Online Reporter
Disability Issues
Dr Christine Peta
ON May 15, Zimbabwe commemorated the International Day of Families, which ran under the theme “Family-Oriented Policies for Sustainable Development: Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development”.
The Second World Summit for Social Development, which is scheduled for Doha, Qatar, from November 4-6, will also focus on the pivotal role of family-oriented policies in advancing sustainable development, as well as integrating family focused policies into national development processes.
Indeed, families are the foundation of society.
They have diverse problems and needs, depending on their structure — nuclear, polygamous, single-parent (male-led or female-led), grandparent-headed, child-headed, extended, blended/stepfamily, multi-generational, chosen family or families with persons with disabilities.
The focus of this article is on families with persons with disabilities.
Having a family member with disabilities significantly impacts the mental, physical, social and economic well-being of the entire unit.
Within most African contexts, disability is often associated with evil spirits, witchcraft and the breaking of traditional taboos.
Consequently, stigma and marginalisation commonly extend beyond the individual with disabilities to the whole family, leading to scenarios where guilt, blame and reduced self-esteem become prevalent.
A typical day for some parents, guardians or caregivers of children with disabilities may involve bending, lifting and carrying the children and their assistive devices, including wheelchairs.
Transfers to and from bathtubs, beds, feeding chairs and toilets may also be necessary.
As a result, back pain, injuries, falls and physical impairments may frequently occur.
In situations where parents or guardians of children with disabilities find it difficult to access appropriate and affordable childcare, they may choose to leave employment to become full-time caregivers, thus reducing family income.
Yet the out-of-pocket costs of associated medical care and other services required by children with disabilities can be high.
In some instances, additional children in the family may be forced to drop out of school to care for a sibling or other family member with severe disabilities, thereby violating their right to education.
Ultimately, children are generally expected to grow up, leave home and become independent.
However, some children with disabilities may require lifelong care, potentially extending beyond the death of their parents.
While some children with disabilities may successfully transition to independence in early adulthood, significant resources may be needed to reach that level.
In a number of African contexts, having a child with disabilities in the family often increases chances of divorce, as the wife’s family is frequently blamed for bringing misfortune to the marriage, resulting in the child’s disability.
Women who acquire disabilities during their marriages are also often at risk of divorce, as their ability to fulfil traditional feminine roles expected of women in society may be viewed negatively.
A “good” African woman is generally regarded as one who carries the burdens of the family, cleans the house, washes clothes and cooks for her husband.
This can become difficult when disability complicates the perception of femininity, leading to the woman being considered useless.
On the positive side, families with members with disabilities may develop increased awareness of disability issues, build strong inner resilience and experience enhanced family cohesion, particularly when connections to community groups or religious institutions are strengthened.
Way forward
As we advance sustainable development and integrate family-focused policies and programmes into national development processes, including social protection, it is crucial to strengthen our consideration of families with persons with disabilities.
Furthermore, there is a need to undertake research in this understudied area of the ripple effects of having a family member with disabilities to inform policy and practice.
Dr Christine Peta is a disability, public health, policy, international development and research expert. She can be contacted on: [email protected]
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter