People with disability in Zambia face many unique challenges. The country has been passing laws and policies to help people with disabilities in Zambia, however, social stigma and other factors sometimes interfere in people being able to access services and assistance. In addition, the HIV epidemic in Zambia also has a significant impact on the lives of people with disabilities.
As of 2008, it was estimated that around 256,000 in Zambia have a disability in some form and around 5.4% of that number have an intellectual disability. [1] In 2011, it was estimated that the numbers may actually be somewhere between 1 and 2 million people with disability in Zambia. [2] Sixty percent of Zambians live in rural areas where they have limited access to healthcare. [3] People with disabilities have an employment rate of 45.5%, which is lower than the 58% rate for people without disabilities, according to 2005 statistics. [4]
Care-giving roles for people with disabilities in Zambia has shifted to a younger demographic than in previous years. [5] This is in part due to the drop in life expectancy in Zambia. [5]
In general, people with disability often face social stigma in Zambia. [6] Zambian people with disability can be thought to be the victims of witchcraft by others. [7] Modern Zambian religious beliefs have come to accept and embrace individuals with disabilities over time. [8] Some Zambians attribute a shift to Christianity to the new, more positive, views on people with disability in Zambia. [9] [10] In the workplace, individuals still face discrimination. [11]
Relatives are expected to care for individuals who have a disability. [12] However, there are boarding schools for children with disabilities, and these are often utilized when the children had been orphaned or abandoned. [7] People with disabilities and who are also HIV positive are further marginalized by their communities. [13] People with disability are often expected to rely on charity. [2]
People with disabilities, especially women and those who are HIV positive are assumed to have no sexuality or sex lives by others in Zambia. [14] Disabled women attempting to access health care are often discouraged from visiting health centres, especially for sexual and maternal health needs. [3]
Disability issues in Zambia fall under the control of the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare, now known as the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health (MCDMCH). [3] [15] However, overall, there is a lack of government support for individuals with disabilities. [16] Individuals who have an intellectual disability cannot receive social welfare benefits. [17] A trust fund, managed by the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities, give out funds to mostly individuals with physical disabilities. [17]
Zambia's Fifth National Development Plan has made some progress in helping people with disabilities in Zambia achieve equal status. [2]
Laws requiring ramps for schools and public buildings were passed in 2012. [7] However, many of the ramps that have been built are not suitable for people with physical disabilities. [7] The largest museum in Zambia, the Livingstone Museum, installed a ramp and other accessibility features in 2006. [18]
The Ministry of Education in Zambia handles special education in the schools. [19] The Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) is also involved in both education and employment. [15] People with disabilities in Zambia experience difficulty accessing educational opportunities. [20] Special education services have been very limited in Zambia. [7] Parents of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Lusaka reported that there were challenges to meeting the social needs of their young adult children. [21]
There have been efforts in Zambia to improve education for people with disabilities. The Persons with Disabilities Act, which mandates that all schools offer inclusive education, was passed by the government in 2012. [22] The Act also created the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities, which offers assistance, including educational opportunities, to people with disabilities. Additionally, a number of non-governmental organisations have been working to increase accessibility to education for Zambians with disabilities. For instance, Special Olympics Zambia offers education, health care, sports training, and competitions for kids and adults with intellectual disabilities. [23]
The first organisation focusing on helping people with disabilities, The Northern Rhodesia Society for the Blind, was formed in 1952. [24]
The Zambia Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities (ZACALD) is one of the most prominent organisations to advocate for individuals with intellectual disabilities in Zambia. [17] The Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) works with the government to advise on policy and advocate for people with disabilities. [15] In addition, the Zambia Federation of Disability Organisations (ZAFOD) has been cited by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) as an active and influential organisation in Zambia. [2] ZAFOD advocates for disability rights and promotes teaching issues relating to people with disabilities in tertiary schools in the country. [2]
In 1996, the Zambian government passed the Disability Act of 1996. [24] This act bans discrimination based on disability. [24] This act was repealed in 2012 and replaced with the Persons with Disability Act of 2012. [19] The new act is meant to implement the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. [19]
In 1998, the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) Act was passed and a provision considers the needs of people with disability. [19] The Workers' Compensation Act of 1999 changed the law relating to workers' compensation for injuries on the job. [19]
Zambia is affected by a generalized HIV epidemic. [25] Individuals with disabilities face unique challenges in getting access to HIV testing and treatment. [26] There is also a lack of information and education available in formats such as Braille, large print or via sign-language interpreters. [26] Children with disabilities also have trouble accessing HIV prevention information. [27] In addition, the social stigma of disability and having HIV means that some individuals prefer to die at home rather than receive treatment for HIV. [28] People who are both HIV positive and have a disability have reported that "they were seen as 'other' and 'less than human' by" health care providers. [29] They report "disability-related stigma that became heightened by the presence of HIV." [30]
