"VAN" (Europe Bureau - Aleksey Vesyoliy) :: Democratic societies can develop only when participation is possible for everyone, taking into account cultural or socio-economic background, religion, gender, sexual orientation or ability. It is not enough to affirm that people should have equal rights or that democratic participation is open to all. Concrete measures need to be taken to facilitate the participation and access to rights to combat discrimination and promote diversity. Promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms is possible when diversity is accepted, respected and understood, as well when minorities and disadvantaged groups are empowered and their access to rights is not provided in a condescending way.
Global data shows than more than one billion people in the world live with some form of disability, of whom nearly 200 million experience considerable difficulties in functioning. Estimates suggest that there are at least 93 million children with disabilities in the world, but numbers could be much higher. In Europe, according to Eurostat data, approximately 100 million European Union citizens live with a disability and their wellbeing is affected by the existence of systemic barriers limiting their mobility, access to services, participation in education, the labour market and leisure activities as well as their overall social inclusion and economic independence. In the years ahead, disability will be an even greater concern because its prevalence is on the rise.
Disability is part of the human condition. Persons with disabilities are one of the most marginalized and excluded groups in society. Facing daily discrimination in the form of negative attitudes, lack of adequate policies and legislation, they are effectively barred from realizing their rights to healthcare, education, and even survival. In addition, regional inequalities may also be significant within a state. Most extended families have a disabled member, and many non-disabled people take responsibility for supporting and caring for their relatives and friends with disabilities.
Across the world, people with disabilities have poorer health outcomes, lower education achievements, less economic participation and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities. People with disabilities may have limited access to health services, including routine medical treatments, leading to health inequalities unrelated to their disability. Moreover, statistics do not fully capture the situation of young people with disability at European and national levels as the definition of disability might vary across countries.
Children and young people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of such barriers. For example, Eurostat reports that the level of education of young people with disabilities is lower than persons without disabilities of the same age. In the European Union, 30- 40% of young people with disabilities attained only “pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education”, depending on the level of their support needs.
Negative attitudes towards disability can result in negative treatment of people with disabilities, for example:
● children bullying other children with disabilities in schools;
● bus drivers failing to support access needs of passengers with disabilities;
● employers discriminating against people with disabilities;
● strangers mocking people with disabilities.
Children with disabilities are often likely to be among the poorest members of the population. Although people with disabilities have the right to inclusive education according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, there is still a high number of children and youngsters with disabilities who are educated in specialized schools, separately from other peers, with little prospect of being reintegrated into mainstream education. They are less likely to attend school, access medical services, or have their voices heard in society. Disabilities also place them at a higher risk of physical abuse, and often exclude them from receiving proper nutrition or humanitarian assistance in emergencies. Moreover, the share of persons with disabilities attaining a tertiary education level was 15-25% lower than for non-disabled persons.
Imagine how would you feel:
● if people started using baby-talk in a conversation with you because you didn’t hear them well the first time because of loud background music or because you didn’t speak their language ?
● if people ignored you, and talked to the friend next to you instead, because you didn’t know anything about the topic of a conversation?
● if people were nervous and avoided eye-contact when you were around them because you were wearing strange clothes or had a different hairstyle?
Putting people into boxes because of their passport, their birthplace, their appearance or any other element that enforces the potential of stereotypes is a biased way of engaging in intercultural learning. Just because people were born or live in a certain country it does not mean they can speak for the entire population or they can be made accountable for the decisions of their government. Intercultural learning processes support people in understanding the impact of the cultural background on their identity development and on their interpersonal and intercultural relations.
Once we stop categorising the world into “us and them”, we begin to see more similarities between people, between their cultures, identities, behaviours and world views. Identities that partly overlap are no contradiction: they are a source of strength and point to the possibility of common ground. Intercultural learning promotes the view that no culture is better or worse than the other, that there is no hierarchy of cultures. It leads to an understanding that the definition of groups of belonging, of in-groups and out-groups, can be superficial and changing.
People who feel harassed because of their disability sometimes avoid going to places, changing their routines or even moving from their homes. Negative imagery and language, stereotypes, and stigma – with deep historic roots – persist for people with disabilities around the world.
Negative attitudes and behaviours have an adverse effect on children and adults with disabilities, leading to negative consequences such as low self-esteem and reduced participation. Negative attitudes towards disability can result in negative treatment of people with disabilities, for example:
● children bullying other children with disabilities in schools;
● bus drivers failing to support access needs of passengers with disabilities;
● employers discriminating against people with disabilities;
● strangers mocking people with disabilities.
People with disabilities experience barriers in accessing services that many of us have long taken for granted, including health, education, employment, and transport as well as information.
Access to a quality education system is central to the successful inclusion of people with disability in the society. The social model highlights that the barriers people with disabilities encounter need to be overcome by society as a whole, for instance by fighting discrimination via awareness-raising and inclusive education and by the establishment of inclusive laws and policies. United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (2006), to which all European Union Member States and the European Union itself are signatories.
Across the world, people with disabilities have poorer health outcomes, lower education achievements, less economic participation and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities. People with disabilities experience barriers in accessing services that many of us have long taken for granted, including health, education, employment, and transport as well as information.
