1 July 2009
opinion
Every individual is important, irrespective of the abilities the individual possess, be it physical or mental. Everyone is unique in his or her contribution to the progress of the world. Just like the parts of the body, which rely on each other to function properly, likewise the ability and strength of people in this world.
It is very unfortunate that some people in this world did not get the right physical appearance that nature proposed for every human being. Some people have to go on in life without some of their body parts in the right order to make them function properly. Some live without hands, legs, sight, voice or sense of hearing, making them physically impaired, or sometimes called people with disability. In whichever situation they find themselves, they make it a point to be useful to themselves and to society in so many ways. Even though some of these physically impaired capitalise on their disability, and go about the streets begging for alms, society must make it a point to help those who have decided not to be a burden, but rather strive to make themselves useful.
The Ghanaian society and people with disability (PWD)
In Ghana and many parts of the world, disability is often considered a curse in one's family, which runs from generation to generation, or could be a sin committed by the individual, which has brought calamity on him or herself. In this case, society refuses to empathise with the person, as well be of help to him, with the notion that the calamity that had befallen the unfortunate person could be transmitted to them as well. They are normally stigmatised, rejected by family members and society, and sometimes made fun of by children. The superstitious belief by some that in giving alms to those with disabilities would be giving your luck to that person makes both the literate and illiterate behave meanly towards them.
This belief has made people forget about the scientific and medical fact that disability could be as a result of a deficiency in a parent, or an infection by one of the killer diseases or vehicular accident. Society must not forget that PWD, no matter their degree of disability, are also citizens and residents of a society and country, and as such, are entitled to equal rights. They should not be given the trauma of always battling with who they really are, in terms of them facing restriction to participating in societal programmes, and facing discrimination and abuse.
PWD and societal opportunities
Owing to the rate at which PWDs are discriminated against, it is very hard to see them in honourable positions and offices, even though it might be one of their dreams in life. A PWD sometimes feels reluctant to continue or go to school, since he or she would not be acknowledged by society to occupy positions of responsibility. It has been observed that the majority of PWDs, especially the deaf, mute and blind, no matter how brilliant they are, often end their educational background at the Junior High level. This can be attributed to the fact that the government has no provision for them to continue their education as far as they can, and also official appointments to accommodate them, they however end up learning some form of vocation.
PWDs are often discriminated in several positions of the nation, even at workplaces, their abilities are taken for granted, no matter how qualified they are for the position. Even when accepted at the work place, he or she is often isolated during any activity or programme at the work place. It is very sad to note that the attitude of people towards PWDs makes their God-given talent end up being hidden. For some PWDs it takes only courage and steadfastness to bring out the talent they have in them.
PWD and the law
It's been too long a time since PWDs are being discriminated. It is a good thing that the United Nations (UN), governments and organisational bodies have come to empathise with PWDs to free them from their plights. According to the Direcgov website, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 aims to end the discrimination that many disabled people face. This Act has been significantly extended by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. It now gives disabled people rights in the areas of employment, education, access to goods, facilities and services, including larger private clubs and land-based transport services, buying or renting land or property, including making it easier for disabled people to rent property, and for tenants to make disability-related adaptations, functions of public bodies, for example issuing of licenses.
The Act requires public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people. It also allows the government to set minimum standards so that disabled people can use public transport more easily. Furthermore, it prevents any form of harassment in employment, education, and in terms of goods and service.
In Ghana, this act has been in existence, but its implementation has always been the issue. According to the President of the Ghana Federation of Disabled (GFD) Mr. Samuel Kwesi Asare, three years after the promulgation of this act, its implementation is yet to be effected. He made this known during the celebration of this year's National Disability Day, with its theme "Call to action: implementation of the National Disability Act," which he believes is a reflection of the state of affairs. According to him, what GFD requires most is the political willingness on the part of the state to ensure the implementation of the National Disability Act. The GFD has the conviction that further delay in the implementation of the act would serve as an obstacle to the agenda of mainstreaming disability concerns to national development.
Members of the GFD believe that the right and social image of PWDs would be enhanced if the poverty and misery among the majority of them are tackled and alleviated. They are also of the belief that the best government intervention to salvage PWDs from the inter-generational poverty cycle is the two percent of the District Assembly Common Fund reserved for PWDs.
Conclusion
Society must come to the realisation that people with physical impairment can in no way serve as an obstacle to their capabilities, if society doesn't take their existence and rights for granted. Society should try and give PWDs the same chances given to other people in life, in order for them to be proud of their existence in life, and also be able to reach their dreams and aspirations.
The government, which they have most of their hopes on, must try and implement the disability act, since it is meant for them. It is the responsibility of the government to take care and protect the rights of all its citizens, and not just a portion, so as to enhance its campaign on democracy in the nation.
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It is good that the disability Act has been passed but my appeal to everybody is that they should look at the disabled in its totality.They should not look at disabiled people to be only the visually,and hearing impaired & the physicallly handcapped but also remember the persons with cognitive disability used to be known as the mentally retarded.In that way no noe category of the disabled is left out. Teni