Facing the challenges and social barriers prevailing within the society for being disabled is indeed a dilemma for the disabled community is Pakistan.PWD (People with disabilities) , due to the stigma and discrimination often fail to lead a comfortable and decent life. Due to the barriers, they fail to fully participate in social, economic and educational activities. Due to the injustice of society, they often became a model of sympathy, pity and society where people use them for their benefits but fail to recognize them as a respectable part of society.
Even the government is so oblivious of the injustice that there isn’t any policy that would derive their right for them.
The Pakistani government has literally failed to give them their deserved position. They have passed on their responsibilities to the provinces who are nowhere seen to be working for the social stability of disabled people.
This issue has been ignored and neglected from the very beginning from all the aspects. The people and government need to realize that this issue is not trivial and work need to done to provide stability and respect to the PWD (People with Disabilities). They are the most disregarded, unheard and uncounted in the country. The human dignity of PWD (People with Disabilities) needs to be acknowledged. The government need to formulate policies and laws that are disability friendly.
The Common Struggles and Social Barriers Faced by PWD:
Behavior and Attitude of People
The behavior and attitude of people towards them makes them feel isolated. The stares and intrusive questions and the pity looks does not in any way help them but rather
leave them depressed and suppressed. They are sometimes also excluded from the family events and left alone and gets the treatment they don’t deserve.
The attitude and behavior of people plays an integral part in shattering off the confidence of the disabled themselves. Even when they can take part and live a normal life, they society, holds them back and put the back into the pit of embarrassment, depression and isolation.
Muhammad Salman, a visually impaired person, has an inclusive environment at workplace, but he wasn’t very lucky in university as he quote,
“I could tell when people did not want me around. That feeling of being unwanted was very painful.”
Some people are so ignorant that they call PWD (People with Disabilities) cursed or a punishment for family.
Access denied:
They don’t get access to public transport. There are no ramps or lifts for them in many shopping malls, restaurants, flats and other places. Their access is often denied at certain places. Even in airlines, they don’t facilitate disabled people very much. The choices for them are so minimized that they are often forced to be home bounded in isolation.
Unemployment
Disabled people who face unemployment, needs to be integrated with employable skills. The organizations should employ them and the government needs to make policy regarding them.
Experience violence
Most of the families of the people with disabilities also don’t let them exercise their rights. Some of them are even subjected to domestic violence and abuse. They are often left so helpless that leading a normal life gets so difficult for them
Disabled people, especially the mentally disabled people, face the worst form of discrimination and a very severe exclusion from society.
obstacles faced due to the conventional system
72% of PWD are reportedly deprived of their very basic right as access to education, better employment, better income, access to public places. Moreover, the also faced acceptability issue and hence due to the conventional system, they face obstacles in exercising their basic rights like voting as they don’t get access to polling station. Also, the deaf community cannot issue driving license despite the fact that it’s a very basic right for them. This is the reason, they came out weaker, with lower literacy rate, unemployment and poor health, facing poverty. If they are provided with education, they can create revolutionary changes in the world.
obstacles faced due to the conventional system
Many of the people and organizations are oblivious of how difficult it is to face all the hardships that are faced by the PWD (People with Disabilities). The society still hasn’t accepted them and social acceptability is a must factor to cater to them. There’s a need for awareness and campaigns to raise the concerns and to ask the government for the proper policies and equal rights. Organizations, communities and also the individuals should work together to make the disabled people inclusive in the community and remove the social barriers they have been struggling with. Disabled people should also have the right to live like the other individuals, have ambitions, get opportunities, think big and also achieve big. Their life shouldn’t be surrounded with depression and isolation because of the society but they should rather
rights. Some of them are even subjected to domestic violence and abuse. They are often left so helpless that leading a normal life gets so difficult for them
Disabled people, especially the mentally disabled people, face the worst form of discrimination and a very severe exclusion from society.
72% of PWD are reportedly deprived of their very basic right as access to education, better employment, better income, access to public places. Moreover, the also faced acceptability issue and hence due to the conventional system, they face obstacles in exercising their basic rights like voting as they don’t get access to polling station. Also, the deaf community cannot issue driving license despite the fact that it’s a very basic right for them. This is the reason, they came out weaker, with lower literacy rate, unemployment and poor health, facing poverty. If they are provided with education, they can create revolutionary changes in the world.
Awareness and social acceptability
Many of the people and organizations are oblivious of how difficult it is to face all the hardships that are faced by the PWD (People with Disabilities). The society still hasn’t accepted them and social acceptability is a must factor to cater to them. There’s a need for awareness and campaigns to raise the concerns and to ask the government for the proper policies and equal rights. Organizations, communities and also the individuals should work together to make the disabled people inclusive in the community and remove the social barriers they have been struggling with.
Every individual has a right to live a normal life
Like the other individuals, have ambitions, get opportunities, think big and also achieve big. Their life shouldn’t be surrounded with depression and isolation because of the society but they should rather be welcomed and get the chances and opportunities all the other individuals have and excel in their life.
When they get access to common things like getting employment, education, access to public transport and public places through ramps, then they are enabled, not disabled. They shouldn’t be bounded just because they are disabled. They have every right to be ambitious, to enjoy their life, think big and lead a proper healthy life.
The people with impairment should have access to all the things that are catered to other individuals. Being disabled does not make them different or lesser part of society. They are equal and should be provided equal rights like the rest of the country.
The inclusion of disabled people is a bigger segment that needs to be catered and looked upon and polices should be made so they also enjoy all the perks and get the opportunities they deserve.
Bottom Line
The government needs to take serious attempts to cater the needs and problems of the people with disabilities. They are a part of our society and they shouldn’t be oppressed. Their voices and protests needs to heard and worked upon.
They need to be provided with education, access to every place, employment so they get self-sufficient, be more socially inclusive and lead a better and comfortable life.
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The stereotyping and stigma attached to them should be discarded and they should be looked upon with respect rather than with pity.
