In any space, while the majority moves to progress, there are two types of people; those who go against the grain, and those who cannot fit into the scope of change – that too unwillingly.
These are the people who highlight the importance of inclusivity in society. There is a movement in the world and this movement often marginalises people with disabilities and this is why, although the world has progressed and continues to do so, there is very little room for people with disabilities to enjoy progression in the same extremes; especially in developing countries. In developing countries, where growth is already so backwards and there is very little to no advancement – that advancement is still not enough to acknowledge people with disabilities, the first step towards making inclusive change is acknowledging that society includes people with disabilities. We need to ensure that laws and means to accommodate them are respected and set.
Human rights laws are without a doubt set in writing, however, are they extensive enough and are they well followed through? It is without a doubt that our country, as a prime example, has tried to implement radical means to include people with disabilities, such as the school of the blind at Mzimpofu – which is great. However, we are still a long way from doing what is more than enough, more so when the curriculum is concerned. There is a need for curriculum improvements, especially in the teaching and development of pedagogy, in order to equip teachers and the schooling system with ways to efficiently and effectively be inclusive in the classroom and in their teaching methods.
Acknowledge
It is important to acknowledge having a disability in its entirety, which is that living with disabilities is not only the physical aspects we can see at first glance, but rather there are many disabilities that we are not quick to see with the physical eye, but are diagnosed by professionals that have to be respected. In relation to the curriculum, this includes ADHD and autism, among many others in the spectrum. Usually, and also because of a lack of knowledge and a lack of inclusivity in the curriculum, children who have the aforementioned are often dismissed as ‘slow’ or ‘lazy’ or even disruptive in class because the curriculum is not catered to help teachers understand and identify these differences and changes in children and that they have special needs. These special needs simply require an extra mile of nurturing and being given enough love and assistance to grow and magnify.
This is not only in the school system, but it is a concern in many areas of life and such includes mere infrastructure. Which brings me to the question of how many malls in the country are friendly for people with disabilities? Wheelchair accessible and not just because of the wheelchair friendly parking, but because actual consideration of this is put into the designing and building of new infrastructures with inclusivity in mind? From mere access to a toilet at the mall or having working lifts for people who are using crutches etc. There is a need of a perspective about the disabilities to change and thus to create reforms that are indeed meant to cater to people with disabilities and make every day life as easy as possible, and as convenient as possible. This means having a budget that prioritises these facilities and ensures that they are made available for not just everyone except those with disabilities, but for everyone.
This means that there is a need for radical transformation in the placement and not only understanding human rights but also showing this understanding through action and active initiatives to make sure that everyone is able to be healthy and participate in the environment like every other person. This also suggests that there is room for both improvement and investment in the overall development of the country and that developing countries still have a long way to go in playing a critical and visible role in these areas. Perhaps this is a change that will take long if not forever, however, the mandate and push to implement changes towards this have been set in stone. In a world of technology and fast pace evolution, no one should be left behind, not even people with disabilities.
