Current date: 2024, October 06.
Published on 2022, November 30.
Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities
The following podcast episode does not only enlighten us about how we can do better on
the inclusion of people who have different type of disabilities, but it also acknowledges us on
how we have a low knowledge about what disabilities are and how people are affected by it
in a worldwide context.
Disabilities are normally and directly associated with the thought and belief that they are
incapable and useless for a society which grows and is therefore built by people who are
considered healthier, stronger, smarter, and normal for the fact of having two arms, legs, eyes
and better options in life such as: going to school, having comfortable and efficient ways to
work.
For a better understanding of what disabilities are it being essential that we define what
they are and understand who this people are. Being disable is formally defined as having
limitations in their movements, senses, or activities, but it should not be neglected the
definition of the word disabilities itself which is referred to a physical or mental condition
that causes limits to someone’s activities, movements, and senses. As we can notice, being
disabled is commonly associated to only physical limitations and putting aside the fact that
disabilities are also related to mental conditions.
Society tends to put aside people who mostly have a physical and visible disability, treating
them as half human beings and not forgetting that people with mental conditions who expose
their particular disability are treated like nothing, without receiving a chance to be seen as
part of humanity normal society members.
With this type of mindset and exclusion we create barriers because they are treated based
on human judgment rather than on their abilities. They are not accepted in normal schools,
jobs, transports, specific public spaces (restaurants, museums, theatres, and many other
places) and by all these unpleasant situations they are ignored and treated as a burden which
are often included in a problematic social group. People who are considered normal insult,
kill, and hit, with this attitude people with disabilities feel unable, unwelcome, and unwanted.
Mrs. Jackline Lidubwi works on a project where she prepares and instructs people with
disabilities about media, technology, and marketing. She strongly believes that the
government should support more people with disabilities by promoting more inclusive
activities, promoting more information, and be committed with change and inclusion in every
possible area and section of society and facilities.
Language is a crucial component in our way to improve the process of inclusion and Mrs.
Jackline prioritises it in her project. The message we pass and the way we choose to
communicate is not only for people with disabilities, but as well for those who do not have. If
we encourage people with disabilities, we end up including ourselves into society as a whole
and not only part of it.
This episode allows us to gain more information and education about a topic that is
relevant, yet, not given the attention it deserves and needs. Unfortunately, we are part of a
society that believes in change, but not for all. Groups and communities often divide us
according to what stereotypes approves or rejects to create a perfect form of living, which is
imaginary and therefore not reachable for every individual or reality. What people do not
understand and accept is that there is no such thing as people who fit perfectly into the
expectations of social norms, values, physical characteristics, mental abilities and more that
we should be, do, think, feel and especially on how we should act.
Nobody is exempt from having problems, difficulties, accidents, and the same way we
believe in winning with everything in our favour, we should also have the same ability to
understand even when things are not in our control and do not work as intended, it does mean
that we are unable to succeed in something without even trying. There is no such thing as
people who are better than those who are limited with disabilities, because we all have a
certain disability (either considered normal or not) on doing, understanding, learning, training
something.
Every single one of us has different abilities and skills and not does not necessarily have
nothing to do with the fact of having an expected outcome on school, specific physical
appearance, mental state, or anything else related to pressure that society presents to us as
what we must be. As humans we are made up of differences and that is what helps in our
growth together and as individuals.
Therefore, for actual conclusion in our society and world we should focus on equality for
all in every field such as education, health, and employment. We should look beyond
limitations placed by disabilities and start valuing people’s unique abilities, because what we
learn with each other’s points of view, experiences, realities, motivations, and actions if more
valuable than spending time comparing ourselves and promoting unnecessary competition.
Written by:
Solene Pais da Cunha Martins
