Dr. Emile Gouws
By Simon Manda
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA- On Saturday, 29th March 2025, a historic Autism Rights March will assemble outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Autism rights activists, families, organizations, and individuals will join forces to demand the recognition, protection, and promotion of the rights of autistic and neurodiverse persons, not only in South Africa but also all over the world.
The upcoming march at the Nelson Mandela Statue, in observance of the International Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, is more than just an event: it’s a powerful demonstration organized by the online neurodiversity platform, Special Knead Café.
The event also opens a new chapter in the celebration of the signing of the new South Africa Disability Bill, which will take place in South Africa in April 2025—a great achievement for the disability rights movement in the country.
“This march is not only to create awareness but also to take a stand and urge for real action, as well as inclusion of the communities of persons with autism in South Africa,” Dr. Emile Gouws, an autism self-advocate and disability rights leader who is co-organizing the event, said in a statement.
“We urgently call for the complete implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which South Africa was a signatory nearly 20 years ago, yet remains unrealised in practice for neurodiverse persons,” added Dr. Gouws.
International data on the prevalence of autism (ASD) is limited, but statistics suggest that autism shows a global prevalence of up to 1% among children aged 4 to 12.
Most notably, the neurodiversity movement perceives neurologically diverse conditions, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, as natural variations of the human genome, impacting across the globe but finding fewer pathways to implement across the Global South.
In 2007, South Africa ratified the UNCRPD, in which it pledged to protect and promote the full realization of all human rights for persons with disabilities. Yet persons with autism and neurodiverse challenges are still far from inclusion in education, work, health, and public life.
This year’s march will focus on specific UNCRPD articles, especially relevant to the rights of autistic people, including:
– Article 5 (Equality and Non-Discrimination)
– Article 9 (Accessibility)
– Article 24 (Inclusive Education)
– Article 27 (Work and Employment)
– Article 29 (Participation in Public and Political Life)
As the event’s co-organiser with Dr. Gouws, Mrs. Kim Hicks, a mother, carer, and invisible disability advocate, said, “As families and carers, we stand in solidarity with self-advocates to ensure that autism rights are recognised, protected, and celebrated in South Africa.”
The activists are inviting civil society organizations, the disability community, educators, therapists, researchers, families, caregivers, and allies to march.
Autistic accommodations will include quiet zones, sensory-friendly space, and clear communication supports. Participants are encouraged to bring AAC devices, ear defenders, and any needed sensory tools.
In addition to the march, organizers encourage participants to continue advocacy work by:
– Signing petitions in support of disability-inclusive policies
– Contacting government representatives
– Donating to neurodiverse-led organizations and initiatives.
