are unemployed and often denied employment opportunities. The study seeks to evaluate employment of people with disabilities, identify challenges facing the government departments and local municipalities in employing people with disabilities, and to determine what measures can be taken to improve the employment of this group. A purposive sampling was used to select the government departments and the municipalities. A total of seven organisations, participated in the study consisting of four government departments and three local municipalities of the Joe Gabi District. During the interviews, a semi-structured interview guide was used to generate in-depth interpretation from the participants. The data was then analysed using quantitative methods such as graphs and tables and qualitative methods such as data coding through Tech's (1990) framework as described in (Creswell, 2003). The findings of the research revealed that government departments and municipalities still experience challenges in recruiting and providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities. There are a number of factors perceived by participants as challenges to low recruitment and employment of people with disabilities. These include: A lack of clear internal policies and guidelines at district levels of the government departments; Tendency by the government departments and municipalities to use the Employment Equity Plans only as a tool for compliance with legislation; A lack of effective recruitment strategies especially for people with disabilities. The participants also suggested a number of ways to improve employment and recruitment of people with disabilities, which include partnering with relevant organisations that could help in providing work-seekers who are persons with disability, developing effective internal recruitment strategies, HR managers to be trained in disability management and all relevant legislation and finally departments to fund posts specifically for people with disabilities.

The evaluation of the implementation of disability policies is a result of the low rate of public participation in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature’s programs as well as the low number of disabled persons who are employed. Institutions like Parliaments and Legislatures are law making institutions, some of their tasks in to attract comments, suggestions and ideas from all interested parties to participate in the law making process. They also have a responsibility to conduct vigorous oversight over the provincial government departments; this includes issues like compliance with the relevant policies and regulations. The data was collect from three different groupings namely the staff of ECPL, the members of provincial legislature as well as the general public which includes disabled persons. It was clear from the findings that the management and the MPL, who are decision makers of the institution, have a very shallow knowledge of the disability policies and regulations. There is a disability strategy which was made for all the legislatures and National Parliament; however the strategy has not been implemented in ECPL. The institution has to create a special programs unit that will promote equality in line with the Bill of Rights which enshrines the rights of all people in the country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. The recommendations that were made included education and awareness programs and compliance with regulations like the Employment Equity Act that seeks to unsure that the employment equity targets are met.