Disability Inclusion means understanding the relationship between the way people function and how they participate in society and making sure everybody has the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life to the best of their abilities and desires.
The 2018 Nigeria Demography and Health Survey revealed that an estimated 7% of household members above the age of five (as well as 9% of those 60 or older) experience some level of difficulty in at least one functional domain-seeing, hearing, communicating, cognition, walking or self-care.
Growing up, I had never thought much about Persons with Disabilities (PWD), I mean, no one had explicitly sat me down to talk about disabilities and their challenges. However, I saw that the persons close to me never engaged in discrimination of persons with Disabilities. This proves that most times, we do not seem to take into consideration issues that do not affect us directly, except when it hits close to home.
I was about seven years old, holidaying during my Christmas vacation with a family friend. For a few weeks, I lived in a house with someone I had no idea was deaf and mute. I guess because he had somewhat isolated himself and I had my friends who were of the same age bracket with me to play with so I never noticed. My holiday was drawing to an end as my parents came around to pick up their little one. It was on this day I realized and thought to myself ‘Something is odd’. You might be guessing how I got to know John Doe (real name withheld) is deaf and mute. I got in my parents’ car, ready to drive back home. As usual, one common action that accompanies leaving a place is bidding farewell to the people you will be leaving behind. As my parents began to drive out, I was screaming ‘byeeeee’ while waving my hands but I noticed something unusual. John Doe only waved back but didn’t vocally say ‘byeeeee’. This put me in a wave of thoughts, asking questions I could not answer myself and was put in a state of confusion. This incident led to me knowing the status of John Doe.
Nigeria is a complex nation-state battling with all sorts of cankerworms and socio-economic and political crisis that has left the nation unable to adequately cater for its citizens. People with Disabilities often face unfair treatment in different parts of their lives. In everyday interactions, some stereotypes and misunderstandings make it hard for them to be fully accepted. This can lead to exclusion and unfair judgments.
When it comes to employment and finance, people with disabilities struggle to find work or get paid the same as others. Some workplaces don’t make the changes needed for them to do their jobs comfortably. Jane Doe (real name withheld) once lost her job because she is a person living with sickle cell disease and often suffers from a ‘crisis’ which affects her way of life. Her manager put forth two choices before her, either to resign or to never experience a ‘crisis’. Situations like this and even much worse are faced by PWDs. In the world of politics and community activities, it can be tough for people with disabilities to access services or have a say in decisions that affect them. The systems in place often don’t consider their needs, leaving them feeling left out.
We must be inclusive in our daily activities and fill the gap in our contributions. We must educate ourselves and begin to champion inclusion.
You do not have to wait for the government or a charity organization to take inclusiveness seriously. One thing I have adopted which might seem small but I do not mind starting is incorporating the use of subtitles in videos I create, while also promoting inclusion in my society. I believe I can do even much more.
By starting with such seemingly small steps, like incorporating subtitles, you and I contribute to a more inclusive culture. It sets the groundwork for a mindset that values diversity and actively seeks ways to make information, entertainment, and communication accessible to everyone, regardless of their individual needs or preferences. Ultimately, these efforts collectively work towards creating a more inclusive and understanding society.