Approximately 17% of the South African population is living with some form of disability, of which 6.6 million are youth and 86% of them remain unemployed. Many still face barriers to meaningful employment, equal treatment and access to basic resources, making initiatives like Casual Day vital.
Since the inception of the Casual Day campaign in 1994, South Africans have been encouraged to purchase and wear official Casual Day stickers and merchandise to show their support for persons with disabilities as the campaign highlights the challenges faced by this community while simultaneously celebrating their resilience and contributions to society.
But did you know that even though Casual Day has passed, the spirit of the day doesn’t have to?
Here are ways you can continue to Play Your Part and make a difference:
- Even after Casual Day, you can still buy merchandise throughout the year to show your support to assist initiatives that empower people with disabilities.
- Begin the conversation. Is your organisation inclusive of persons with disabilities? Does your organisation have disability-friendly tech equipment? Is the company accessible to persons with disabilities?
- Educate people around you on the importance of inclusivity, especially economic inclusivity. And make it a normal topic of conversation.
Not only will your valuable effort help persons with disability, but it will bring us closer to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals of social cohesion, which are set out to be achieved by 2030. Ensuring that the country achieves full and productive employment, and decent work for all women and men, including young people and persons with disabilities.
Over the 30 years, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) has raised over R455 million. The funds raised through Casual Day go directly to the NCPD, which has been the leader in advocating for the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities for many years.
Even after the day, continue to support the National Council for Persons with Disabilities by purchasing Casual Day items and encourage your workplace to hire and accommodate people with disabilities.
Together, we can help enhance South Africa’s inclusivity, so persons with a disability can have equal opportunities to succeed and contribute valuably.
To learn more and/or participate in the initiatives for persons with disabilities, visit: https://ncpd.org.za/
About Brand South Africa
Brand South Africa is the official marketing agency of South Africa, with a mandate to build the country’s brand reputation, to improve its global competitiveness. Brand South Africa’s primary focus is to develop and implement proactive, coordinated marketing and communications reputation management strategies for South Africa. Our main objective is to market South Africa to both domestic and international audiences, positioning South Africa as a competitive investment destination, and inspiring and instilling active citizenship amongst South Africans.
