Normally we see people around and looking at their physical appearance, we then classify them to be disabled.
So what at all is disability?
According to the World Health Organization(WHO), Disability is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations.
Looking at the definition above, does it mean if someone is disabled, he looses his capabilities?
The answer is a big no!
Though I always see a lot of people who are disabled and they sit alongside the street to beg for money and food but I have also seen many disabled people who are working hard to earn a living.
If someone is disabled, it's a part of the body that is malfunctioning. This means that the other parts might be working. There are so many people in the world who are disabled but that never discouraged them, they worked hard and they became successful.
Great people in the world who made it despite being disabled
Albert Einstein who was suffering from dyslexia and autistism. He couldn't speak at age 3 but he became one of the greatest scientists we have ever had in the world.
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Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist and lecturer. She was the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
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Stephen Hawking was suffering from Motor Neuron disease, a variant of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) but he is the world’s most famous living physicist. A specialist in cosmology and quantum gravity and a devotee of black holes, his work has probed the origins of the cosmos, the nature of time and the universe’s ultimate fate — earning him accolades including induction into the Order of the British Empire.
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All these famous people had disabilities but they were able to make it in life. I have a friend at my hometown, he used to work as a fully fit man until he had an accident and all his two legs were amputated but that didn't give him a signal to stop working, he still worked as a shoe maker and he has never become a burden to his family. He supports his family even he is disabled. He is disabled but his talent is still alive and he is still executing them. We all have talents which we can still make use of it even though we are disabled. Therefore being disabled doesn't make you incapable of doing something for your self.
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This man can do painting with his leg better than someone with his hands. I'm sure you can testify from the image.
Do we treat disabled persons the same way we treat non disabled persons?
I know of a family who gave birth to a boy with a disability, they also had children who are not disabled. This family treats the disabled boy as if he has nothing to give instead of encouraging and supporting him. They saw nothing good in him because he is a disabled boy, but I think this should have been the other way round. We should know that disabled people have rights like people who are not disabled.
Developmental goals for people with disabilities
Education
Goal: Countries should guarantee the right to quality education at all levels for people with disabilities.
But what do we see in most parts of the world. Some schools do not even allow disabled people to be Integrated into classrooms with non disabled persons.
Employment
Goal: Countries should guarantee the right of persons with disabilities to work in an environment that is open, inclusive and accessible.
This is a different case all together, people with disabilities are not employed for some jobs because the idea behind it is that they can't work efficiently but some even are productive than those who are not disabled.
Health Care
Goal: Countries should guarantee people with disabilities the right to the highest possible standard of health without discrimination.
In some parts of the world, people see disability to be a bad omen, that is a curse to the society. In the Akan community in Ghana, people with disabilities were used as slaves. They served the kings until they die. Some of them were even used as sacrifices. Others also think they can't they can't be friends with people with disabilities because they think they can also be infected so normally in schools, they are being isolated. This is a bad mindset
What can we do to help the disabled person?
Helping the disabled is a very honorable cause and there are plenty of opportunities to do it. These are some ways we can contribute our quota to help people with disabilities.
Make a donation to a charity that caters to the needs of the disabled. These charities put a lot of focus on creating awareness about the importance of caring for the disabled and making a donation to these charities can help advance that program of awareness. If you need to cut your personal budget on hair moisturizer, then go ahead as long as it is for a great cause.
Volunteer at a local school for creating awareness about disability. The best time to teach kids about caring for, respecting, and helping the disabled is when they are still young. Volunteerism can go a long way into making sure these are nurtured at such a young age so as kids grow, they continue to see the importance of helping those in need. This is not a “get it now” move but it can certainly pay off in the future.
Show that you treat the disabled with all the respect that they deserve. It’s one thing to talk about helping the disabled or make donations; it’s another issue altogether when you have to act out in front of one.
The crux of the matter is to understand that we need not pity the disabled or show sadness at their plight. Show that you understand the challenges they are facing and you are willing to support their cause by extending help wherever you can.
Never be limited with your disability.
If you have a disability of some type do not let this stop you from trying to achieve your goals. We all have restrictions and limitations. Some are physical, some are mental, and some are emotional. The point is that no one has a perfect life and there is an enormous difference between being disabled and being unable to accomplish something. No matter what disability you have look at the situation and determine what you hope to achieve, and then create a plan to make it happen. Some of the best moments in life happen when you do something that everyone tells you is impossible. If you let a disability hold you back then you are missing out on one of the best experiences life offers.
MY QUESTION IS, ARE THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED PROTECTED?
Thanks for reading
