REPRESENTATION AND PERCEPTION OF DISABILITY BY SENIOR...
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LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COPYRIGHT 0 REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE February 2010 By AGBOVI Komlan Kwassi Sociologist - Consultant Study conducted as part of the regional DECISIPH project implemented by HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL in West Africa REPRESENTATION AND PERCEPTION OF DISABILITY BY SENIOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES © Olivier ASSELIN for Handicap International
Transcript of REPRESENTATION AND PERCEPTION OF DISABILITY BY SENIOR...
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REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE
February 2010
By
AGBOVI Komlan Kwassi
Sociologist - Consultant
Study conducted as part of the regional
DECISIPH project implemented by
HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL in West
Africa
REPRESENTATION AND PERCEPTION OF
DISABILITY BY SENIOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES
© Olivier ASSELIN for Handicap International
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LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COPYRIGHT
This study was conducted by Mr AGBOVI Komlan Kwassi, a sociologist and independent consultant, and is part of the DECISIPH regional project (rights, equality, citizenship, solidarity and inclusion of people with disabilities) across six countries in West Africa: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Benin was also part of the study. The findings, interpretations and conclusions presented in this report only express the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Handicap International, its donors (French Development Agency, European Union) or its partners. The statements quoted in this report are the views and perceptions of respondents and should be considered as such. This report is not an official publication of Handicap International. All rights reserved by the author and Handicap International. Any quote from the document must mention its source: © AGBOVI K. K, Study on the representation and perception of disability by senior public officials and local authorities. DECISIPH Project - Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Handicap International, 2009-2010. This publication may be used and reproduced and for non-commercial use only, provided the source is mentioned. This report was produced with financial support from the French Development Agency, the European Union and Handicap International. Author: AGBOVI Komlan Kwassi, Sociologist, Teacher - Researcher at the University of Lomé Coordination for Handicap International: Cathy DIMBARRE KPEHOUNTON, DECISIPH Regional Coordinator We thank all the people in each country who, through their availability and approval, have allowed the good implementation of the study. © 2009-2010 by Handicap International For more information: Handicap International Cathy DIMBARRE KPEHOUNTON DECISIPH Regional Coordinator , West Africa BP 15 331 – Dakar – SENEGAL [email protected] (+221) 33 869 70 41
AGBOVI Komlan Kwassi Sociologist, Teacher - Researcher at the University of Lomé BP 5033 - Lomé - TOGO (+ 228) 220 82 56 / 235 65 31
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CONTENTS LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY AND COPYRIGHT ..................................................... 0
CONTENTS .......................................................................................................... 2
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................... 3
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 4
I. - FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY ...................................................................... 6
I.1 Objectives of the study ................................................................................. 6
1.2 Methodology ................................................................................................ 6
II : BASELINE DATA ON THE PROMOTION OF PWDs ...................................... 9
2.1. Situation of people with disabilities in Sierra Leone .................................... 9
2.2 Actions in favour of PWDs ......................................................................... 10
2.3. What does HI do for PWDs in Sierra Leone? ........................................... 13
III: PRESENTATION OF THE SURVEY DATA ................................................... 14
3.1 Knowledge of disability .............................................................................. 14
3.2 Representation and perception ................................................................. 16
3.3 Attitudes and practices .............................................................................. 22
IV: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE SURVEY RESULTS ............. 28
4.1 Knowledge of disability by senior public officials and local authorities .......... 29
4.2 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ....................................................... 31
4.3 Civil and political rights .............................................................................. 43
V : RECOMMANDATIONS ................................................................................. 44
5.1 Towards People with disabilities ................................................................ 44
5.2 Towards families and local communities ................................................... 45
5.3 Towards DPOs .......................................................................................... 45
5.4 Towards the State ..................................................................................... 46
5.5 Towards Handicap International ................................................................ 46
CONCLUSION .................................................................................................... 48
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................. 49
ANNEXES : INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR DATA GATHERING .............................. 51
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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
IGA: Income-Generating Activity
FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization
HI: Handicap International
HRCSL: Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone
WHO: World Health Organization
NGO: Non-Governmental Organization
DPO: Disabled People’s Organization
PWDs: People with Disabilities
CBO: Community-Based Rehabilitation
SLUDI: Sierra Leone Union of Disabled Interest
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INTRODUCTION
Although the law recommends consideration, respect and acceptance of people
with disabilities (PWDs) as having the same rights as any other person, the fact
remains that the social integration of PWDs depends on the social perceptions
and representations at a given time and in a given culture. The manifestations of
these representations are found at different levels in all social classes and often
are a basis for stigmatizing attitudes and practices leading to the exclusion and
marginalization of PWDs.
The situation of PWDs in Sierra Leone is alarming even if no clear data is
available on the prevalence of disability. The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
(PRSP) mentions a proportion of seven PWDs for one thousand people, and the
2003 census data indicate that PWDs account for 2.7% of the population. All
these estimates are well below the reality because the war has caused many
physical disabilities in this country, especially upper and lower limb amputations.
� Present in Sierra Leone since 1996, Handicap International (HI) aims to
provide support and assistance to victims of atrocities committed during
the 11 years of civil war (1991-2002) .Since then, Handicap International
has been able to stabilize its actions and move gradually from emergency
programs to long term development activities. These actions now mainly
concern psychological care for war victims particularly children ex-soldiers
and street children, and physical rehabilitation through the training of
orthopaedic technicians and physiotherapists in Freetown, Bo and Koidu.
HI also provides materials and equipment necessary for the production of
prosthetic devices and operates three rehabilitation centres. HI also
provides the materials an equipment for the production of the artificial
limbs
A study conducted in 2009 by the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development / World Bank (IBRD / WB) on "Avoiding the stigmatization and
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disregard of people with disabilities in Sierra Leone" reveals that despite the
efforts of both international and national organizations, the basic principles of
promoting the social, economic, cultural and political rights of PWDs are not
applied. This failure to respect the rights of PWDs is due to several factors such
as poor knowledge of their rights, the unavailability of information on their
situation, difficult access to existing information, false information or
misperceptions of PWDs, inequality in social relations... As a result, PWDs
experience disability-related discrimination and enormous difficulties in their daily
lives.
In view of strengthening the actions and finding a lasting solution to these
attitudes of marginalization and exclusion against PWDs, Handicap International
(HI) has initiated a study on the Representation and perception of disability by
senior government officials and local authorities. Indeed, a better knowledge of
representations related to the cultural context is essential for the integration and
promotion of PWDs.
The report is divided into five parts:
� Framework of the study
� Baseline data on the promotion of PWDs
� Presentation of the results
� Analysis of the results
� Recommendations
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I. - FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY
I.1 Objectives of the study
The overall objective of the study is to increase the quantity, quality and
accessibility of relevant information on the situation of PWDs, their rights, and the
associations that represent them.
Plus spécifiquement, la présente étude va faire des recommandations concrètes,
pertinentes et fiables pour donner aux OPH (organisations de personnes
handicapées) et aux autres acteurs (institutions, autres partenaires en
développement) des informations permettant une meilleure compréhension des
barrières sociologiques à l'inclusion des PH, et permettant de mieux cibler les
sensibilisations et actions de plaidoyer des OPH auprès des autorités nationales
et locales pour un développement inclusif.
To reach these objectives, the following approach was adopted.
1.2 Methodology
The methodological proposed for the carrying out this mission is qualitative and
participatory. To collect exhaustive secondary information, we have visited
libraries and documentation centres of state institutions as well as international
and non-governmental organizations promoting and protecting the rights of
people with disabilities in Sierra Leone. We have consulted publications, journals,
articles, research reports, memoirs...
This material has provided information on the concept of disability and the
situation of PWDs in Sierra Leone.
The study has covered the Western Region and two districts have been selected
for the data gathering: the urban district of Freetown and the rural district of
Waterloo; some major Sierra Leonean ethnic groups such as the Mende, the
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Temne, the Limba, the Kono and the Krio were interviewed during the data
gathering which took place from the 4th to the 15th of February, 2010
Map of Sierra Leone
The sample consists of government executives from various socioprofessional
categories on the one hand, and local authorities on the other hand. According to
Gilles Ferréol in Dictionary of Sociology (1995), executives are "workers with a
high level of qualification and income." As such, they have responsibilities in
companies and businesses and have decision-making powers at the national or
local level. As for local authorities, it’s those who represent the government in
districts, provinces, and communities.
