It's about what you can do - Empowering the disabled

A disability is a physical or mental condition that limits a person's activities or senses. Today we prefer to talk about how people are enabled rather than how they are disabled or, in other words, what they can achieve rather than what they cannot. Large numbers of people around the world today live with a disability of one kind or another. Almost one in 10 people in the world have a disability and they make up as much as 20% of the population living in poverty in developing countries. Three quarters of South Africa's disabled people have never had a job and half of South Africa's disabled children have never been to school.

As part of the Government Employees Medical Scheme's (GEMS) ongoing effort to educate our members and future members on a range of healthcare topics, we would like to provide you with some information on International Day of Disabled Persons and regarding the empowerment of people living with disabilities.

What exactly is a disability?
When many people think of a disability they tend to think of someone who has a physical disability and who is in a wheelchair. In fact, aside from physical disability, there are many other different types of disability, including:

• People who are deaf or hearing impaired
• People who are blind or partially sighted
• People with learning or intellectual disabilities
• People with mental health or psychological difficulties.

Disabled people are still widely discriminated against around the world today. United Nations Enable, a department of the United Nations (UN) that provides support to disabled people, says:

"Many persons with disabilities continue to face barriers to their participation in their communities and are often forced to live on the margins of society. They often face stigma and discrimination and are routinely denied basic rights such as food, education, employment, access to health and reproductive health services. Many persons with disabilities are also forced into institutions, a direct breach of the rights to freedom of movement and to live in their communities." 

Disabled people are discriminated against in all kinds of ways. Some individuals think that people with disabilities have mental problems because they don't look like everyone else. Many disabled people are not able to find jobs because some employers don't want to employ a disabled person. Physically disabled people in wheelchairs may even have difficulties in getting around and accessing shops or buildings. Many poor physically disabled people do not even have the benefit of a wheelchair.
 
Part of the reason for such discrimination is a lack of understanding that persons with disabilities are no different from other people and that they have a positive and valuable contribution to make to our communities.

The language we use is important in reflecting our thoughts and beliefs. Words can degrade and diminish people and should be carefully considered before they are used. Terms such as crippled, handicapped, invalid and spastic are examples of such words that may be upsetting to people with a disability and should be avoided.

There are certain practical steps that many disabled people can take to empower themselves. ‘Rehabilitation' is an attempt to integrate the individual back into society so they become a contributing member of their community. Sometimes healthcare interventions can help an individual to overcome their disability. For example, some eye conditions, such as cataracts, can be successfully treated. Psychological support is also available to those who have suffered a trauma in their lives or who may have suffered brain injury. An individual who is suffering some sort of disability should get to their doctor to see what can be done to help and support them.

Aids such as wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs can help some physically disabled individuals to get around, while hearing aids can help improve hearing. Such aids are called "assistive technology" and are devices to help disabled people overcome their disability. Other examples include walking frames, Braille, large sized print that is easy to read and text phones.

There are also support organisations available for disabled individuals, such as Disabled People South Africa. The Rachael Swart Fund, meanwhile, assists people with disabilities by financing essential equipment and services for those who do not have the means to finance these themselves.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is celebrated every year on 3 December, promotes an understanding of the issues that people with disabilities face, and seeks to help bring them into the mainstream of our economy and society. The aims of the day are to promote:

• An understanding of the issues facing disabled people
• The dignity, rights and well-being of people with disabilities
• The integration of people with disabilities into all aspects of the economic, cultural, political and social life of their communities
• Encouraging access to job creation, education and training, social development and buildings
• Calling on people to act around disability issues.

The day has been promoted by the UN since 1992 and has a different theme every year. The 2010 theme for the day is: "Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and beyond".

Being disabled need not be the end of one's life. Indeed, many people see their disability as a challenge to be overcome and everyone faces challenges in their lives. They focus on what they can achieve rather than what they cannot. Sports heroes such as Natalie du Toit have shown what disabled individuals can achieve with the necessary determination and support and are an inspiration to everyone.

For any GEMS member queries, please contact the GEMS Call Centre on 0860 00 4367 or visit our website at www.gems.gov.za. GEMS will assist you in every way possible to ensure your family's health and wellbeing.

References
1. ‘Appropriate Technology - People in the struggle for social change', David Werner, www.healthwrights.org/articles/approp_tech.htm
2. Disabled People South Africa, www.dpsa.org.za.
3. ‘Information Kit to Support the International Day of Disabled Persons', Disability in Action, www.dpsa.org.za.
4. ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December 2010, United Nations Enable, www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=1540.
5. The Rachael Swart Fund, www.rachelswart.org.za.