Health is also affected by environmental factors, such as safe water and sanitation, nutrition, poverty, working conditions, climate, or access to health care. A person’s environment has a huge impact on the experience and extent of disability. Inaccessible environments create disability by creating barriers to participation and inclusion. Some examples of the negative impact of the environment to person with disabilities:
● a deaf individual without a sign language interpreter;
● a wheelchair user in a building without an accessible bathroom or elevator;
● a blind person using a computer without screen-reading software.
People who feel harassed because of their disability sometimes avoid going to places, changing their routines or even moving from their homes. Social exclusion has been a major factor in many disabled people living a life of limited opportunities. Negative attitudes and behaviours have an adverse effect on children and adults with disabilities, leading to negative consequences such as low self-esteem and reduced participation.
Knowledge and attitudes are important environmental factors, affecting all areas of service provision and social life. Raising awareness and challenging negative attitudes are often first steps towards creating more accessible environments for persons with disabilities. Negative imagery and language, stereotypes, and stigma – with deep historic roots – persist for people with disabilities around the world.
Social inclusion in practical terms means working within the community to tackle and avoid circumstances and problems that lead to social exclusion, such as poverty, unemployment or low income, housing problems and becoming housebound and isolated due to illness/ health condition etc. Social inclusion involves breaking various barriers before acquiring social rights as full members of society. To achieve better social inclusion and development prospects we must empower people with disabilities and remove the barriers which prevent them participating in their communities; getting a quality education, finding decent work, and having their voices heard.
People with disabilities are entrepreneurs and self employed workers, farmers and factory workers, doctors and teachers, shop assistants and bus drivers, artists etc. Almost all jobs can be performed by someone with a disability, and given the right environment, most people with disabilities can be productive. But as documented by several studies, both in developed and developing countries, working age persons with disabilities experience significantly lower employment rates and much higher unemployment rates than persons without disabilities.
To address labour market imperfections and encourage the employment of people with disabilities, many countries have laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability. Enforcing antidiscrimination laws is expected to improve access to the formal economy and have wider social benefits. Many countries also have specific measures, for example quotas, aiming to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation and employment services – job training, counselling, job search assistance, and placement – can develop or restore the capabilities of people with disabilities to compete in the labour market and facilitate their inclusion in the labour market.
The environment may be changed to improve health conditions, prevent impairments, and improve outcomes for persons with disabilities. Such changes can be brought about by legislation, policy changes, capacity building, or technological developments leading to, for instance:
1. accessible design of the built environment and transport;
2. signage to benefit people with sensory impairments;
3. more accessible health, rehabilitation, education, and support services;
4. more opportunities for work and employment for persons with disabilities.
Social inclusion is an important goal for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, families, service providers, and policymakers; however, the concept of social inclusion remains unclear, largely due to multiple and conflicting definitions in research and policy.
Disability inclusion allows for people with disabilities to take advantage of the benefits of the same health promotion and prevention activities experienced by people who do not have a disability.
Social inclusion remains an important element of well-being for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Social inclusion is an important goal for persons with disabilities, families, service providers, and policymakers; however, the concept of social inclusion remains unclear, largely due to multiple and conflicting definitions in research and policy. Many countries need to speed up the social inclusion of persons with disabilities and improve the provision of individualised support services. Institutions and organizations also need to change – in addition to individuals and environments – to avoid excluding people with disabilities.
Social inclusion is one of a multi-dimensional, relational process of increasing opportunities for social participation for everyone. Inclusion is the conscious and purposeful creation of an intersectional environment in which every person is valued, connected and engaged. People have control of their own support and making their own decisions. That means everybody gets the support they need in the way they want it. When people choose to participate, they do so without experiencing restrictions or limitations of any kind, including prejudice and discrimination.
Young people should have the opportunity to actively shape the society around them and be involved in decisions concerning them. Youth workers can support young people in making their voices heard. There are thousands of projects in Europe each year which change the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people, an innumerable number of great youth activities are developed. Taking part in different international mobilities for young people with fewer opportunities could be a great chance to try something different and to learn new skills such as international communication, social and intercultural competences, organisational skills, etc. It can be a source of new inspiration and motivation or the next step in their lives towards personal and professional development.
Raising awareness and challenging negative attitudes are often first steps towards creating more accessible environments for persons with disabilities
To achieve better social inclusion and development prospects we must empower people with disabilities and global society remove the barriers which prevent people with disabilities participating in their communities; getting a quality education, finding decent work, and having their voices heard. Knowledge and attitudes are important environmental factors, affecting all areas of service provision and social life. To achieve inclusion, we must consistently disrupt traditionally accepted constructions. This means being open and willing to challenge and change our own behaviours and views, as well as the spaces and organisations around us. This focus on the barriers (physical, structural and social) hindering people with disabilities to participate entirely as individuals in all aspects of life is the result of a paradigm shift in understanding disability as a social and human rights issue rather than a simple medical one.
Publication author: Sintija Bernava,
Chairwoman of the Board of Non Governmental Organisation "Donum Animus" - Only Organisation from Latvia holding Special Consultative Status of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
Please read full story with photos at EUNetwork.lv!
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