Based on these above definitions of executives and local authorities, the mission
has met with a total of 47 persons including:
1 Minister and 1 Vice-Minister
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14 community authorities
1 traditional herbalist
1 religious authority
1 sub-prefect
2 Deputy Mayors
5 Division Directors
11 Heads of Section / Unit
2 persons in charge of departmental secretariats
7 teachers (including two department heads)
1 magistrate
During the data gathering we have interviewed 40 men and 7 women.
Summary of the sample by region
District Communes Number
Western Region
Urban District of Freetown 41
Rural District of Waterloo 06
Total 47
The tool used for collecting primary data is a common interview guide for all the
people targeted. It is semi-structured and has 4 sections:
� Knowledge of disability;
� Perception and representation;
� Attitudes and practices;
� Pertinent recommendations
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After the presentation of the framework, we shall now deal with baseline data on
the policy for the inclusion of PWDs and on their living conditions.
II: BASELINE DATA ON THE PROMOTION OF PWDs
In this section, we shall present all actions by the State as well as by NGOs,
especially HI.
2.1. Situation of people with disabilities in Sierra Leone
"The situation is very difficult in Sierra Leone. There are few facilities, the level of
schooling is very low, and social services are non-existent. People with
disabilities, who are not recognized by society, are all the more excluded. The
main cause of the marginalization of people with disabilities is a problem of
means, but also and primarily a political problem. There are no laws requiring
society in general, including social institutions, to consider PWDs as full
individuals who must have their place in society."
This statement by Mr Noah Kabakeh from the Federation of Disabled People
Organizations, which is member of the Sierra Leone Union of Disabled Interest
(SLUDI), sums up the situation of PWDs in Sierra Leone.
According to the 2004 Census and the Sierra Leone Integrated Household
Survey, there are nearly 120,000 people with disabilities in Sierra Leone (about
63,000 men and 57,000 women), with a prevalence rate of 2.4% of the total
population. These statistics seem to underestimate the prevalence of disability in
Sierra Leone, given the level of poverty, social security and political turmoil the
country has known. The percentage is probably much higher, following a decade
of a cruel civil war and carnage resulting in the mutilation of thousands of
children, women and men.
Because of the war that lasted over a decade, Sierra Leone is one of the poorest
countries on earth; life expectancy is 41 years, despite particularly important
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natural resources. Indeed, the tragic conflicts of the 90s have created special
groups of people with disabilities (people mutilated by the rebels) who have
suffered extremely severe physical and psychological trauma. The conflict lasted
until 2001 and caused 75,000 deaths, 2 million displaced people, 20,000 people
with disabilities including 5,000 people with upper limbs mutilations, and led to the
recruitment of 5,000 child soldiers.
Knowing the situation that PWDs face in their daily life, what actions are taken to
promote their social integration?
2.2 Actions in favour of PWDs
Actions have been undertaken by state institutions and NGOs in areas such as
health, education, employment …
� At the medical level
Handicap International has been supporting the government of Sierra Leone since 1996 through:
� The construction of the Regional Rehabilitation Centre (RRC) of Bo which
has an orthopaedic workshop, a physiotherapy unit, and provides social
assistance services;
� Continued presence on several sites in the country: Kailahun, Koidu,
Kenema, Bo and Freetown;
� The creation in 2002 of the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) of
Freetown, and the rehabilitation of old facilities belonging to the Ministry of
Health. Today the NRC is the centre that produces the majority of walking
assistive devices and receives the majority of patients requiring physical
rehabilitation care (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, etc.)
� The creation of the rehabilitation centre of Makeni
The partnership between Handicap International and the Ministry of Health has
helped develop a network of skills and facilities to improve the welfare, autonomy
and reintegration of people with disabilities in Sierra Leone.
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� At the level of education and vocational training
In the education field, there are institutions such as:
� School for the deaf and dumb
� Orthodox Missionary Division of Sierra Leone
They deal with schooling and vocational training for PWDs to make them
competitive in the labour market.
Moreover, with start-up capital and input provided by FAO, four training and
production centres have been built in the districts of Bo, Bonthe, Tonkolili and
Port Loko. The centres are fully managed by people with disabilities, with support
from the community. Advisory services are provided by government extension
officers from the Ministries of Agriculture, Social Affairs, Health and Education.
The project has made it possible for PWDs to be recognized in their community.
The first 60 trainees have already begun to train other community members.
Other local organizations are also involved in training PWDs, such as:
� Handicap Youth Development Association (HYDA), which gives PWDs
training in hairdressing, sewing, computing and electronics;
� Amputee and War Wounded, which strengthens the capacities of PWDs in
the production of soap;
� Handicap Activities Training Association (HATA), which supports PWDs
with training in sewing and dyeing;
� At the level of training in employment and income generating activities
In Sierra Leone, an FAO project strengthens the technical and professional skills
of people with disabilities in rural areas so that they can contribute to the well-
being of their households and the development of their community. So far, 60
people with disabilities have been trained in blacksmithing, food processing and
other income generating activities.
Associations such as Micro finance Support and School Modification allow PWDs
to have access to micro credit and initiate income generating activities.
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� At the legislative level
For now, apart from the International Convention on the Rights of PWDs ratified
in July 2009, there is no law in Sierra Leone which protects PWDs. This
reinforces the phenomenon of exclusion that has always been present.
Moreover, a monitoring body has been put in place to guarantee the rights of
PWDs: the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL). This
commission has been established to uphold and promote human rights in Sierra
Leone. Its role is to hold inquiries on its own initiative or following any complaint
about the violation of human rights and then submit a written report to the political
and judiciary authorities. The commission also advises the government on draft
legislations in the field on human rights in Sierra Leone.
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� At the organizational level
The Sierra Leone Union of Disabled Interest (SLUDI), in collaboration with
several national and international NGOs, is making efforts to provide PWDs with
basic assistance, mainly functional rehabilitation and psychological support
services.
2.3. What does HI do for PWDs in Sierra Leone?
For Handicap International, the challenge is huge. Present in Sierra Leone since
1996, HI focuses its activities on the following programmes:
� Rehabilitation of PWDs;
� Psychosocial services;
� Strengthening the capacities of local professionals;
� Support to civil society;
� Advocacy and lobbying at the national and local levels
The association has established a strategy for the reintegration of people with
disabilities at the national level. Awareness sessions are held for the public with a
view to achieve long term and full integration of people with disabilities into
society.
The rehabilitation program for people with disabilities is implemented through 3
fitting centres; HI strengthens the capacity of disability organizations for change in
attitudes and the perception of disability. This project aims to strengthen
associations and implement actions that may change the lives of people through
lobbying and negotiations for the assertion of rights at the national level.
Despite these efforts by both state institutions as non-governmental
organizations, promoting the rights of PWDs has seen little improvement: the
embarrassment or compassion inspired by PWDs on their workplace, the difficulty
in getting promotion in the administrative hierarchy, the unwillingness to hire
people with disabilities in both public and private sectors, the exclusion of PWDs
from schools and training institutions due to physical accessibility and inadequate
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training, and the lack of specialized teachers are some of the barriers to the social
inclusion of PWDs.
III: PRESENTATION OF THE SURVEY DATA
The presentation of the data is based on the questions asked in the interview
guide used to collect information. It therefore consists in reporting the information
supplied by the interviewees for each of the questions.
3.1 Knowledge of disability
The knowledge of disability by senior public officials and local authorities is
assessed through their definition of disability and the types of disabilities they
mention.
� Why is a child born with a disability?
The analysis of the information collected on the representation of disability shows
three approaches in the explanation of disability: the traditionalist approach, the
modern approach and the religious approach.
The traditionalist approach is often mentioned by some local authorities and
executives who still believe in it. According to this approach based mainly on
cultural and traditional beliefs (customs, religions...), disability in a child can be
interpreted in different ways. It can be considered as:
� The result of a spell, magic or sorcery: most of the time, it is attributed to
the jealousy of a sorcerer who wants to attack the family of the child, or because
the sorcerer sees that the unborn child is promised to a bright future.
