Some Misconceptions in Developing Countries About Persons with Disabilities

Misconceptions and preconceived notions about disability pose an obstacle to the participation of persons with disabilities in social and professional life. Certain misconceptions prevail in developing countries regarding persons with disabilities, revolving around several points that we review in this article:

• Persons with disabilities are unable to contribute to serving the family and society:

Such beliefs prevail especially in South Africa that persons with disabilities are unable to be independent or productive. The prevailing belief is that they are in need of continuous assistance.

• Persons with disabilities are unable to establish a successful marital relationship:

In a number of African countries such as Uganda and Kenya, the marital relationship between spouses with disabilities is viewed with ridicule, whereas in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, the family of a girl with a disability arranges the marriage with anyone who accepts the girl's disability. They believe that persons with disabilities lack the qualities necessary to form a successful marital relationship.

• Persons with disabilities are unable to report sexual abuse:

When persons with disabilities are assumed to be unable to understand what is happening or even report sexual assault, especially intellectual or visual disabilities. The impunity experienced by the perpetrators of the crime makes matters worse, and non-reporting may be linked to stigma, which in some countries is considered taboo or shameful.

• Persons with disabilities bring bad luck:

It is considered one of the widespread misconceptions, especially in South Africa; children with disabilities and their families are avoided out of fear that they bring bad luck to others, intentionally or unintentionally. This includes pregnant women out of fear that their child might be contaminated! This belief extends to classrooms, where parents prefer that their typical children do not interact with children with disabilities.

• The bodies of persons with disabilities have magical properties:

Unscrupulous sorcerers and practitioners kill and mutilate persons with disabilities to use them in their rituals in order to help individuals become wealthy or successful competitors.

Prepared by: Sabreen Al-Jadaani

Source

.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b18fe3240f0b634aec30791/Disability_stigma_in_developing_countries.pdf

Originally published in Arabic. This English version was produced with AI-assisted translation; the Arabic original remains the reference.