There are millions of people around the world with various disabilities, from blindness to autism, cerebral palsy to paralyzation. In the United States, medical technology is sophisticated enough to help these people live functional lives. However, in developing nations, this is not the case.

The situation of disabled people, espeically in the developing world, is characterised by extreme poverty and dependence on sympathisers. Many of the families and communities have not yet come to fully support disabled persons towards becoming equals and indepenedent individuals. International aid organizations have treated disability issues as peripherals that should be relegated to specialised organizations.

Particularly in Africa, disabled people are the poorest of all the marginalised groups, and with government and mainstream NGOs having done nothing to bring disability issues to visibility, their situation is not getting any better.

Attention must be paid to those living with disabilities and action taken to empower, encourage and help.

• 04/12/2007 11:16
  • 03/28/2007 08:59
  • 03/27/2007 15:31