� The malevolence of spirits: disability in a child is sometimes attributed to a
transgression of a taboo or the failure to perform a ritual
� The result of an act done by a close or distant relative: disability in a
newborn is regarded as a divine punishment due to the wickedness of a
parent against someone
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� The result of the behaviour of the mother during pregnancy: the mother
may have washed outdoors at night, or gone to the river at dusk to fetch
water
According to the modern approach (that of the majority of interviewees),
disability is considered as a deformity due to several factors which include the
lack of antenatal care (ANC), maternal diseases, accidents during pregnancy or
abortion attempts, the use of traditional medicines for which there is no dosage,
hard work, polio, difficult childbirth, and malpractice (delivery, injection).
Finally there is the religious explanation that says it is the will of God. This is
expressed as follows: "Everything comes from God, everything depends on Him".
� 2. To you, who can be referred to as a person with disability who cannot?
The interviewees define disability as an absence or lack of one or more limbs or
senses which may cause difficulty in performing certain tasks. They also consider
disability as impairment or a limited level of physical and intellectual faculties.
Thus, the person with disabilities is:
"A person who is limited, who is not able to work"
"Someone who is not complete
"Someone who lacks an organ to better cope with life"
"Someone who is physically weak, who lacks something that ordinary people
have, in whom there is a defective organ"
"Someone who is mentally and physically deficient"
On the other hand "a person who is normal, complete, in possession of his
faculties and has all his organs is not disabled." This definition is given by the
majority of executives and local authorities.
� What types of disability do you know?
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Executives and authorities classify disabilities into three categories: physical
disability, sensory disability and mental deficiency.
� Physical disability or mobility impairment: amputees of the upper and
lower limb, the lame, the crippled, lepers
� Sensory disability concerns blind, low-sighted and one-eyed people, the
deaf and the dumb;
� Mental deficiency: it is characterized by intellectual disabilities: people
with trisomy, the insane, mentally retarded people, and the mentally ill
According to the census, the most common type of disability reported is limited
use of the lower limbs (21%), followed by visual impairment (19%) and blindness
(7%). Note that for most of the people interviewed, PWDs often means people
with motor disabilities; the other categories are forgotten and are only mentioned
when a hint is given.
3.2 Representation and perception
� What are the traditional representations of disability you know in your
customs?
For the senior public officials and the local authorities interviewed, disability is
synonymous with failure and inadequacy. This view is reflected in the different
names:
� In Temne, there are several names for the disabled: obmale is someone
who is not qualified for certain activities, ogbelane, someone who cannot
walk or work, afmashimta or gbetke someone who has a weak body part,
a diminished person who lacks consideration among others; opolpane,
someone who is condemned to do nothing, who is inadequate and
dependent, who is pitiful and to whom we must show kindness; wenitanya
means someone who is worn-out and completely dependent on the charity
of others;
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� In Mende, nemui or gbalegon means someone who is diminished, who
has physical limitations
� In Lima, kudagbaru is someone who is not physically normal, who is
deformed
� In Kono, fuentoe means deformed, unable to do anything
� In Krio, disability means a failure, a distortion that makes someone unable
to undertake normal activities, someone who needs help
� What type of disability you do not want ever wish yourself or someone close to
you to suffer from, why?
The answers to this question are varied:
� Most of the respondents (70%) find that losing both upper or lower limbs,
or complete paralysis is most tragic;
� Visual impairment (total loss of sight) comes next.
According to senior public officials and local authorities, these types of disability
greatly limit people’s actions and make them totally dependent on others.
Only two people said that no disability is desirable, that whatever the nature of the
disability, it is always difficult to bear.
� Would you get married or marry one of your children to a person with a
disability? Why?
For the question "Would you get married to a person with a disability?" two types
of answers were recorded:
� The vast majority (80%) gave a yes answer based on love:
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"What is important is love and if I love her, I’d get married without any problem"
said a department head
"If God decides that I will marry a man with a disability, I cannot oppose the will of
God," said a community authority.
"I would not be totally satisfied, but I’d help her in the household tasks. I’ve tried
twice with able-bodied women but it did not work and I would not see a problem in
marrying a woman with a disability "(interview with teacher).
Then, there is a categorical refusal based on the following reasons:
"I cannot, because I’d have to do everything myself at home" (a department
head).
A female community leader gave a categorical no based on socio-cultural
considerations: "According to tradition it’s the man who supports the woman and
the children; if I marry I’d assume all the risks and responsibilities, and that would
be too heavy for me."
On the other hand, the interviewees are all willing to respect the choices of their
children, for the following reasons:
"Today, marriage has become a matter that primarily concerns the couple; the
views of family members come second. It’s no longer parents who decide for their
children" said a vice-minister.
"Even if I cannot get married to a person with a disability because the community
would not accept it, I am ready to let my son marry one" said a female community
leader.
But there are some authorities who put their position into perspective by saying:
"If the PWD is from a good family and if she is educated or has professional
qualifications, I can let my son marry her."
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� How would you react to the news that your child or grandchild is disabled?
All are unanimous in recognizing that this is difficult but there is nothing to do but
accept it:
"I'd be aggrieved because I could become a slave to this child" said a department
head.
"I’d be angry and discouraged, but as it’s a human being, I’d accept it in spite of
everything" said a teacher, unconvincingly.
"No child would be disabled if this is not the will of God, so even if he is born with
a disability, I suppose God wanted it that way" a female community authority said.
� If you had a friend who has just had a child with a disability, what advice would
you give him/her?
The answers to this question were all the same: children with disabilities are like other children:
"A disabled child deserves love, affection, patience and great care. We must support him and give him the chance to succeed" said a deputy prefect. A magistrate said: "What is important is to send him to school like other children, avoid marginalizing him and to ensure that he is accepted by the other children”. "We must take him to hospital to try and correct his disability; even if it is not
always possible to correct it completely, we can at least give him some relief" said
a religious authority.
� Do you fear disability? If yes why?
Most of the respondents, said they did not fear disability: "Disability does not scare me. I often meet PWDs and I do not see why their disability will frighten me" said a minister.
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"I am a community leader, and there are many people with disabilities in my
community, I am not afraid or them or of their disability” declared a traditional
chief.
� Do you think the person with a disability is a person like everyone else? Why?
Over 80% of senior public officials and local authorities gave an affirmative answer: there is no difference between PWDs and non-disabled people because they are just like us. "I always live with PWDs, and we do things together: going out, eating, talking, working, playing together. I do not see how they are inferior to us the non-disabled" said a teacher. "Disability can diminish a person mentally or physically, but it does not affect their
human nature; a person remains a person whatever his physical condition," adds
a Deputy Minister.
� People with disabilities feel that they are a burden for their families and
communities. Do you share this point of view? Why?
From what the respondents said, we can see that the various opinions balance each other:
About 50% of the senior public officials and local authorities interviewed shared this feeling: they actually acknowledged that PWDs are burdens to their families. "There is no longer the traditional solidarity that used to exist in communities; PWDs used to be integrated into the family and were not a burden for anybody. But today parents do not assume their responsibilities and PWDs end up in the street" explained a department head. "When the disabled have no activity to keep them busy and generate income for them, they surely are a burden for the family and everyone tries to avoid them" a magistrate said. "If people with disabilities find themselves in the streets begging, it’s because nobody wants to look after them in their family and in their community. I think they are abandoned because they are a burden" said a deputy mayor. The other half of senior public officials and local authorities said that families are having difficulties taking care of people with disabilities, but do not consider them a burden:
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"I believe that families bear PWDs like other persons; in many families, PWDs receive everything they need for their survival" (a traditional herbalist). An authority in a community rejects this feeling in these terms: "I do not agree
because people in Sierra Leone know what suffering PWDs are faced with;
families never consider PWDs as a burden, because disability is never a choice".
� People with disabilities feel marginalized or even rejected by society in Togo.
Do you share this opinion? Why?
