Disability News and Statistics for Africa and South Africa
Author: Disabled World (DW)
Updated/Revised Date: 1 Aug 2026
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - About This Section - FAQs - Publications - Subtopics
Synopsis
News, statistics, and resources on disability in Africa and South Africa, covering causes, rights under the Constitution, and organizations that offer support.
At a Glance
- 1 - School enrollment for disabled Africans is estimated at no more than 5 to 10 percent.
- 2 - The South African Disability Alliance is made up of twelve national organizations representing the disability sector.
- 3 - Disabled people are estimated at 10 percent of the general African population, and possibly as high as 20 percent in poorer regions.
- 4 - Rehabilitation International estimates that 350 to 500 people worldwide become amputees each day from landmines encountered while walking, farming, or playing.
Topic Definition
- Disability in Africa
Disability in Africa refers to the wide range of physical, sensory, intellectual, and psychosocial conditions affecting an estimated 60 to 80 million people across the continent today. The causes are many and often preventable, spanning malnutrition and disease, environmental hazards, natural disasters, traffic and industrial accidents, and the injuries left behind by civil conflict and war. For a great many Africans with disabilities, the result is exclusion - shut out of schools and the workforce, with begging becoming a means of survival for some and poverty a near certainty for others. At the same time, the picture is not only one of hardship. Countries such as South Africa have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and enshrined equality in their constitution, while national bodies and a growing number of disabled entrepreneurs are working to bring people with disabilities into the mainstream of development.
Overview
In Africa, an estimated 60-80 million people are living with disabilities today. USAID missions throughout sub-Saharan Africa, and elsewhere, provide financial and technical assistance to people living with disabilities, including those who were disabled as a result of war and conflict. There is a great need to foster the establishment of a South African disability studies literature and to promote the views of disabled people.
Disabled people are estimated at 10 percent of the general African population, but possibly as high as 20 percent in the poorer regions. The vast majority of Africans with disabilities are excluded from schools and opportunities to work, virtually guaranteeing that they will live out their lives as the poorest of the poor. School enrollment for the disabled is estimated at no more than 5-10 percent. For many, begging becomes a sole means of survival.
Every day in Africa, many people are disabled by malnutrition and disease, environmental hazards, natural disasters, traffic and industrial accidents, civil conflict and war. According to Rehabilitation International, it is estimated that 350-500 people worldwide become amputees each day due to landmines that they encounter while walking, farming, or playing. The number of people living with disability in Africa is increasing. Factors that contribute to the growing number in Africa include:
- Violence
- HIV/AIDS
- Birth defects
- Malnutrition
- Population growth
- aging population
- Environmental degradation
- Injuries at home, work and on the roads
South Africa signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its optional protocol in 2007. Furthermore, the South African Constitution specifically enshrines equality for persons with disabilities under Article 9(3). Yet, it is not clear how the current bill will take this nation closer to full implementation of the Constitution and the Convention.
While the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs commented upon the coming into force of the Convention in 2008 that South Africa "has committed itself to removing all barriers faced by persons with disabilities," this bill is easily assailable for not living up to this statement.
The South African Disability Alliance (SADA) is a body that is made up of the twelve national organizations that represent disability in South Africa. This organization was formerly known as the Federal Council on Disability and has now been reconstituted to be a body of consensus, and the voice of the disability sector in South Africa. The 12 SADA national organizations are:
- Autism SA
- Epilepsy SA
- Cheshire Homes
- Down Syndrome South Africa
- Disabled People South Africa (DPSA)
- Disabled Children's Action Group (DICAG)
- Deaf Federation of South Africa (DEAFSA)
- The QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA)
- South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH)
- South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB)
- National Association for Persons with Cerebral Palsy (NAPCP)
- National Council for People with Physical Disabilities in South Africa (NCPPDSA)
Any vision for the future of Africa must include people with disabilities, who constitute a significant percentage of the community anywhere in Africa. People with disabilities have a lot of potential to take part in the development processes of their countries, yet they are in most cases excluded from most of the development programs. However, some people with disabilities in Africa are taking control of their future, according to the UN body African Decade of Person With Disability. It says, "Africa will be leading the world in numbers of disabled entrepreneurs."
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the leading causes of disability in Africa
Contributing factors include violence, HIV and AIDS, birth defects, malnutrition, population growth, an aging population, environmental degradation, and injuries at home, work, and on the roads
What is the African Decade of Persons with Disability
It is a UN linked initiative highlighting disability issues across the continent, and it has noted that Africa is set to lead the world in the number of disabled entrepreneurs
What does the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities do
It is an international treaty that sets out the rights of people with disabilities, and South Africa signed and ratified it along with its optional protocol in 2007
How does disability relate to poverty in Africa
Because many Africans with disabilities are excluded from education and employment, they often face a high risk of living in poverty, with some relying on begging to survive
Does the South African Constitution protect people with disabilities
Yes, the South African Constitution specifically enshrines equality for persons with disabilities under Article 9(3), providing a legal basis for their rights
What support does USAID provide for disability in Africa
USAID missions across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond offer financial and technical assistance to people with disabilities, including those disabled by war and conflict
Which organizations advocate for people with disabilities in South Africa
The South African Disability Alliance brings together twelve national bodies, including Autism SA, Epilepsy SA, Down Syndrome South Africa, and Disabled People South Africa
Curated and edited by Ian C. Langtree, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Disabled World. This section is maintained by the Disabled World editorial team.
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