Autism Warrior

MEET EMILE GOUWS, AN AUTISTIC ADVOCATE ON A MISSION TO MAKE THE WORLD A MORE INCLUSIVE PLACE.

By Rachel ANDERSEN

Meet Emile Gouws. He was diagnosed with autism at the tender age of three. He is now 26 and has learned to accept his unique talents, knowing that though he is different, he is far from “less than.”

He serves the community as a specialist educator, vice-chairman of the National Executive Committee of Autism South Africa, Executive Committee member of the Commonwealth Disabled Peoples Forum, autism self-advocate, and Senior Advisor of ICDL (Interdisciplinary Council for Development and Learning). He is also the only South African to be elected as a member of the Autistic Research Committee of INSAR (International Society for Autistic Research). His self-advocacy is based on Article 24-Inclusive Education of the UNCRPD (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) and Article24 and 25-Inclusive Education and Accessible Health Care.