Two trends also emerged: The majority shares this feeling, and the others think that people with disabilities are not marginalized. Over 75% of the respondents admit that PWDs are marginalized by their communities and especially by the State. "If we analyse the situation of PWDs and what the State does for them, we conclude that they are marginalized. There is no development program that includes them and we rarely see them in administrative positions" said a head of section. "I have noted that if one does not help students with disabilities, they cannot travel or attend courses or take public transport. And yet we do not care about them, we think they will not be useful to society and we are not investing in their education and training" said a teacher angrily. A secretary in a ministry goes further: "The State is not interested in this segment of the population and has ignored PWDs because supporting them is not a priority. Moreover, there are no provisions to promote the social participation of PWDs. To me, this is a manifestation of this marginalization. "This is true because PWDs have huge difficulties accessing buildings" recognizes a magistrate. For other senior public officials and other authorities, this feeling must be put into perspective: For one community authority, “people with disabilities are responsible for their own marginalization. Instead of being useful to society, they accept what people say and live in seclusion, and they are afraid of the opinion of people and do not want to leave their homes.” “Let’s face the truth: in my place of work, two (2) PWDs have emerged and have become indispensable; who can marginalize them now? Marginalization is a
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consequence of the attitudes and behaviours of PWDs themselves”' insisted a department head. "I know a member of parliament who has a disability; his development actions in our area surpass those of able-bodied MPs, and he is appreciated by all; I think he will get re-elected" said a community leader. "If you spend all your time begging, people will not respect you and they will
consider you as lazy and marginalize you" (a lady who is a department head).
3.3 Attitudes and practices
� Are there any persons with disabilities in your team?
In the teams of the local communities as well as in the administration, the
absence of PWDs is blatant:
� In a university faculty with more than 200 teachers and administrative staff,
there is only 1 person with a disability, i.e. 0.5% of the staff
� In the staff of a prefecture which employs about 42 workers, there is not a
single person with a disability
� In over 300 staff working in a government department, there is not a single
person with a disability
� In a department of the Ministry of Health, there are 2 persons with motor
disabilities
� In the team of a community leader, there is 1 person with a disability who
occupies the post of secretary
� In your neighbourhood, do you regularly hang out with persons with disabilities
in your sporting and social activities?
Most of the respondents answered affirmatively: Here is what a judge said: "In Sierra Leone, the war has brought disability closer to families; in every community there are PWDs in all sectors, and we therefore often encounter them in the activities of the neighbourhood.
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"In our place in Waterloo, it’s PWDs who organize most of the social activities and
community activities; they support all the development activities that we
undertake in the community" (community leader).
� Would you be embarrassed if a child with mental disabilities were to approach
you or touch you?
According to the information collected, none of the respondents would feel embarrassed if a mentally disabled child was to approach or touch them: "A mentally handicapped child is a child like any other; I'd rather welcome him and give him what he has come to look for. You never know, my own child could one day be in the same situation" (a Deputy Minister). "I wouldn’t reject him, and I don’t think anyone who has a heart could do that" said a woman who is a community leader. A teacher said: "In my family, there is a mentally handicapped girl who visits
everyone and spends a day or two there; she is well received and well treated,
they wash her and give her food. She is never rejected. "
� Would you send your children to a school where there are many children with
disabilities? Why?
Nobody has found any downside in enrolling their child in a school that receives children with disabilities; the reasons are all similar: "Sometimes children with disabilities are very intelligent and this will set an example for my child” said a deputy mayor. "Children without disabilities will thus learn to live with disabled children, if they grow up together, I am sure that the marginalization trend will be significantly reduced" said a magistrate. The Secretary of a ministry justified his position: "If my child is enrolled there, he can befriend a disabled child and help him when he faces obstacles." "If the school has a good reputation and gives good results, I will not hesitate to enrol my child there, regardless of the condition of the children attending that institution" (Interview with a teacher). The unanimous view that children with and without disabilities can be together
can help reduce the marginalization of PWDs.
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� If you were to recruit someone, two people with similar qualifications and
experience who have passed the tests--one is a person with disability and the
other valid--, who would you prefer a priori?
Four types of answers were identified:
� Those who will recruit the PWD if the post does not require a lot of travel.
They represent about 55%, including many teachers and department
heads
"It depends on the type of work. If their disability does not prevent them from
assuming the duties of the post, I’d readily hire them. They are often marginalized
and we must help them integrate into society by giving them jobs" said a deputy
prefect.
� The second category includes those who are willing to recruit the person
with a disability unconditionally (15%):
� "I feel pity for PWDs; they have difficulties finding a job and I will give them priority. The non-disabled person can manage to find another job" confessed a division director.
� � "PWDs have struggled to get their degree, we must recruit the person with
a disability to encourage other PWDs to fight for their education and vocational training" said a community authority.
� � "I’d take the person with a disability because PWDs are often absent in the
employment sector. If they succeed in crossing the socio-cultural and
structural barriers that constitute obstacles to their schooling, I am ready to
reward them for their efforts" (a Deputy Mayor).
� The category of those who’d prefer the non-disabled person (20%):
"I prefer the non-disabled person because he will be faster and can go anywhere (a community leader).
• Finally, there is those who think that the test should continue until the elimination of one of the candidates:
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"I do not decide based on the physical condition, I’d use objective criteria to select
one of the two candidates. I'd do it without any indulgence or discrimination" said
a teacher.
� What is your feeling when you come across a person with a disability begging
at a traffic light?
Almost all senior public officials and local authorities feel pity and sorrow: "I feel uncomfortable and if I have a little money, I give it to them. Their situation is pitiful because no one cares, not even the government" said a Division Chief, full of emotion. "I am deeply touched by this phenomenon that has kept growing after the war because the State has put no care facility in place for them. We are obliged to care for them through our charity to relieve their suffering" said a teacher angrily. "I feel a lot of shame and pity because in my capacity as Deputy Mayor I am unable to do anything about the despair and humiliation of people with disabilities. However, two interviewees (a teacher and a department head) expressed their
dissatisfaction about the begging of PWDs, which is now a kind of business.
According to them, we must put an end to this easy way out in which able-bodied
as well as PWDs indulge.
� If you were Prime Minister of Sierra Leone with an unlimited budget, what are
the two first decisions you would make for people with disabilities?
The decisions that senior public officials and local authorities would take for PWDs concern activities such as education, the guarantee of medical care, vocational training and professional inclusion:
"I would introduce free schooling for all children with disabilities, and I would build vocational training centres for PWDs that can no longer go to school" said a department head. "I would first build a major centre for their accommodation and vocational training, and then I would give those who are qualified some jobs in the public administration and give financial support to those who can engage in trade, agriculture and stock farming” said a community authority. "My first decision would be to offer shelter to the PWDs who sleep in public buildings and markets; then I'm going to do everything possible to give them free care" said a female department head.
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"I'd prohibit begging by PWDs and then I’d give housing to all those who are homeless" said a teacher. A community authority said the following: "First, a law that punishes the discrimination of PWDs, then a recreation centre for PWDs to enable them to carry out cultural activities and practise sports. The mission noted that almost all executives speak of housing and a training
centre for PWDs; for most of the interviewees, satisfying these needs is a
prerequisite for the integration of PWDs.
� Would you vote for a person with a disability who stands for mayor or MP?
Why?
We can classify the answers given by the interviewees in 2 categories:
� The first category, which represents the majority (90%), would vote for a
person with a disability standing for mayor or MP if he/she has all the required
skills.
"Yes, I'd vote for them if they demonstrate their qualities; I also think that because they have experienced difficulties in life, they will help others in the community and uphold the rights of PWDs (a traditional chief). "I'd vote for the person with a disability because we already have one disabled MP who does his job well. A person with a disability who is assigned responsibilities is often more aware than so-called able-bodied people” said a judge. "The important thing for me is not the physical capacity of the person; it’s his/her
aptitude and experience in development at the national and local levels. If the
person with a disability has these skills, I would not hesitate to vote for his/her"
said a teacher.
� The second category consists of those who say that PWDs are not entitled
to the position of mayor or MP because their disability limits their capacity to do
perform tasks.
A traditional chief objected: "No, I would not vote for them because they cannot
travel; I want someone who is dynamic and enjoys mobility so that they can see
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what is going on in the community. It is difficult for a person with visual or motor
disability to do that".
"I do not know what a person with a disability can actually do for our community;
these people always want to disrupt everything, and in addition they are too
stubborn; I'm not sure I’d vote for the person with a disability" said a female
section head.
� Does your religion command you to have a special behaviour towards persons
with disabilities? What is your religion (if nothing is said)?
The interviewees were Christians or Muslims. They all said that in their different
religions, it is strongly recommended to help people in need, including PWDs:
"The Bible recommends that you love your neighbour as yourself; this means that
we should assist people who are in need. That is why I often give PWDs alms (a
deputy prefect).
"It is a fundamental principle of Islam to help PWDs who ask for alms to survive,
it's actually a blessing" said a religious leader.
