An 11 year old girl with Down's Syndrome was playing with a little boy on the beach. "Are you disabled?" he asked. "No, I'm Daisy," she replied and they went on playing.
The International Classification of Functioning (ICF) defines disability as, "The outcome of the interaction between a person with an impairment and the environmental and attitudinal barriers he/she may face." This is basically saying that people are "disabled" because of the prejudice and discrimination that they face and the failure of society to adapt and accommodate their needs.
The numbers:
According to UN estimates, there are 500 million disabled people worldwide.
Of these 500 million, UNICEF estimates that 120 million are children.
In developing countries 50% become disabled in the first 15 years of life[i]
There are some countries where 90% of disabled children do not survive beyond the age of 20 and 90% of intellectually impaired children do not survive beyond the age of five years.[ii]
Causes:
A significant number of disabilities experienced by children are directly caused by preventable factors. These include:
Poverty
Armed conflict
Child labour
Violence and abuse
HIV/AIDS
The Issues:
The main issues that disabled children face have to do with the discrimination they suffer. Their lives are not treated as of equal value with others. In many cultures they are seen as a “curse” or a “punishment” and as such a disgrace to the family. Or, they are regarded as a burden. They are hidden away and denied respect for their dignity, individuality and even their very life. Because of these factors and society’s ignorance, disabled children suffer grave injustices and denial of their basic rights.
Disabled children are disproportionately likely to live in poverty – they are the poorest of the poor in every country today.
Disabled children are four times more likely to be neglected and physically abused and over three times more likely to be emotionally abused.
98% of disabled children in developing countries have no access to education. Even in richer countries, education for many disabled children is still segregated and inadequate.
Euthanasia of disabled people is becoming increasingly acceptable. In many countries disabled babies are left to die or abandoned in institutions. Parents and medical professionals who murder disabled children often have reduced sentences and use mercy killing as a defense.[iii]
The plight of disabled children remains largely invisible - hidden within families or institutions – and yet they suffer daily the violation of basic human rights including:
The Bible tell us in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “These things will last forever – faith, hope and love – and the greatest of these is love.” The greatest commandment we are given is to love one another. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” God has a purpose and a plan for every human life, including those with disabilities.
What can be done?
Children with disabilities are in desperate need of advocates - people to stand and promote their rights in all spheres of society. These are the children that are invisible and have no voice. They need responsible adults who will make a stand and fight to end discrimination, ensure equal rights to education and health care, make disabled children visible, expose and challenge neglect, abuse and violence, and challenge prejudice and ignorance.“The most beautiful and enriching trait of human life is diversity - a diversity that can never be used to justify inequality. Repressing diversity will impoverish the human race.”[Dr Oscar Arias, President, Costa Rica]
[i] It’s Our World Too – A Report on the Lives of Disabled Children.”For the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children, New York, September 2001
[ii] “It’s Our World Too – A Report on the Lives of Disabled Children.”For the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children, New York, September 2001
[iii] Disability Awareness in Action, www.daa.org.uk 2005
