Curbing disability stigma

  

Date Posted: 5/18/2014 5:56:50 AM

Posted By: Carrie   Membership Level: Bronze  Total Points: 50

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Disability can be defined as a physical or mental condition that restricts a person from performing a task in the same way as a person who does not have disability. This condition has indeed been associated with stigma where the disabled are constantly looked down upon in the society and this kills their self- esteem. In extreme cases, the victims are mistreated and even disowned by their own parents who send them to the streets.

Denying the handicapped their rights has been a norm in the society even though there are a few organizations that have taken the challenge to look into this matter. Looking at the work sector, the disabled are rarely considered just by judging a book by its cover and so they are always assumed to be incompetent prior to them exhibiting their extra-ordinary talents and abilities leaving them unexplored.

In most buildings there are no special facilities to aid the handicapped in locomotion as these buildings often have lengthy stair cases which inconvenience those who are forced to use wheelchairs. Most of the disabled people will always avoid such buildings and this limits their interaction with the outside world.

The transport sector has played a major role in isolating the handicapped as no help is offered to them when boarding normal public service vehicles. Moreover they are considered to be time wasting nor are there special vehicles to serve them and thus are always left shut behind doors due to such inconveniences

Disability challenges
Service denial, stigma, discrimination, isolation, segregation,poverty,pity,unemployment,ignorance and patronizing.

Steps to curbing disability challenges and stigma

- Holding campaigns to challenge stigma and discrimination
- Enough support from the government towards disability
- Education strategies aimed at all forms of disability
- Examination and amendment of state policies that discriminate against disability and implementation of laws that are in favor of the disabled
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Encouraging people to change their attitude, have good relations with the handicapped by appreciating them for who they are and helping them to attain their independency.
- Donating to charity that will help in acquiring special facilities that will aid in locomotion of the handicapped, creation of rehabilitation centres among others

Conclusion

Disability is not inability. The handicapped have equal rights as the capable being and so they deserve to be treated with normal human standards. In addition, they should be granted equal opportunities to explore the world and their God given abilities so as to create a harmonious society.

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