� Did you know that the Sierra Leone constitution has provisions for disability?
Do you know what it says?
The majority of senior public officials and local authorities (approximately 86%)
admitted they did not know whether the Constitution of Sierra Leone speaks of
disability; but those who said yes did not know exactly the article that talks about
it and what it says.
As a matter of fact, the constitution of Sierra Leone has provisions protecting the
rights of PWDs: in Article 8, paragraph 1, point f: “The care and welfare of the
aged, young and disabled shall be actively promoted and safeguarded”. And in
Article 9, paragraph 1, point b: “The Government shall direct its policy towards
ensuring that there are equal rights and adequate educational opportunities for all
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citizens at all levels by…safeguarding the rights of vulnerable groups, such as
children, women and the disabled in security educational facilities.”
� Do you think there is a law on the rights of persons with disabilities in Sierra
Leone? On which occasion did you hear of about it?
The majority of senior public officials and local authorities said they did not know
of the existence of a law on the rights of PWDs, but some executives and local
authorities indicated that a national policy for the rehabilitation of PWDs is being
developed and will be launched on April 27, 2010.
� Do you think there is a Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?
On which occasion did you hear of about it?
Over 90% of the respondents are unaware of a Convention on the Rights of PWDs. The few who know have heard about it in the media or in discussions. The government of Sierra Leone has ratified the International Convention on the
Rights of PWDs in July 2009. A bill is being drafted for the enforcement of the
convention.
� Do you know if there is an International Day of Persons with Disabilities? If
yes, when?
Only 4 out of 47 respondents know that there is an International Day of People with Disabilities, but they were all unable to give the date and month of the International Day. After the presentation of the data collected from the interviewees, we are now
going to analyse them and draw appropriate conclusions.
IV: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE SURVEY RESULTS
The analysis and interpretation of the data collected in the field are based on the
knowledge of disability, on representation, and the attitudes and practices of
senior public officials and local authorities.
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4.1 Knowledge of disability by senior public officials and local authorities
When trying to define a person with a disability, senior public officials and
authorities have used various terminologies such as "missing", "absence",
"inadequacy", "disability", "difference", "limitation", "normal", "incomplete." These
words used to express the concept of disability show that some senior public
officials and local authorities have inadequate, limited, negative and simplistic
information on disability.
This appears in the fact that some senior public officials and local authorities
categorically refused to marry or recruit PWDs, or vote for them to occupy a
national or local position of responsibility. This view is confirmed by the answer to
the question of PWDs being a burden for their family. Although the interviewees
put their answer into perspective, we understand why they consider PWDs as a
burden. Actually, those who say 'no' to marrying a person with a disability mean
that such a spouse would be a burden at all levels.
What is paradoxical in the representation of disability among the interviewees is
that they recognize that the person with a disability has the same characteristics
as so-called able-bodied people and yet do not recognize their basic rights. This
clearly shows that senior public officials and local authorities still keep in their
minds the traditional representation of PWDs as expressed by the different ethnic
terms.
Furthermore, the analysis of the definition of disability by senior public officials
and local authorities in Sierra Leone against the International Convention on the
Rights of PWDs (December 13, 2006) highlights the inadequacy of the
interviewees’ concept of disability. Indeed, Article 1 of the Convention states the
following: "People with disabilities include those who have long-term physical,
mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various
barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal
basis with others".
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The representation of senior public officials and local authorities just focuses on
the impairment of the person with a disability without regard to social, behavioural
and environmental barriers that constitute obstacle for them. This approach to
disability leads to the adoption of attitudes which often border on marginalization
and discrimination: we think it is the disabled person that is unable to perform a
particular activity, whereas they cannot perform because of social and
environmental constraints.
Thus, the answers to the questions concerning the existence of laws (constitution,
laws on the rights of PWDs, the International Convention) and an International
Day of PWDs give evidence that senior public officials and local authorities give
no importance to the situation of PWDs. Few people know whether there are
national and international legal instruments that protect and promote their rights.
The lack of concern for disability issues is not surprising as we know that
promoting PWDs in a difficult socio-economic context is not the primary concern
of senior public officials and local authorities.
As Marion Heraud says (2005), representation is considered an essential element
in understanding the determining factors of attitudes and social practices. It
"works as a system of interpretation of reality that governs the relations of
individuals to their physical and social environment, determines their behaviour or
their practices. Representation determines actions and social relations".
In fact, for the senior public officials and local authorities targeted by the study,
disability is synonymous with failure and inadequacy. All the interviewees tend to
equate disability with the whole person and to discredit him/her altogether. So,
they give them fictitious incapacities. They think that when one part of the body is
affected by a disability, the whole body becomes deficient. In social
representations, a person with physical impairment is considered as if he/she was
also intellectually deficient. And unfortunately, it is on the basis of this
representation that senior public officials and local authorities act and make
choices that exclude PWDs from social participation most of the time, thus
violating their fundamental rights.
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However, the Convention on the Rights of PWDs, the International Covenants on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) on the one hand and civil rights
policies on the other hand recommend Member States to guarantee rights to all
citizens. The purpose of these instruments is to make government and the
community aware of the status of people with disabilities in the country to improve
their health, their education, vocational training and socioeconomic integration.
The analysis of the declarations of senior public officials and authorities clearly
shows that the different rights of PWDs and the law are not respected. It is clear
that even if the law considers that all citizens are equal, it is clear that people with
disabilities do not benefit from the rare social services available in the country.
These people are not educated, have no access to social services, and are
exposed to unemployment and marginalization.
4.2 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
These are rights that relate to the quality of life of individuals and thus allow them
to satisfy their basic human needs.
Article 15 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone states: “Every person in Sierra
Leone is entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual,
that is to say, has the right, whatever his race, tribe, place of origin, political
opinion, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of
others and for the public interest, … to life, liberty, security of person, the
enjoyment of property, and the protection of law… freedom of conscience, of
expression and of assembly and association”.
The provision mentioned above is reinforced by Article 8 of the Constitution as
follows:
� “The Social Order of the State shall be founded on the ideals of Freedom,
Equality and Justice. In furtherance of the Social Order:
a) Every citizen shall have equality of rights, obligations, and opportunities before
the law, and the State shall ensure that every citizen has an equal right and
access to all opportunities and benefits based on merit;
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b) The State shall recognise, maintain and enhance the sanctity of the human
person and human dignity…
� The State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that:
a) every citizen, without discrimination on any grounds whatsoever, shall have the
opportunity for securing adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate
opportunities to secure suitable employment;
b) Conditions of service and work are fair, just and humane and that there are
adequate facilities for leisure and for social, religious and cultural life;
f) The care and welfare of the aged, young and disabled shall be actively
promoted and safeguarded”.
These constitutional provisions can contribute to the promotion of the rights of
citizens. Therefore, from those principles recognized by the government of Sierra
Leone to all citizens, we are going to analyse the degree of satisfaction of the
basic human needs and enjoyment of rights by people with disabilities.
� The right to education and vocational training:
One of the first essential components of social participation is access to
knowledge, schooling and training. Do PWDs have access to mainstream
education or other types of education? Can they take the courses they want?
Article 9 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone states that:
� "The Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are
equal rights and adequate educational opportunities for all citizens at all
levels by:
a) ensuring that every citizen is given the opportunity to be educated to the best
of his ability, aptitude and inclination by providing educational facilities at all levels
and aspects of education such as primary, secondary, vocational, technical,
college and university;
b) Safeguarding the rights of vulnerable groups, such as children, women and the
disabled in security educational facilities…
� The Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy, and to this end, shall
direct its educational policy towards achieving:
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b) Free compulsory basic education at primary and junior secondary school
levels; and;
c) Free senior secondary education as and when practicable
Experience shows that education helps people: education provides the human
capital necessary to achieve sustainable economic development and reduce
poverty at the national level, improves the lives of family members, be they
people with disabilities or not, facilitates the integration of people with disabilities
in the economic life, supports the economic growth of countries, and helps
change attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Indeed, in all countries, education and training increase skills, enhance the
employability of people with disabilities, gives them access to decent work, and
allows them to escape poverty and marginalization. People of disabilities who
have received training and acquired knowledge and skills are able to initiate and
manage income-generating activities.
However, few children with disabilities have access to schools and training
centres. The factors behind this denial of the right to education and training for
children with disabilities are many and varied. They are socio-cultural, economic
and institutional.
