Disability is not Inability

:: Disabled people themselves should have the interest and passion to want to aspire for politics

The Vienna Declaration and programme of Action (1993) takes cognizance of this and stresses that, “special attention needs to be paid to ensure non discrimination and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by disabled persons, including their active participation in all aspects of society”.

Special measures means conscious, creative individual and collective efforts and programmes aimed at analysing, identifying and removal of those barriers that would otherwise impede effective participation.

But, it also means disabled people themselves should have the interest and passion to want to aspire for politics.
External support and facilitation is good and necessary but has limitations too.

The great Mao Tse Tung of China had this to say, “a hen can sit on a stone and not produce a chicken”. What hatches into a chicken is the force of life inside the egg itself, the force of change is inside oneself, outsiders can only provide 'enabling conditions'. It takes two to tango, so they say!

But, first things first. Before we talk of politics and the disabled; is the general public aware and appreciative of the role and place of those with disabilities? Do the disabled have the knowledge, experience, confidence and bottle for political battle?

Do they understand the dynamics and intricacies of the political game? In my view a lot of ground work needs to be covered if we are to see persons with disabilities in local authorities, parliament and even in state house!

Addressing the above so called capacity building issues will level the requisite playing field and certainly inspire them to aspire for deeper and enhanced political participation.

Democracy is about numbers, disabled people must be facilitated to realize “their political arsenal” through knowing that they themselves plus their families and friends constitute such a great population and an electoral force and threat. Great political parties and wise political players know the power of number in the political jigsaw.

:: Seek ye the political kingdom first and all else will follow”

:: PWDs need to understand politics.

:: Politics

:: Disabled people themselves should have the interest and passion to want to aspire for politics

:: What needs to be done for “Seek ye the political kingdom first and all else will follow”.

:: Are there any benefits to political participation by disabled people?

By Phitalis Were Masakhwe (mphitalis@yahoo.com, phitalis.masakhwe@undp.org), International Advisor Disability - Rights and Advocacy UNDP/NPAD

The writer, a sociologist has a physical disability and is currently the international Advisor Disability-Rights & Advocacy for UNDP in Afghanistan.