Blog # 7

This week on my current event, I decided I would touch on something a little different but still falling under the same health and disease topic. A major global problem I read about this week was why so much of mainstream development's resources, research, campaigning efforts and attention ignore disabled people. Around one in seven of the world's population, or 1 billion people are disabled and disability can trap individuals and their families in poverty. Living in poverty also means you're far more likely to be born disabled or become disabled. Unemployment levels for people with disabilities are 80%-90%. Literacy rates are as low as 3% and one in every three children not in school are disabled. Disabilities also lead to a great deal of discrimination from not only the community but in many instances family as well. Luckily change is being made on several levels with activists like “Said” who seek out other disabled people in the community and mentor them in tackling discrimination and accessing opportunities. There is also a millennium development goal for education and grants being given out to disabled people. Just like women 20 years ago disabled people are not employed by the development industry, not seen, and so not reached.
It is a shame that such discrimination takes place in the world today. Why are the disabled discriminated against and will they ever have equality? One reason I believe that the disabled are discriminated against is because so many people in this world are terrified of something other than the norm. This is repeating history since history has started. Human beings have discriminated against every race, society, sex preference, gender, and more over the course of time. It is not because certain people or things are good or bad but more along the lines of not the norm. People in general are afraid of change and until change takes place they will stay afraid of the thing trying to be changed. For example, segregation was a huge thing that people wanted to keep however now that there is no segregation between whites and blacks it is no longer discussed as a global issue that needs to be worked towards. I believe over time just like women’s suffrage, that the disabled will be more accepted. It is wrong in every context to discriminate against any individual for any reason and by discriminating against the disabled it is forcing them to live harder lives. The disabled are left out of jobs, education, and the community which in turn leads them to have more physical and mental problems. Just like several videos watched in class on how poorer people have to work in dangerous conditions which lead to disabilities. It is nice to see change being made and a great example is right here on our campus which helps the disabled in many different ways. If the world was not so terrified of change I believe that everyone would get along and there would be little to no prejudice.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/oct/13/development-ignores-disabled-people-poverty?INTCMP=SRCH