� The belief that PWDs are incapable of anything leads parents to give
priority to children without disabilities over those who are disabled;
� Moreover, because of the situation of economic crisis, and especially
because Sierra Leone is emerging from a war that has lasted more than a
decade, the education of children is a huge burden for parents who are poor and
are struggling to feed their children.
� The State, which is the first duty bearer as far as the education of citizens
is concerned, does not put in place appropriate facilities that can accommodate
children with disabilities and, more importantly, has no program to help families
and DPOs support these children.
This deliberate neglect constitutes impediments or obstacles for a large segment
of the population who cannot enjoy their fundamental rights enshrined in the
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constitution. These are signs of blatant violation of the Constitution and Article 24
of the International Convention which urges Member States to make every effort
to guarantee the right to education of PWDs:
“States Parties recognize the right of people with disabilities to education.
With a view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of
equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system
at all levels and life long learning directed to the development by people
with disabilities of their personality, talents and creativity, as well as their
mental and physical abilities, to their fullest potential.
To enforce this right, States Parties shall ensure that:
a) People with disabilities are not excluded from the general education
system on the basis of disability, and that children with disabilities are not
excluded from free and compulsory primary education, or from secondary
education, on the basis of disability;
b) People with disabilities can access an inclusive, quality and free primary
education and secondary education on an equal basis with others in the
communities in which they live;
c) Reasonable accommodation of the individual’s requirements is provided;
d) People with disabilities receive the support required, within the general
education system, to facilitate their effective education…”
The mission has noted that the government of Sierra Leone has voted laws but
does not provide all the necessary means for their implementation.
� The right to employment and income generating activities:
Another crucial element of social participation is access to the professional world.
Can PWDs have access to secure employment? Do they have access to the
ordinary professional world? Are they supported and advised?
Article 8 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone states the following:
The State shall focus its policy to ensure that:
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� Every citizen, without discrimination on any grounds whatsoever, has
means of subsistence, as well as adequate opportunities to secure suitable
employment;
� Conditions of employment and work are fair, just and humane and that
there are adequate facilities for recreation and social, religious and cultural
life...
Furthermore, Article 27 of the International Convention on the Rights of PWDs
guarantees the right to employment for PWDs in these terms:
“States Parties recognize the right of people with disabilities to work, on an equal
basis with others; this includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work
freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open,
inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities. States Parties shall safeguard
and promote the realization of the right to work, including for those who acquire a
disability during the course of employment, by taking appropriate steps, including
through legislation, to, inter alia:
a) Prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability with regard to all matters
concerning all forms of employment, including conditions of recruitment, hiring
and employment, continuance of employment, career advancement and safe and
healthy working conditions;
b) Protect the rights of people with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, to
just and favourable conditions of work, including equal opportunities and equal
remuneration for work of equal value, safe and healthy working conditions,
including protection from harassment, and the redress of grievances…
d) Enable people with disabilities to have effective access to general technical
and vocational guidance programmes, placement services and vocational and
continuing training;
e) Promote employment opportunities and career advancement for people with
disabilities in the labour market, as well as assistance in finding, obtaining,
maintaining and returning to employment;
f) Promote opportunities for self-employment, entrepreneurship, the development
of cooperatives and starting one’s own business;
g) Employ people with disabilities in the public sector;
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h) Promote the employment of people with disabilities in the private sector
through appropriate policies and measures, which may include affirmative action
programmes, incentives and other measures…”
Most of the interviewees think of motor impairment as soon as you mention
disability. Indeed, for them, people with visual and hearing impairment are already
excluded from the community and consequently their employment problem is not
an issue. As a matter of fact, people with hearing and visual impairment are
outnumbered by people with motor disabilities in the public administration, and
most of the time they end up in the informal sector.
That said, the mission has noted that PWDs are usually absent in the civil service
of Sierra Leone; the few who are recruited are secretaries, data entry operators
and accounting clerks.
This observation is by the comments of the senior public officials and local
authorities interviewed on the recruitment of PWDs: A significant proportion will
recruit PWDs if their disability does not prevent them from assuming the functions
assigned to the position. This simply means that the recruitment of PWDs
depends on their physical and not intellectual aptitude. This attitude tends to
disadvantage and exclude PWDs from the professional contest. Consequently,
there is no equality of opportunities for people with disabilities. These executives
and authorities do not at first think about modifications to enable people with
disabilities to operate under optimum conditions. They automatically think that
people with disabilities cannot deliver.
And since we do not attempt to make adjustments for them, they are recruited in
positions that do not valorise them. Their skills are therefore undervalued and
underused.
This perception is a flagrant violation of the constitution of Sierra Leone and the
international convention which stipulates that all citizens have equal rights.
Furthermore, it is clear from the analysis of the interviews that all those who want
to recruit PWDs do so out of pity for them. They do take into account what the
person is worth, but they rather think of their deficiencies and limitations. This is
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what generally prevails in recruitments. In these circumstances, the person with a
disability is completely worthless. And although the senior public officials
interviewed say they are willing to hire people with disabilities, it’s just hot air.
Worse, there are local authorities and senior public officials who prefer non-
disabled people because they think that PWDs are neither fast nor effective. Their
conception and representation of PWDs as people with limitations constitute
barriers to their employment.
However, having a job is an important factor for survival, autonomy, recognition
within one’s family and community. It is through work that PWDs can be valued
and can get social status; it’s also through income-generating activities that they
can be recognized as active members of society.
The mission has noted that the right to employment is not guaranteed for people
with disabilities. There are still efforts to make for PWDs to be assessed on the
basis of their skills rather than their disability, and bring policymakers to think of
reasonable modifications of working conditions for people with various disabilities
to enable them to do their job, as recommended by the International Convention
on the Rights of the PWDs which was ratified by the Sierra Leone in July 2009.
� The right to participation in cultural life:
Promoting the rights of PWDs is to facilitate their participation in social and
cultural events. Which cultural events concern PWDs (concert, theatre, sports,
etc.)?
Article 30 of the International Convention recommends that: “1. States Parties recognize the right of people with disabilities to take part on an
equal basis with others in cultural life, and shall take all appropriate measures to
ensure that people with disabilities:
a) Enjoy access to cultural materials in accessible formats;
b) Enjoy access to television programmes, films, theatre and other cultural
activities, in accessible formats;
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c) Enjoy access to places for cultural performances or services, such as theatres,
museums, cinemas, libraries and tourism services, and, as far as possible, enjoy
access to monuments and sites of national cultural importance.
2. States Parties shall take appropriate measures to enable people with
disabilities to have the opportunity to develop and utilize their creative, artistic and
intellectual potential, not only for their own benefit, but also for the enrichment of
society.
3. States Parties shall take all appropriate steps, in accordance with international
law, to ensure that laws protecting intellectual property rights do not constitute an
unreasonable or discriminatory barrier to access by people with disabilities to
cultural materials.
4. People with disabilities shall be entitled, on an equal basis with others, to
recognition and support of their specific cultural and linguistic identity, including
sign languages and deaf culture.
5. With a view to enabling people with disabilities to participate on an equal basis
with others in recreational, leisure and sporting activities, States Parties shall take
appropriate measures:
a) To encourage and promote the participation, to the fullest extent possible, of
people with disabilities in mainstream sporting activities at all levels;
b) To ensure that people with disabilities have an opportunity to organize, develop
and participate in disability-specific sporting and recreational activities and, to this
end, encourage the provision, on an equal basis with others, of appropriate
instruction, training and resources;
c) To ensure that people with disabilities have access to sporting, recreational
and tourism venues;
d) To ensure that children with disabilities have equal access with other children
to participation in play, recreation and leisure and sporting activities, including
those activities in the school system;
e) To ensure that people with disabilities have access to services from those
involved in the organization of recreational, tourism, leisure and sporting
activities”.
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How can we explain that senior public officials and local authorities who make no
difference between PWDs and able-bodied persons do not involve them in
cultural activities? Why don’t they develop facilities that encourage the
participation of PWDs in various sports activities?
There are three assumptions as regards these questions:
� First, the traditional and cultural conception that people with disabilities are
not able to perform the same activities as able-bodied people guides the
decisions of senior public officials and local authorities when organizing
cultural activities.