Many disabled individuals have reported losing their jobs after discovery of their HIV status has been revealed. [16] These individuals turn to begging for money, which is also frowned upon in most Zambian communities. [16] Those who do have jobs find that it is difficult to take their HIV medications on time outside of the home. [31]
People with disabilities who are also HIV positive are generally assumed to not be engaging in sexual activity, when in fact, they "may be equally as sexually active as others and at increased risk of sexual abuse." [32] Assumptions about their sexuality can impact their health. [33] They have also had their privacy disregarded by health care workers who were shocked to discover a person with disabilities who was also HIV positive: "whenever they find a person with disability who is positive, it becomes a shock to them. They share it with other counsellors, and then it get broken into society." [34]
Parents of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Zambia have found that healthcare professionals do not have an "understanding of their child's condition" and the effects the condition can have on the caregivers. [35]
A project to train disabled Zambians in filmmaking was launched in 2016. [36]
Disabled sport in Zambia is organised by the National Paralympic Committee of Zambia since its establishment in 2005. [37] As of 2018 [update] Zambia has participated in Summer Paralympic Games in 1996, 2000, 2008, and 2012. They have yet to win any medals.
Special Olympics Zambia has sent teams to the 2007, 2011 and 2015 editions of the Special Olympics World Summer Games. [38]
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors. Disabilities can be present from birth or can be acquired during a person's lifetime. Historically, disabilities have only been recognized based on a narrow set of criteria—however, disabilities are not binary and can be present in unique characteristics depending on the individual. A disability may be readily visible, or invisible in nature.
Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba was a Zambian politician who was the second president of Zambia from 1991 to 2002. Chiluba, a trade union leader, won the country's multi-party presidential election in 1991 as the candidate of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), defeating long-time President Kenneth Kaunda. He was re-elected in 1996. As he was unable to run for a third term in 2001, former Vice President Levy Mwanawasa instead ran as the MMD candidate and succeeded him. After leaving office, Chiluba was the subject of a long investigation and trial regarding alleged corruption; he was eventually acquitted in 2009.
The disability rights movement is a global social movement that seeks to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for all people with disabilities.
People with disabilities in the United States are a significant minority group, making up a fifth of the overall population and over half of Americans older than eighty. There is a complex history underlying the U.S. and its relationship with its disabled population, with great progress being made in the last century to improve the livelihood of disabled citizens through legislation providing protections and benefits. Most notably, the Americans with Disabilities Act is a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy that works to protect Americans with disabilities in public settings and the workplace.
People-first language (PFL), also called person-first language, is a type of linguistic prescription which puts a person before a diagnosis, describing what condition a person "has" rather than asserting what a person "is". It is intended to avoid marginalization or dehumanization when discussing people with a chronic illness or disability. It can be seen as a type of disability etiquette but person-first language can also be more generally applied to any group that would otherwise be defined or mentally categorized by a condition or trait.
Inclusion, in relation to persons with disabilities, is defined as including individuals with disabilities in everyday activities and ensuring they have access to resources and opportunities in ways that are similar to their non-disabled peers. Disability rights advocates define true inclusion as results-oriented, rather than focused merely on encouragement. To this end, communities, businesses, and other groups and organizations are considered inclusive if people with disabilities do not face barriers to participation and have equal access to opportunities and resources.
Christianity has been very much at the heart of religion in Zambia since the European colonial explorations into the interior of Africa in the mid 19th century. The area features heavily in the accounts of David Livingstone's journeys in Central Africa.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Zambia face significant challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal for both men and women in Zambia. Formerly a colony of the British Empire, Zambia inherited the laws and legal system of its colonial occupiers upon independence in 1964. Laws concerning homosexuality have largely remained unchanged since then, and homosexuality is covered by sodomy laws that also proscribe bestiality. Social attitudes toward LGBT people are mostly negative and coloured by perceptions that homosexuality is immoral and a form of insanity. However, in recent years, younger generations are beginning to show positive and open minded attitudes towards their LGBT peers.
HIV/AIDS is considered the deadliest epidemic in the 21st century. It is transmitted through sex, intravenous drug use and mother-to-child transmission. Zambia is experiencing a generalized HIV/AIDS epidemic, with a national HIV prevalence rate of 11.3% among adults ages 15 to 49 as of 2018. Per the 2000 Zambian census, the people affected by HIV/AIDS constituted 15% of the total population, amounting to one million, of which 60% were women. The pandemic results in increased number of orphans, with an estimated 600,000 orphans in the country. It was prevalent more in urban areas compared to rural and among all provinces, Copperbelt Province and Lusaka Province had higher occurrence.
