Today, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we pause — not to dwell on challenges, but to celebrate the unstoppable power, talent, and innovations of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across South Africa and the world.
Yes, there are barriers. Yes, our systems still fall short. But today, we choose joy. We choose recognition. We choose pride. We choose to honour the victories of 2025 — victories that remind us that disability is not inability, and that brilliance does not ask for permission.
This year, we witnessed remarkable leadership from activists with disabilities who stepped boldly into national and international spaces. Young Deaf leaders facilitated workshops for mainstream schools, transforming how educators understand inclusion.
Blind community mobilisers led voter-education drives ahead of the 2026 local elections, ensuring that accessibility and representation are part of South Africa’s democratic agenda. Persons with psychosocial disabilities shaped mental-health dialogues that pushed government institutions to rethink how care, dignity, and autonomy must coexist.
We celebrated innovators — artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, coders, designers — who turned 2025 into a showcase of excellence. A wheelchair-using marathon athlete from the Eastern Cape broke provincial records and inspired thousands.
A visually impaired young woman from Durban launched a digital accessibility start-up that employs both disabled and non-disabled youth. Across universities, students with disabilities graduated with honours in law, engineering, social sciences, and business, proving once again that when systems remove barriers, talent does the rest.
This year also reminded us of the extraordinary role that PWDs play in community building and social justice. We saw disability-rights activists sit at the decision-making table — not as tokens, but as thought leaders shaping policy on infrastructure, education, transportation, and gender-based violence.
In rural villages, elders with disabilities led practical solutions for safer communities, from accessible water collection points to inclusive community dialogues that strengthen local democracy.
TGPSA proudly partnered with disabled activists and organisations throughout 2025. Their insights strengthened our gender justice programmes, our community paralegal training, and our understanding of what accessibility truly means. We saw how inclusive activism transforms not just individuals, but whole communities. And we learned yet again that disability inclusion is not charity — it is justice, equity, and shared humanity.
The truth is: persons with disabilities have always been leaders. Always been innovators. Always been carriers of knowledge, memory, and vision. The world is only now catching up. Today, we choose to celebrate the rising wave of visibility, confidence, and excellence that PWDs brought into 2025. We choose to amplify their stories, their courage, and the futures they are building — not in the shadows of pity, but in the full light of dignity, joy, and power.
As we honour this day, may we recommit ourselves to a world where accessibility is not an afterthought; where disability justice is woven into every policy and programme; and where society does not merely "include" PWDs — but actively makes space for their leadership.
Today, we say:
Here’s to your brilliance.
Here’s to your victories.
Here’s to your contributions.
Here’s to your future.
Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
We see you. We celebrate you. We honour you.
And in 2026 and beyond, we rise with you.
