Fight against social discrimination

THE DISABLED FIGHT AGAINST SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION

In addition to the daily problems that one may encounter in his or her lifetime, a disabled person suffers from more specific problems, which makes life for him even more complicate. However, in Senegal the disabled are exploring all avenues that could improve their livelihoods. Oumar Diop, President of Handicap Form-Educ, tells us about the efforts that have been made in that direction.

Would you tell us about your organization?
Handicap Form-Educ is a relatively young association, which came into existence only in june 1999 and It is constituted by people who for 20 years now, have been active in associations in favour of the disabled. The uniqueness of our association lies in the fact that our activities are not restricted to a single type of disability. We work with persons with motor disability as well as those with oral and hearing disabilities, or visual and mental disabilities.

What type of activities is your organization involved in?
Our action covers several areas for we cannot afford specialization. However, we lay more emphasis on training, education and communication, without of course leaving aside social assistance, which is a basic need for the disabled. It is so because the disabled do not benefit from social welfare and they often depends on the support given to them by associations such as the one I am involved in.

Do public authorities take up your action?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer in the affirmative even if one must reckon that a significant effort has been made by the government. The new authorities are trying to do something and how ever timid the results might be, they are to be encouraged. For instance, we rejoiced over the mere fact that the President Abdoulaye Wade employed a disabled person, moreover a blind person, as a Special Advisor, even though the move did not live up to expectations
for the said adviser is not working at the Presidential Office but in his house. Never the less, it is a nomination which we highly appreciate.

What proportion do the disabled represent within the Senegalese population?
In Senegal or even in Africa, there are no reliable figures, we are working with statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) which reveals that in developing countries the disabled represent 10 to 20 % of the population. One must however point pout that in some countries, the concept of disability is very wide and in many of such countries, HIV/AIDS positive people are considered as disabled. As regards Senegal however, we consider the figure to be 10% of the overall population.

What sort of problems are the disabled confronted with, on a daily basis?
Mobility is the basic problem that the disabled are faced with. That actually raises another issue, which is about integration and equality among citizens, because as a matter of fact, people with motor disability have no access to almost any of the public buildings. To cite an example: the administrative building is a fortress for a disabled person on a wheel chair, unless he is carried by someone. The disabled are citizens in their own rights and they should be able to move about without the hindrance of any type of architectural barriers.

The other major problem is the discrimination that the disabled are subjected to, especially in matters of socio professional integration. When a disabled person applies for a job, he or she is often turned down even if he or she has the required diplomas or the right qualifications. As soon as the interview takes place, the applicant is ousted because of the disability. A perfect illustration of this is the case of the young Sadiya from Tambacounda. He came second in the competitive examination for young volunteers but when it came to recruiting him, the Tambacounda Inspector refused on the grounds that he was a disabled person. It is all the more aberration that many disabled people are teachers who carry out their duties admirably.

How are the disabled perceived in Senegal? Are they marginalized or even rejected or are they, on the contrary well integrated?
We have to look at it from two angles. Here in Africa, we are lucky to have values of solidarity,
which enable the disabled to be very well integrated in the Senegalese society but such a situation also has its shortcomings, for the disabled live in a situation where they are constantly assisted. This must change, that is to say that there is need for a full integration for the disabled while enabling them develop their potential.

Nowadays, in Senegal, in Dakar in particular, there is a real craze for the New Information and Communication Technologies (NTIC), what does the NTIC represent for the disabled? Does it widen their horizons?
For us is a real "hobbyhorse" because the NTIC undoubtedly constitute a great shortcut, for it is time - saving and efficient. This holds us not only for fit people, but even more for the disabled. I always say that nobody cares whether the person behind the computer is fit or disabled, what matters is the mastery of the computer tool. Even heavily disabled people could, with the appropriate equipment, achieve unthinkable things. I can give you the example of a scandinavian with multiple disabilities, armless, who managed to write a book by holding a stick tight with his teeth and knocking it on the keyboard, just to tell you that the perspectives opened by the NTIC as regards the disabled is quite encouraging.

We are actually on a project for the popularisation of the use of computers destined to the disabled. With the CYBERPOP project of the NGO ENDA Tiers Monde, the Center for Research and International Development and Strategic Acacia, we have initiated about fifty disabled persons to the use of the NTIC and to tele-work which is rather a new concept in Senegal : it enables someone to do work at home and it is without any doubt one of the ways to curb the underemployment of the disabled.

Do you think that in the short and medium term one could envision a significant improvement
in the condition of the disabled in Senegal ?
We live with hope, we have good faith and we shall keep on fighting for a future, which we hope.