People with disabilities are the largest minority population in the world. Give this a thought. There are people with disabilities in every country, every gender, every religion and in every social and economic level. But in spite of this, have we been able to create a world which makes them feel included in the society? The answer is a clear No.
Understanding Disability
Based on what we have been taught and experienced, we tend to stick with the standard definition of disability – a problematic condition which interferes with, or limits a person’s ability to engage in certain tasks or actions or participate in typical daily activities and interactions.
The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), a framework introduced by WHO, provides us a with a different approach to view disability.
According to ICF, Disability isn’t actually a problem that a particular individual has to deal with.
Disability is a condition imposed by the environment.
Hmm… a little confusing, right? Let’s try and understand this a little more.
Let us think about a wheel-chair user in the United States. There are a lot of activities that the individual can do with little to no discomfort like attending school/college, traveling, taking up jobs, going to the movies, exercising and shopping.
Now let us think about the life of a wheelchair user in India. Can we imagine a person doing all these activities with the same ease? For sure, life is a lot tougher for a person with the same disability in India. From inaccessibility to buildings to no sidewalks on streets to limited schooling and job options, the barriers are many.
This is exactly the difference that ICF emphasizes on.
The problem is not in the person. The problem is in the barriers that prevent that person from fully participating in the world.
It’s now the time to identify these barriers and remove them.
Government Initiatives for Accessibility Improvement
Recognizing the challenge of accessibility, the Government of India has initiated the Accessible India Campaign with the intention to achieve universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities.
The initial target of the campaign is to convert at least 25-50 most important government buildings into fully accessible buildings in 50 select cities.
The campaign target also includes converting airports, railways stations and public transport carriers to be fully accessible for persons with disability. This will definitely be a big leap forward in creating an inclusive society.
What can we, as a society, do?
When we think about improving accessibility for people with disabilities, the first thought that probably comes to mind is the infrastructure. Though it is an extremely important factor, it is not the only factor that limits accessibility of persons with disabilities from being an active part of the society.
The one major factor that stops people with disabilities from indulging in social activities is the lack of sensitivity of the people they interact with. They are often made to feel that they are a hurdle or a hindrance to others around them. It is time for us to open our hearts and minds and create a feeling of inclusion for people with disabilities – a feeling that they belong right among the rest of the crowd.
“The worst thing about disability is that people see it before they see you.” – This is a common feeling experienced by people with disabilities. We need to be able to see beyond the disability in a person and interact with them for the person they actually are, keeping aside the disability factor.
You may also like to read: This Lady Designs Adaptive Clothing For People With Disabilities.
To bring about any long-term change in the society towards disability, the change in outlook towards persons with disabilities needs to be imbibed from childhood. Disability Awareness programs introduced at school level can help children be sensitive towards their friends with disabilities and also grow up into more inclusive and accepting citizens in the future.
Many times the immediate family and caregivers of a person with disability feel overwhelmed. A good support system can help them in adjusting and adapting with the situation. In addition to professional help, the support of the society can ease things for them. Just the feeling that they are not alone and can reach out for help if needed, can go a long way.
Good infrastructure, access to public transport, public awareness, support system and most importantly sensitization towards persons with disabilities will help them lead a better life and give them a feeling of belonging in the society.
Let us do our part in removing the challenge of Accessibility from Disability.
Note: There are several different types of disabilities, such as physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and learning disabilities. Each one comes with its own challenges and struggles. This blog focuses on a few of the challenges faced by persons with disabilities. There are many more barriers that we need to identify, understand and overcome.