� Then, for some senior public officials and local authorities, people with
disabilities have difficulties in carrying out their own activities; asking them
to participate in community or cultural events will actually put them in even
more painful situations, and we should therefore not bother them with this.
� Finally, some people with disabilities have internalized the idea that they
cannot participate, to such an extent that they keep aloof and become
agents of their own marginalization.
Despite what some of the interviewees say, it should be admitted that there are
people who consider PWDs as incapable of participating in community activities
and therefore need not be involved. This position on the non-involvement of
PWDs in cultural activities is a violation of the right to participation for every
citizen recognized by the law, and is a consequence of the representations of
disability by executives and local authorities.
� The right to marry and found a family
Through their reluctance to marry a person with a disability, some senior public
officials in the administration and local authorities demonstrate that disability is a
burden, that PWDs are not like other persons and do not deserve to enjoy the
same rights. However, the Convention on the Rights of PWDs in Article 23
recognizes “the right of all people with disabilities who are of marriageable age to
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marry and to found a family on the basis of free and full consent of the intending
spouses”.
It is clear in the comments of senior public officials and local authorities who
refuse to marry PWDs that PWDs are considered as unable to assume their
family responsibilities: for a disabled man, it will be difficult to sustain the family
financially, and if it’s a disabled woman, she won’t be able to do household
chores properly.
The fundamental question that arises is: "how could PWDs enjoy their right to
found a family if they cannot find spouses?" Or "how can PWDs successfully
integrate society if they cannot enjoy their right to marriage?”
In fact, most women with disabilities face enormous difficulties founding a family
because of their disability; yet; marriage for women is essential for social
fulfilment. This refusal of some senior public officials and local authorities to marry
PWDs is a factor of exclusion and increases the marginalization of PWDs.
Therefore DPOs should strengthen their awareness actions on the right to found
a family which is guaranteed for all citizens.
� The right of access to facilities and transport:
Participation in society means being able to access public areas (streets,
squares) and use public transport (buses, vans). Which public spaces do PWDs
have access to in their environment? Which means of transport can they use? Is
anything put in place to enhance their autonomy?
In Article 9, the Convention on the Rights of PWDs recognizes the right of
access to buildings, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities,
including schools, housing, medical facilities and workplaces:
“1. To enable people with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in
all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to
people with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical
environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including
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information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities
and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas.
These measures, which shall include the identification and elimination of
obstacles and barriers to accessibility, shall apply to, inter alia:
a) Buildings, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities,
including schools, housing, medical facilities and workplaces;
b) Information, communications and other services, including electronic services
and emergency services.
2. States Parties shall also take appropriate measures to:
a) Develop, promulgate and monitor the implementation of minimum standards
and guidelines for the accessibility of facilities and services open or provided to
the public;
b) Ensure that private entities that offer facilities and services which are open or
provided to the public take into account all aspects of accessibility for people with
disabilities;
c) Provide training for stakeholders on accessibility issues facing people with
disabilities;
d) Provide in buildings and other facilities open to the public signage in Braille and
in easy to read and understand forms.”
If executives pose conditions on the deficiencies of PWDs before recruiting them,
we deduce they do not think of adapting facilities to facilitate access for PWDs so
that they can perform tasks. This explains why several public services as well as
private facilities are exclusively suited to the non-disabled.
Through the simple observation of public and private facilities, the mission has
found that the government of Sierra Leone and local authorities do not implement
the law that has been ratified. In any case, the answers relating to the knowledge
of the legal framework for PWDs is evidence that senior public officials, who are
also decision-makers, have failed to incorporate PWDs in their development
priorities.
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� The right to be mainstreamed:
Mainstreaming concerns the family, schools, training centres of all kinds...
Education sociologists commonly accept that the family is the place par
excellence of the socialization of the individual. Furthermore, family support is
important in the development of children with disabilities. The family is the
environment that promotes their mental and intellectual development, which is
critical in their daily lives. In fact, when children with disabilities are fully integrated
from an early age in an ordinary environment, it will be easier for them to develop
social participation capacities later. Thus, children with disabilities will have a
positive image of themselves, an image instilled in them by their family and their
comrades.
Similarly, children with disabilities placed in institutions for disabled children
where they have learned to play and mix with other disabled children would find it
very difficult to participate in society later. This atmosphere of disability in which
the children live keeps them in a mechanism of "self-exclusion" and "self-
marginalization".
For that reason, NGOs and DPOs must develop inclusive activities for all, mixing
PWDs and able-bodied people, activities which could contribute to the social
participation of PWDs through the enjoyment of their economic, social, cultural,
civic and political rights.
� The right to equal opportunities
Senior public officials and local authorities feel pity when they see PWDs begging
in the streets. Most of them show their generosity and give them money.
The feelings of pity that senior public officials express toward people with
disabilities clearly show the nature of their representation of them: weak people,
who are dependent and in need of alms and charity to survive. Consequently,
senior public officials can never consider them as equal to others.
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And if some interviewees share the belief that PWDs are burdens for their
families and their communities, it’s because they have also adopted the social
representation that PWDs are not capable of anything and need everything to be
done for them.
The mission urges senior public officials and local authorities of Sierra Leone to
restore the rights of PWDs, in other words, to restore a degree of equal
opportunities among all citizens of Sierra Leone. Indeed, the recognition of the
right to equal opportunities is a societal duty and is not in any sense related to
pity or charity for persons regarded as weak.
4.3 Civil and political rights
The right of eligibility:
Social and political participation means being able to stand for elected office. Do
PWDs participate in the electoral process, and are they well informed and
trained? Are they encouraged in their organizations to stand in the different
elections?
The Convention on the Rights of PWDs says in article 29: “States Parties shall
guarantee to people with disabilities political rights and the opportunity to enjoy
them on an equal basis with others, and shall undertake to ensure that people
with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an
equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives,
including the right and opportunity for people with disabilities to vote and be
elected… States Parties shall promote actively an environment in which people
with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in the conduct of public affairs,
without discrimination and on an equal basis with others, and encourage their
participation in public affairs.”
Admittedly, the vast majority of interviewees recognize the Civil and Political
Rights of PWDs: for them, PWDs can be mayors or MPs. This approach may
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facilitate the inclusion of PWDs in society and also promote their participation in
political, community and social activities.
The mission has noted that Sierra Leoneans have demonstrated their acceptance
of PWDs in the political world by voting for a person with disability who presently
sits in Parliament.
It will be easier for DPOs to take advantage of this positive image and develop
actions for the integration of PWDs in decision-making at the local and national
levels.
V: RECOMMANDATIONS
After analysing the primary and secondary data, it appears that senior public
officials and local authorities in Sierra Leone have an acceptable knowledge of
disability. However, much remains to be done to reduce psychosocial and cultural
factors that result in discriminatory behaviour and the marginalization of PWDs.
To strengthen the work already done and correct negative attitudes and practices,
the mission makes the following recommendations to the different stakeholders:
5.1 Towards People with disabilities
As leading stakeholders in the promotion and protection of their rights, people
with disabilities should adopt behaviours conducive to the success of this
struggle. To do this they must:
� get training in all areas;
� stop begging because it is humiliating them
� stop stigmatizing and discriminating themselves;
� Seek information about their condition for advocacy purposes.
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5.2 Towards families and local communities
The successful social and professional integration of PWDs will depend largely on
living conditions conducive to their socialization. Thus, families and communities
must be aware of their importance in the psychological and emotional
development of PWDs. They must take concrete actions to promote the effective
integration of PWDs. They are therefore urged to:
� enrol children with disabilities in mainstream schools whenever possible;
� stop hiding their disabled children: children with disabilities can no longer
be a shame for their parents;
� give more consideration to people with disabilities by integrating them into
decision making and community activities;
� avoid maintaining PWDs in a situation of permanent assistance by
continuing to throw coins to them at the roadside;
� encourage people with disabilities to stand for election, and encourage
voting for them (at the level of municipalities and districts);
� Integrate PWDs in prefecture councils and city councils.
We must raise awareness and encourage community leaders to appoint PWDs
as notables and advisors so as to demystify disability.