The 2000 Zambian census was conducted in Zambia in 2000 by DRS under approval of the Government of Zambia, which recorded demographic data from 13 million people and 4 million households. Planning for the project commenced in 1998. In October 2000 the census started, with more than 30,000 workers across Zambia completing the 17 million double-sided A4 forms. The census was completed in May 2001. The scanning was undertaken in collaboration with the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ) and published by the Central Statistical Office. The census was noted by the Milton Keynes & North Bucks Chamber of Commerce and the DRS received a special commendation for its census work in Africa.
Sexuality and disability is a topic regarding the sexual behavior and practices of people with disabilities. Like the general population, these individuals exhibit a wide range of sexual desires and adopt diverse methods of expressing their sexuality. It is a widespread concern, however, that many people with disabilities do not receive comprehensive sex education, which could otherwise positively contribute to their sexual lives. This roots from the idea that people with disabilities are asexual in nature and are not sexually active. Although some people with disabilities identify as asexual, generalizing this label to all such individuals is a misconception. Many people with disabilities lack rights and privileges that would enable them to have intimacy and relationships. When it comes to sexuality and disability there is a sexual discourse that surrounds it. The intersection of sexuality and disability is often associated with victimization, abuse, and purity.
Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice against people with physical or mental disabilities. Ableism characterizes people as they are defined by their disabilities and it also classifies disabled people as people who are inferior to non-disabled people. On this basis, people are assigned or denied certain perceived abilities, skills, or character orientations.
Discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS or serophobia is the prejudice, fear, rejection, and stigmatization of people with HIV/AIDS. Marginalized, at-risk groups such as members of the LGBTQ+ community, intravenous drug users, and sex workers are most vulnerable to facing HIV/AIDS discrimination. The consequences of societal stigma against PLHIV are quite severe, as HIV/AIDS discrimination actively hinders access to HIV/AIDS screening and care around the world. Moreover, these negative stigmas become used against members of the LGBTQ+ community in the form of stereotypes held by physicians.
The Ghana Statistical Service reports from their 2021 census indicate that approximately eight percent of the Ghanaian population experience some form of disability, with a higher prevalence among females (8.8%) than males (6.7%). Disabilities are more common in rural areas (9.5%) compared to urban areas (6.5%). Among the six domains of disability, difficulty in seeing is the most widespread, affecting four percent of the population, while difficulty in communicating is the least common, affecting one percent. Disability issues in Ghana have evolved from a human rights concern to a developmental issue due to Ghana's high poverty rate.
Singapore does not have a formal definition of disability. Singapore signed on to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2013 and coordinates the Enabling Masterplan with both government and non governmental organisations.
Nsofwa Petronella Sampa is a Zambian HIV activist and clinical psychological counselor. Sampa's work focuses on working with people living with HIV and disabilities. She is a recipient of a Mandela Washington Fellowship, YALI participant and a PEPFAR beneficiary. After discovering her health status as being HIV positive, Sampa began to advocate for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
The status of women in Zambia has improved in recent years. Among other things, the maternal mortality rate has dropped and the National Assembly of Zambia has enacted multiple policies aimed at decreasing violence against women. However, progress is still needed. Most women have limited access to reproductive healthcare, and the total number of women infected with HIV in the country continues to rise. Moreover, violence against women in Zambia remains common. Child marriage rates in Zambia are some of the highest in the world, and women continue to experience high levels of physical and sexual violence.
Around 35,000 people in Belize have a disability. There are efforts to raise awareness about people with disabilities in Belize and counter social stigma. Several non-governmental organizations, including Special Olympics, help increase awareness and the government sponsors an annual Disability Week. Services for people with disabilities is limited and most areas of the country have limited accessibility.
Disability in Kenya "results from the interaction between individuals with a health condition with personal and environmental factors including negative attitudes, inaccessible transport and public buildings, and limited social support. A person's environment has a huge effect on the experience and extent of disability." Having a disability can limit a citizen's access to basic resources, basic human rights, and social, political and economic participation in Kenyan society. There are three forms of limitation of access linked to disability: impairment, disability, and handicap. An impairment is "the loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological or anatomical structure or function." A disability results from an impairment as "the restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner considered normal for a human being", and the requirement for accommodation. Finally, a handicap "results from a disability, and limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal for that individual."