DISABILITY INFO > Disability and Development > Disability and Culture
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Disability and Culture'Universally, societies have explanations for why some individuals and not others are disabled, how individuals with disabilities are to be treated, what roles are appropriate and inappropriate for such individuals and what rights and responsibilities individuals with disability are either entitled to or denied' - Scheer and Groce 1988 The Situation Different cultural understandings of disability can include:• Having no concept or word for disability and people with a disability being accepted as very much a part of community life with an integral role to play • Disability being understood as a medical condition that needs to be “fixed” so that person can then be included • Disability being understood as a punishment for something done by a parent or member of a previous generation. This means people with a disability are a cause of shame, and so may be hidden away. • Disability being understood as the parent most often a child’s mother having failed in some way, leading to a child’s disability This can result in blame being placed on the parent. This is one of the most common reactions to a child’s disability in most countries • Disability being understood as something that a person can catch. This understanding is common worldwide as demonstrated in reactions such as parents not wanting their child in a class with children with a disability What is cbm doing?cbm is working with local partners to: • Respect and foster the cultural identity of ALL people we work with • Present the needs of people with disabilities from a human rights perspective which seeks to promote a society that is inclusive of all people, regardless of their ability or disability. |
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