There is no country in the world where disabled people's rights are not violated. The discrimination, oppression, violence and abuse faced by disabled people do not respect national boundaries or national wealth or poverty. Poverty and wealth have their own impacts on disability and development. But for disabled people in many developing countries it is not just a matter of violation of rights but a matter of life and death. The reality for them is that you cannot eat rights. However, giving a starving person food may save them from death today but that gift does not ensure that they will not starve to death tomorrow. Long-term, sustainable solutions must be found.
Traditional Development
Development and aid traditionally have been seen as the attempt by those who have to give to those who have not. They have given money, time and expertise based on their experience in the North. Although there is now a clearer understanding by developers that they bring their expertise to good use in locally appropriate ways and the people themselves must lead that development, as far as disability is concerned, so often the traditional habits are still used. Disability projects are still predominantly medically based, exclusive and controlled by non-disabled people.
Development as a rights issue
However, there is now a major, dramatic shift in understanding. Through the growth of the international disability movement and its articulation of disability as a human rights issue, governments and policy-makers have realised that non-discrimination legislation, comprehensive civil rights laws and programmes at all levels to implement these objectives are the only way forward. These realisations work hand in hand with the understanding by development professionals that grass roots projects targeted at individuals are only sustainable and effective in the long-term if they are accompanied by social change. DFID, in particular, is working on a rights perspective to all their aid and development policies. However, problems can arise when rhetoric has to be translated into practice, especially with disability projects, which have been so marginalized.
Who are we talking about?
There are disabled people in every section of society and disability has implications for all sectors. The UN says that at least 10% of every population is a disabled person. There are people who say that this is an overestimate and for the North, census has shown that it is a considerable under-estimate. (OPCS, UK - 8,500 million) But the fact is that disability is a universal experience. All communities have disabled members and most families do. Disabled people cannot be left out of plans for growth and development. No country can move forward without the inclusion of this resource of human potential and talent. No market can turn its back on such a large consumer market.
What sort of projects?
In particular, there are three areas where projects should be supported:
1. Disabled people are the most excluded from their societies. To end this exclusion grass-roots projects to support their economic, educational, social and political empowerment and which affect them directly as individuals, have to be put in place.
2. However this is not enough. Projects implementing social change and equalisation of opportunities for disabled people are essential to ensuring sustainable development. This means supporting the activities of the disabled leadership through national and regional organisations of disabled people and their consultation and influence with government and policy-makers and their own development of the membership of their organisations (see UN Standard Rule 18).
3.Support should also be given to information networks giving relevant information from disabled people to disabled people, in formats that are accessible to them. Disability is not part of any mainstream information giving. As we know from the experience in the UK, disabled people do not know what rights they have, where to get them or who will provide them. People know where to go to buy shoes and what will suit them. Disabled people do not know what services they need, or what technical aids they need and do not know where to get them.
People as problem solvers - 'Nothing about us without us'
In any situation, people find the best solutions for themselves. Disabled people are no exception - we have come up with the solutions of self-advocacy, independent and self-determined living, community-based rights and consultation and influence. All these solutions are based on the principles of inclusion, equalisation of opportunities and the implementation of our human rights. These solutions are all effective, low-cost and do not require setting-up tiers of professionals to run them. They do not include expensive buildings that have to be maintained and re-furbished. They are grass-roots solutions that can be applied everywhere and anywhere - in rural and urban areas. They benefit everybody and include everybody. They are solutions that not only apply to all disabled people but to the rapidly growing numbers of elderly people, to children, to the poor, to refugees, to ethnic minorities.
Development and disability rights
Below are some points that have to be implemented before disability takes its proper role as another rights issue within the development field:
Inclusion in policy
The inclusion of disability in all social development is an important strategy but difficult to implement. The habit of excluding us or seeing our programmes as 'special' has a long history. Less than a year ago, the Chair of major aid agency articulated his belief that disability should not be part of his organisation's policy because he said that disability was a "special issue and had to be dealt with by specialists". Many people are so frightened by anything to do with disability that their reaction is rejection rather than inclusion. There is also the stereotyped attitude that disabled people are unable to participate. They do not comprehend that we are quite able to participate but are disabled from doing so by attitudes and social barriers.
Conclusion
Development should lead to empowerment - either of a nation, a group or an individual. Empowerment cannot happen without the full involvement of the nation, the group and the individual. Because of the comprehensive nature of the exclusion of disabled people, society will have to change radically. And the resulting empowerment of disabled people will further empower the society itself as they recognise and give full rein to the unique contribution that can be made by disabled people - a contribution that no developed society should be without.
Rachel Hurst
Director
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