Break barriers people with disabilities are facing

Current statistics infers that there are at least 93 million children with disabilities in the world, but numbers could be much higher. Ten percent of the world’s population lives with a disability and 80 percent of these people live in developing countries. The World Report on Disability from 2011 estimates the prevalence of people with disabilities in Ethiopia even on 17.6 percent. What’s more, many of the people with disability live in poverty, face discrimination, and are denied basic opportunities for growth. 

The theme of this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, ‘Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology.’ promotes an understanding of disability issues and mobilizes support for the dignity, rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. 

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2014, World Vision calls on all development actors, civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders to promote the role of technology in disaster risk reduction and emergency responses, create enabling working environments to the disabled and to develop disability-inclusive sustainable development goals.

Children with disabilities are one of the most marginalized and excluded groups in society. “People in the community didn’t see and treat me like any other physically able child…I simply hated my life,” said Workalem Wasihun a16 years old girl. Facing daily discrimination in the form of negative attitudes, lack of adequate policies and legislation, they are effectively barred from realizing their rights to healthcare, education, and even survival.

In 2013, WVE impacted 10,143 (4,756 female) children with disabilities by all its projects and also facilitated implementation of inclusion for all project in seven of its ADPs which focused on disability & HIV/AIDS, economic development, disability awareness raising, inclusive education etc.