A Journey towards Disability Mainstreaming

A student who is visually impaired using speech software

 

Many of us have heard of the word mainstreaming many times. Mainstreaming which refers to incorporation of all channels towards one goal; in one process has been a major issue in many advocacy fields; gender and disability for instance. The concern is that having a separate channel that includes certain groups of people results into that group being treated differently which may sometimes lead to unequal access to human rights.

“If we create a stream to flow beside a large river, water levels from the river will go down when drought strikes; but the stream running beside it will completely dry up”. When it comes to issues of disability in our societies, we have a main channel of programming and another channel created to cover issues of disability. In other words, issues of disability are not mainstreamed into the main systems of our societies; for instance, the consideration of policies regarding public infrastructure and employment.

In the process of lobbying for incorporation of all programs in one societal channel without considering differences in claiming human rights, the disability sector has embarked on an advocacy journey towards disability mainstreaming.

Disability mainstreaming places emphasis on adjustment of policies, environments and also the consideration of rights that empower persons with disabilities to claim their rights to equal opportunities in the society.

Knowing that disability is not inability, the ministry of disability and all service providers in the disability sector has embarked on a process of lobbying the public and private sector to create policies that will take persons with disabilities on board. Persons with disabilities are being empowered to take up opportunities in all sectors of the society.

The idea of disability mainstreaming places emphasis on legal and policy provisions in favor of disability-inclusive development. It goes further to employers to be core players in capacity building for disability focal persons, heads of human resource management and all persons responsible for policy formulation in all sectors of the society.

Mainstreaming starts from creating an environment that does not pose a physical barrier to persons with disabilities, thereby emphasizing on accessibility of public institutions to all persons in the society.

The idea behind mainstreaming is that people with disabilities should have rights that are of high standard; similar to what others are getting and in a manner that maintains dignity to the rights holder and there are no attitude barriers from the service providers.

For example, disability mainstreaming is looking at persons with disabilities not having any barriers in claiming their right to education. This can be achieved by creating a disability inclusive environment that allows persons with disabilities to enjoy their right to education just like anyone else in the environment.

In his opening speech at the training of trainers in disability mainstreaming, the senior deputy secretary for Ministry of Disability and Elderly Affairs, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi showed his concern that there are gaps in the policies like the national disability action plan, lack of prioritization of disability in the current Malawi Growth and Development Strategies (MGDs) and inadequate and largely uncoordinated delivery of services that target persons with disabilities. This has resulted into minimum participation of persons with disabilities in developmental work and limited improvements in their livelihoods at family, community and national level.

Due to lack of mainstreaming, persons with disabilities have been denied the opportunity to claim equal rights to opportunities that enhance their talents, competences and independence. Rather, core providers of programs and services have considered that they need charity and care rather than empowerment. This has enhanced a dependency syndrome instead of independence and self-reliability.

The disability sector is lobbying for every sector to develop policies that include persons with disability. This process will enhance persons with disabilities to go into the mainstream so that they should participate equally in all activities and programs in all levels of the society.

Inclusion and mainstreaming also takes into consideration the use of language. Stereotyping and the emphasis on differences is a core point in the process of working with persons with disabilities. Appropriate language therefore should focus on the individual rather than the disability.

Being torch bearers in the process of disability mainstreaming, key service providers in the disability sector; the Ministry of Disability and Elderly Affairs, Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA), Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA), and its’ affiliates have taken up the task to lobby for adjustments in policies that govern infrastructure and development to be disability-inclusive. This process starts with institutionalizing mainstreaming and goes further to all sectors of the society.

Disability mainstreaming is part of societal development and can be achieved with active participation of all stakeholders and service providers. Making our policies and environments inclusive will enhance participation of people with disabilities thereby making us all move towards development of the nation.