A United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) report finds slow progress in achieving the goal of universal primary education due to major under representation of children with disabilities who are excluded from the free education scheme.
The 22nd Day of the African Child was marked across the African continent recently (16 June 2012) and global child rights charity Plan International took the opportunity to call on governments to protect the rights of children who have disabilities in line with the UN report.
One such child is Siphilisiwe, a 13-year-old girl with hearing impairment from Kwekwe town, western Zimbabwe. Siphilisiwe, who used to be called ‘Isacuthe’ meaning ‘the deaf one’, said: “The other children at school didn’t want to play with me, I felt so unwanted. At school, my performance was bad as I couldn’t hear everything the teacher.”
Siphilisiwe says she surpassed even her own expectations by obtaining Grade Seven examination results. She says this is partly due to Plan Zimbabwe who helped her obtain hearing assistive devices.
Plan International Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Gezahegn Kebede, said: “Most children with disabilities are disadvantaged and tend to lose out on education and many other social activities from which able-bodied children benefit.
“There’s a need to raise more awareness of these invisible children, and come up with alternative strategies from all involved authorities across Africa, to ensure that the learning needs and behavioural issues of children with disabilities are not neglected.”
These ‘invisible children’ are the most vulnerable in African societies and have long been stigmatised. Many people with physical or mental disabilities are destined for a life of begging as many families see them as a source of income. Some invisible children, particularly in rural areas, are neglected or abused. Often a child with disabilities will be hidden away by an ashamed family.
“Families need to allow disabled children to mingle with other children; allow them to participate in social activities such as school clubs, networks of friends as a way of making them feel part of the society,” says Marilia Tivane, a parent in Mozambique.
Village chief (Togo) Fousseni Adam Alakpa explains: “Within our communities this issue is a very serious problem to the extent that a child born with a disability is considered a divine curse. As a result these children are often hidden because you do not want other people to see them, and neighbourhood gossip makes the parents of the child uncomfortable.”
Plan International has programmes in different countries in the region to support communities on promoting inclusion and integration of children and teenagers with disabilities in education, participation, sports and social activities. Siphilisiwe is one of 1,500 children in Zimbabwe who have benefited from a programme distributing hearing aids run by Plan International. The project helped to boost confidence in children with disabilities within Siphilisiwe’s community and substantially improved her own performance in class.
In Tanzania, Plan has supported six schools with access to improved sanitation facilities and education in hygiene and sanitation. This is an effort to combat water and sanitation related diseases.
“I feel very happy with the support of latrines at my school, now I can go to the latrine with support of my colleagues pushing my wheel chair to the latrine room, which was not the case before. I had to go behind the latrine wall or crawl in the wet floor; it was really disgusting and dangerous for my health. I feel even more valued,” says 13-year-old Jumanne, who has benefitted from the programme in Tanzania.
In Togo, West Africa, Plan is running a project known as the Restore Children with Disabilities Across Community-based Rehabilitation Approach (RESH). The pilot project, based in central Togo and covering 16 villages in the districts of Tchamba and Sotouboua, aims to reintegrate children with disabilities into the community.
The project provides braces for 870 children who have difficulties moving and increases the awareness of parents about using braces. This year the project has also referred several children to the orthopaedic specialist, who educated parents about exercises to carry out at home.
Mr Lanwi, a gardener, lives in the village of Adjengré. He has a 20-year-old son with a disability who is now fitted with a brace. Mr Lanwi says: “In our village when you have a child with a disability in your home it’s a source of shame. I myself am in this situation. But I’ve advised the others not to hide their children away, because alone we cannot help our children.”
RESH project co-ordinator in Togo, Thérèse Adjayi, says: “The aim of these projects is to improve the lives of children with disabilities and the understanding of the communities about the rights of these children. We aim to reduce discrimination against these children and develop a partnership and network system in order to develop rehabilitation programmes into the community.”
Although many African governments now provide free primary education to children with disabilities, Plan believes more focus is needed on the issues affecting such children.
Main areas of concern include disabled children’s access to education, the violence children with disabilities face, the link between poverty and disability, social attitudes, stigma and discrimination and the right to be heard and to participate.
The 2010 progress report for the UN MDGs noted that despite some countries’ progress towards achieving the goal of universal primary education, children with disabilities represent the majority of those excluded from free education schemes.
Mr Kebede said: “I urge authorities to allocate adequate resources to strengthen social protection measures for children - particularly those who are most vulnerable. We should ensure universal access to comprehensive, quality, basic education including early childhood care as well as pre-school education, and promote the right to participation of all children.”
“Helping children with disabilities gain a sense of belonging greatly improves their ability to become socially integrated and involved in their schools, and promotes positive interaction with others,” he added.