5.3 Towards DPOs
DPOs are making commendable efforts in protecting the rights of PWDs, but for
the promotion of PWDs to be effective in all areas, they must:
� intensifier la sensibilisation des PH sur leurs droits et devoirs;
� further strengthen the capacities of PWDs in the management of income
generating activities (IGAs);
� provide start-up capital for PWDs who have learned a trade to make them
financially autonomous;
� strengthen the capacity of DPOs for greater representation in decision-
making bodies at national and local levels;
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� strengthen the capacity of PWDs in political matters and encourage them
to be political activists in the parties of their choice in order to position
themselves for election;
� Make sure DPOs are not only organization for people in a disabling
situation ;
� develop the awareness of stakeholders and allow them to have a good
knowledge of PWDs and mainstream disability into their strategies;
� Organize awareness campaign for employers on the skills of disabled
workers because PWDs must occupy positions that reflect their physical
and intellectual capacities and skills.
5.4 Towards the State
The mission recommends to the Sierra Leone government to:
� speed up the drafting and passing of the bill and the national policy on
social protection for people with disabilities
� Facilitate access to services and facilities for PWDs by making reasonable
modifications (building of ramps, wide doors, adapted toilets...);
� promote the recruitment of PWDs in administrative and political positions,
e.g. appoint a person with a disability as Advisor to the President of the
Republic or the Vice President, person in charge of disability issues, or
include a person with a disability in the Cabinet (Education or Social
Action);
� create and equip special schools and vocational training centres for
disabled children who cannot be enrolled in mainstream schools;
� Provide opportunities to private companies that agree to recruit PWDs; this
may consist for example in reducing taxes for those companies.
5.5 Towards Handicap International
As technical and financial partner of the State, SLUDI and DPOs, Handicap
International, has to:
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� advise and support the training of PWDs in leadership;
� organize and facilitate, together with SLUDI and other networks and
associations of PWDs, days of meetings and discussion for PWDs;
� Support the State in the popularization of the International Convention on
the Rights of People with disabilities.
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CONCLUSION
In this study, the mission has noted that despite the proximity between PWDs and
non-disabled people, senior public officials and local authorities in Sierra Leone
do not have a positive perception of disability. There are still pockets of resistance
to the inclusion and social participation of PWDs.
Indeed, the discrimination, rejection and exclusion experienced by PWDs in their
respective communities are the result of the lack of information among senior
public officials and local authorities and the lack of a national legal framework
protecting PWDs. Some answers given by senior public officials and local
authorities confirm this lack of information and legal rights for PWDs. It is almost
impossible to improve the living conditions of PWDs without a legal foundation
that protects them and without public disability awareness.
Moreover, it is clear that in a society already suffering from extreme poverty due
to a decade of war, valorising the rights of people with disabilities is difficult. Most
of the population is trying to eke out a living, so thinking of others is not the key
concern.
However, the mission has noted that there is good will among some interviewees
as regards the process for the inclusion of PWDs. The recommendations they
have made clearly demonstrate this commitment; actions should therefore be
developed in synergy with these authorities and senior public officials to
encourage their support for the national inclusion policy.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY ACT, The child right act, Supplement to the Sierra Leone Gazette Extraordinary; Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 43 of 3rd September, 2007
Aktypis Spyridon, Les personnes handicapées dans les situations de conflit armé: la protection prévue par le droit international et sa mise en œuvre. Université Panthéon-Assas Paris II, 19 février 2003
BIT, Réadaptation professionnelle et emploi des personnes handicapées .Genève, 1998 Blanc Alain et Stiker Henri-Jacques, L’insertion professionnelle des personnes handicapées en France. Desclée de Brouwer Paris.1998 Bonnefon Gérard, Art et lien social. Les pratiques artistiques des personnes handicapées. Desclée de Brouwer, 1997 Conseil de l’Europe, Activités en faveur des personnes handicapées .Rapports d’activités 1991-1992. Handicap et Intégration ; Edition du conseil de l’Europe, 1993 Conseil de l’Europe : Mesures visant à promouvoir l’intégration sociale des PH mentales, Strasbourg 1986 Convention des Nations Unies relative aux droits des personnes handicapées. Adoptée le 13 décembre 2006 Dolsky François, Pasquiers Olivier et Tripoteau Patrice : A corps dépendant. Vivre le handicap. Regards mosaïques ; Alternatives, 1992 Flether Agnés, Kit d’information sur les règles des Nations Unies pour l’Egalisation des chances des handicapés.1992 Ferréol Gilles et al, Dictionnaire de Sociologie, Armand Colin, 1995 Handicap, Famille et Société, IDEF 1997. Handicap, réhabilitation et intégration ; Synthèse du colloque du 17/09 /1992 Espace Moncassin-Paris. Handicap international, "Faire adopter des lois, pour faire reconnaître les droits". Interview de Noah Kabakeh, Freetown, Sierra Leone Heeren Nicolas, L’inclusion des personnes handicapées dans des situations d’urgence : L’expérience dans les camps de réfugiés Sierra Léonais, à la frontière guinéenne
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Heraud Marion, Les représentations du handicap au Burkina Faso. Processus de marginalisation et d’intégration des personnes en situation de handicap, Ouagadougou, Handicap International, 2005. Informations sociales. Handicaps et Handicapés. N°42,1995 Institut international des Droits de l'Enfant (IDE), Droits des enfants en situation de handicap. Séminaire organisé du 10 au 14 octobre sous le patronage de l’Association Internationale des Magistrats de la Jeunesse et de la Famille ; Genève, 2006 Julius Nye Cuffie, Access to justice: the case of Sierra Leone. “The reality of using legal instruments to combat discrimination in Sierra Leone”. Freetown Löchen Valérie : Guide des politiques Sociales et de l’action Sociale. Paris DUNOD, 2000 Paul Moses Sesay, Addressing the social exclusion of blind and visually impaired persons in Sierra Leone. Freetown, 2007 Raveau Jean-François et Fardeau Michel (sous la direction), Insertion sociale des PH : méthodologie d’évaluation, Edition INSERM ; 1994 Republic of Sierra Leone, The Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991
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ANNEXES: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR DATA GATHERING I. KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION AND REPRESENTATION OF DISABILITY
1. Why is a child born with a disability? 2. To you, who can be referred to as a person with disability who cannot? 3. What types of disability do you know? 4. What are the traditional representations of disability you know in your
customs? 5. Would you get married or marry one of your children to a person with a
disability? Why? 6. How would you react to the news that your child or grandchild is disabled? 7. If you had a friend who has just had a child with disability, what advice
would you give him/her? 8. What type of disability you do not want ever wish yourself or someone
close to you to suffer from, why? 9. People with disabilities feel that they are a burden for their families and
communities. Do you share this point of view? Why? 10. People with disabilities feel marginalized or even rejected by the Togolese
society. Do you share this opinion? Why? II. ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES
11. Are there any persons with disabilities in your team? 12. If yes what are your relationships? How many are they compared to the
whole team and specify the type of disability? What positions do they hold? If not, why?
13. In your neighbourhood you do regularly hang out with the persons with disabilities in your sporting and social activities?
14. If yes what is your opinion about your relationship? If not, why? 15. Do you fear disability? If yes why? 16. Do you think the person disability is a person like everyone else? Why? 17. Are you bothered in the presence of persons with disabilities? What type of
gene, you feel and why? 18. Would you be embarrassed if a child with mental disabilities were to
approach you or touch you? 19. Would you send your children to a school where there are many children
with disabilities? Why? 20. If you were to recruit someone, two people with similar qualifications and
experience who have passed the tests--one is a person with disability and the other valid--, who would you prefer a priori?
21. What is your feeling when you come across a person with disability begging at a traffic light?
22. If you were Prime Minister of a country with an unlimited budget what are the two first decisions you would make for people with disabilities?
23. Can you remember the last time you spoke with a person with a disability? Do you remember what you discussed?
24. Would you vote for a person with disabilities who stands for the mayor or MP? Why?
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25. Does your religion command you to have a special behaviour for the persons with disabilities? What is your religion (if nothing is said)?
26. Did you know that the Sierra Leone constitution has provisions for disability? Do you know what it says?
27. Do you think there is a law on the rights of persons with disabilities in Togo? On which occasion did you hear of about it?
28. Do you think there is a Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities? On which occasion did you hear of about it?
29. Do you know if there is an International Day of Persons with Disabilities? If yes, when? III. WHAT APPEALS OR RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU WANT TO MAKE TOWARDS:
- PWDS; - The government (national and local authorities); - Handicap International. - OPD; - Local communities; etc.
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