650 million people – or one in ten people around the world – live with a disability, and this number is rising. 80% live in developing countries where there is a vicious cycle linking poverty and disability. None of the Millennium Development Goals specifically addresses the rights and needs of people with disabilities, but without action on disability it is unlikely any of the targets can be met.
Evidence from around the world points to the fact that disability leads to social exclusion and poverty, and poverty increases the likelihood of developing disabilities. 80% of those with disabilities are unemployed, and only 2% have access to basic services such as health and education. This social exclusion is a major reason why four out of five people with disabilities live below the poverty line. Around half of disabilities are also preventable and directly linked to poverty – this includes malnutrition, infectious and non-infectious diseases, and higher rates of disability arising from traffic accidents.
Disability, gender and children
Disabled women face double marginalisation. In many places they already lack social, political, health and economic opportunities because of their gender. Disability adds greater risks of exclusion, and sexual and physical abuse. Over 100 million women and girls in Africa are disabled as a result of female genital mutilation, which can cause mobility difficulties as well as a range of other physical and psychological problems.
Children with disabilities also face a particularly bleak future. Almost 80% of children with disabilities die before the age of five in developing countries, where the overall mortality rate for under fives has been brought under 20%. If they do survive, only 1-2% get to go to school, severely limiting their future life chances.
Conflict and disability
Conflict and war also leave huge numbers of military and civilians with disabilities each year arising from injury and malnutrition. The destruction of health services that usually accompanies conflict also increases rates of disease and stops preventative vaccination programmes, again increasing disability in the long term. For every child killed in warfare, another three are injured and permanently disabled. Even after conflicts end, left over landmines continue to cause death and disablement.
Changing perspectives
Views on disability are changing slowly, and there is growing recognition that challenging discrimination and breaking down the barriers to social inclusion is a matter of human rights. In December 2006 the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which set out actions needed to make sure people with disabilities have equal access to all the fundamental rights enjoyed by the rest of the population. So far 139 countries have signed the convention, with 53 of those also formally ratifying it.
However, it is still down to individual signatories to implement the measures in their own countries. This means breaking down discrimination and barriers to services, and providing access to appropriate aids such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, supports, and prosthetics, which can help people with disabilities participate and be included in society. Ensuring disabilities are spotted early in children, so help can be provided, can also improve their life chances.
Health Poverty Action says:
- Governments must do more to ensure equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities by tackling social and institutional discrimination.
- Disability issues need to be considered in the policies and plans of all parts of government, from health and education, through to justice, transport, environment, housing and welfare.
- Special attention needs to be paid to ensure women and girls are included in disability initiatives.
- NGO and development workers need to take more account of disability issues in their work.
Last modified: 12/01/2011
