Over the bar

Yes, exactly, that is the term commonly used by sports commentators, particularly in football commentaries. Upon hearing the phrase (over the bar,) many minds are averted to the situation where soccer players strike the round object high above the goal post. I am sure you are nodding your head now, of course; you are right.

But in this context, we are paying attention to the situation where our colleagues, persons with disabilities maneuver their way around obstacles and can rise high above impediments in their paths.

I know by now, questions such as: who are these people? And how do they do it? Would echo in the minds of many of you reading this. In the United Kingdom, a person with disability is legally described as an individual who has physical and mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person’s ability to carry out a normal day to day activities. Disability is considered a mental and physical impairment that limits one or more of the major life activities. Or any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the individual to perform certain activities, known as “activity limitations” and or interact with the world around them also referred to as “participation restrictions”

The several types of disability include blindness or visual impairment, deaf and hard of hearing, intellectual disability, paralysis, cerebral palsy, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, attention deficit and hyperactive disorder (ADHAD), albinism, autistic spectrum disorder, medical disability among a host of others.

Statistically speaking, a little over one billion of the world’s population, representing 15 percent, live with one form of a disability or the other. 80 percent of this number are in the developing countries like Ghana. About 150million of this number are children and about 80 percent of persons with disabilities are poor. astonishingly, about 50 percent of the world’s population get to experience one form of disability or the other before their demise.

In effect, disability is closer to us than we think and hence, should accord people with disability the needed respect they deserve.

Disability can be congenital in nature. This means, it is acquired from birth. It can result from genetic challenges, birth defects, medication during pregnancy, and many others. Disability is also accidental, which implies, acquired after birth. This also results from accidents, bad medication, surgery, and many others. The point must be made that some disabilities have no known cause yet, and in our part of the world, we are quick to attribute such disabilities to spiritual causes.

In as much as everyone stand the risk of becoming a disabled, overwhelming majority of humanity hold negative misconception against persons with disabilities which is born out of ignorance and require aggressive measures aimed at sensitizing the public to overcome this canker.

Many people think disability is an illness. This is entirely false. Persons with disabilities are not sick, they are instead seeking acceptance and inclusion rather than cure. It must be understood that certain disabilities may come with some associated illnesses as symptoms, but those symptoms should not in any way be used to represent the disability.

In a comparable manner, people hold the erroneous perception that disability is a contagious disease. They think it is an airborne disease like (C19) which is easily transmittable through air and hence is not approachable. The above assertion is false and out of ignorance. Disability is not contagious and your association with persons with disabilities does not make you a disabled person.

Others think that all disabilities are visible. This is untrue. Many of the disabilities cannot be seen with the eye. Disabilities such as bipolar disorder, dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactive disorder and similar others are invisible to the eye but can be noticed when triggered. People should therefore desist from asking the question “what shows one is disabled?” Instead, treat everybody with genuine kindness, for you just never know who might be battling an invisible disability.

It is also a widespread perception that people with disabilities always need help. Whiles help is not a bad thing, and many people require it, it should not be seen as if without help, an individual with a disability cannot do anything. People with disabilities also prefer to be independent. And like anybody, always ask first before you help a person with a disability.

Many people turn to believe that persons with disabilities are feeble and not dependable employees. This is false, for it has been shown that employees with disabilities are much less likely to take sick leave or time off. (40 percent) and they stay much longer with their employers often with higher output and usually with the aim of proving their doubters wrong.

It must be emphasized that persons with disabilities are crossing from the dark ages where there exists no opportunity for them at the family, communal and the societal level. Where they are treated as an outcast and considered as worthless and hence, had no protection from the law to the era of enlightenment where opportunities, although inadequate, are made available for them. The discovery of assistive technology during the digital age has made it easier for people with disabilities to be more comfortable and live an independent life.

Persons with disabilities can now have access to good education to the post doctorate level and are serving their countries at diverse levels in terms of employment. In Ghana, we can talk about Dr. Seidu Daana, the first blind person, for that matter, a person with disability who served as the minister for chieftaincy from 2012 to 2016 after serving in the civil service for more than 18 years and his achievements cannot be underestimated. The recent appointment of Mr. Joshua Makubu, a physically disabled person as the Oti regional minister give an indication of public confident in persons with disabilities to be in trusted positions. We can also talk about Paul Anoma Kodia and Selasi Sikanku who are in the broadcasting space, and the list continue to cover individuals with disability serving at the bar, civil service, the teaching field and even in the private sector who are contributing their quota to national development.

The invention of screen readers has made it possible for individuals suffering from blindness to use any sophisticated tools like computers and smart phones with ease. Other equipment such as the magnifiers, white canes, braille accessories and many others has made the living condition better and independent for the blind man. The use of hearing aids has made it easy for persons who are deaf and hard of hearing to hear and understand conversations and feel part of society. The use of close captions and video transcript has further reduced the hearing barriers for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. There are similar digital interventions that have made it possible to overcome obstacles that usually limit the potential of individuals with disabilities.

In the domestic setting, persons with disabilities can perform their chores with little or no assistance. They cook varieties of food, wash their clothes and utensils, tidy their homes, perform marital duties, give birth, take diligent care of their wards even from the infantile stages, they assume responsibilities for other family members, participate in decision making and the list goes on-and-on.

Persons with disabilities are found in our various communities. They are very friendly and approachable. Interacting with them is very easy when we are considerate in our language and actions. It is important to note that you do not mention a person’s disability unless it is relevant to the conversation, or they introduce it themselves. Always ask before helping and wait for a go ahead first. Do not underestimate the potential of persons with disabilities and remember not to treat them with disdain. Be patient and give your undivided attention during interactions, do not pretend to understand when you do not, rather, always seek clarifications when needed.

Remember not to use offensive language or outdated terms such as (handicapped, mentally retarded, deaf, and dumb, wheelchair bound) and words of similar kind. Instead, terms like (intellectual disability, hard of hearing, uses wheelchair, ETC) should be encouraged. Offer apologies when you forget some courtesy for, he or she is a person first and not disability. Treat everyone as a person with the same dignity and respect.

Author: Collins Losu, disability/inclusion manager, Azubi Africa.