Themed “Building Back Better: Toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world”, Guyana joined the rest of the world in observing International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Thursday.
Around the world, more than one billion people, or 15 per cent of the world’s population, are living with a disability.
Here, in Guyana, based on figures released by Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony, about 50,000 persons are living with disabilities. Importantly, and of great significance to note, is that the minister, in his message in observance of the day, said: “Many people living with disability in Guyana are not easily visible. This is indeed a stark reminder of the importance of removing barriers for all people living with disabilities.”
It was only in August of this year that the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), the umbrella body representing persons with disabilities, issued a strong call for steps to be taken to ensure that the national developmental plans are inclusionary and create equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
The organisation listed a number of concerns which it would like to see the Government address to make life more comfortable and meaningful for persons living with disabilities. These requests include: the establishment of a monthly Disability Grant in place of the Public Assistance; opportunities for employment of qualified and skilled PWDs in the public sector; improvements in the delivery of education to children with disabilities; provision of low-income housing for PWDs; and provision of assistive and mobility aids.
It also called for yearly subventions to be allocated to Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs); the modification and enforcement of building codes to promote accessibility to public buildings, and allocation of small contracts to companies owned and operated by PWDs; and to promote small business development in the disability community.
As this newspaper had previously said, these certainly are reasonable requests being made by the GCOPD, and it is hoped that once the new Government is fully settled into office, it would give serious consideration to these requests.
Many would agree there is quite a lot of work needed at all levels to ensure that persons with disabilities are treated with respect, and have access to the necessary resources to help them cope with the challenges they are likely to face. Guyana can boast of a good track record in relation to providing quality education for persons, irrespective of geographic location, race, religion or gender; however, there is still much work to be done to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal opportunity to acquire an education.
When persons with disabilities are given a chance to acquire a good education, or are taught a skill, they are in a better position to secure a job, and in turn break the cycle of poverty that normally defines such situations.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is necessary for countries not only to adopt, but to implement fully, because it is a tool for ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the same rights and opportunities as everybody else.
As explained by the World Health Organisation (WHO), rather than considering disability as an issue of medicine, charity or dependency, the Convention challenges people worldwide to understand disability as a human rights issue.
The Convention covers many areas where obstacles can arise, such as physical access to buildings, roads and transportation, and access to information through written and electronic communication. The Convention also aims to reduce stigma and discrimination, which are often reasons why people with disabilities are excluded from education, employment, and health and other services.
People with disabilities have generally poorer health, lower educational achievements, fewer economic opportunities, and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities. This is largely due to the lack of services available to them, and the many obstacles they face in their everyday lives.
The authorities here must continue to allocate resources to ensure that all impediments that affect the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in society are removed. This, of course, would require working to change attitudes that fuel stigma and institutionalised discrimination. Therefore, the Health Minister’s call for the removal of stigma and discrimination against persons living with disabilities is most welcome. We support his call for persons with disabilities to be integrated and empowered, creating “opportunities for forging meaningful paths toward the enjoyment of a good quality of life.”
