International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Not an insurmountable climb

Once in a while citizens, accustomed to reading newspapers, find stories about vulnerable groups living in the country. Some of these stories are shockingly dark and depressing.

Through the prism of pain and sorrow experienced by persons who struggle, day in and day out, just to survive, we realize how the quest for equity, equality and social justice looks like an insurmountable climb. Persons living with disabilities are among the most vulnerable, discriminated against and deprived of fair opportunities.

They are often dismissed as losers and taken for granted.

What a mistake, what a pity! It is a mistake and a pity not to acknowledge and recognize persons living with disabilities because, all in all, it’s the whole Nepal that is tremendously missing out.

Missing out on what? The answer couldn’t be simpler.

The nation, by not recognizing, acknowledging and giving visibility to persons with disabilities, is precluding and at the same time, excluding the innate potential and skills of a large group of citizens. These citizens, living with disabilities, are unable to contribute to the national growth of the country.

Nepal is at such a stage of development that it needs the involvement of all its citizenry. Ahead of us, there are big aspirations and goals that have been set by policymakers.

For example, turning the country into a middle economy, a small but dynamic nation that, one day, would be able to attract foreign investments. Rather than having thousands of youths migrating each year to more developed nations, Nepal hopes to retain its best minds and laborious human resources. Yet many groups, among them persons with disabilities, are seen as a burden. They are not recognized for what they could do for the country. This type of status quo, if you think about it, is not just frustrating but also maddening.

If you are a youth living with a disability, you really have less opportunity to shine. Accessibility remains a huge issue, for example. There are plenty of new buildings and constructions but how many of them have ramps? But it is not only about accessibility. The issue is much broader and complex. It is really about a state of mindset that discourages the rise of persons with disabilities or, similarly, citizens belonging to the Dalit community.

But this status quo can change because it can be challenged. And it gets challenges each time that persons with disability are able to showcase their skills, talents and overall capacities.

Fortunately for Nepal, there are also different types of stories about disabilities. Readers of newspapers can also find inspiring reporting about incredible achievements obtained by persons with disabilities.

For example, the recent story written by Ellie Davis for a daily about Nirmala Bhandari, a national adaptive sports athlete but also a strong social inclusion activist, can be inspiring. Without discounting the tragic stories we often read about exclusion and discrimination, there is also another side of the coin.

Today it is important to highlight this different picture, promoting the potential and actual achievements of thousands of citizens, especially the young ones, who live with disabilities. It is important doing so not only because today is a special occasion, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It is essential doing so because building alliances with persons with disabilities or persons belonging to other vulnerable groups should be seen as a civic duty.

Alliances are paramount to challenge the status quo and change it for better. While many of us have decided to embrace the cause of climate and biodiversity activism and rightly so, we should not forfeit other important responsibilities. Because the struggle for equity, equality and social justice can only be won together. Only when less disadvantaged citizens, only when the middle and upper class members of the society realize that a lot depends on them can change occur.

But let’s be clear: Dalits or persons living with disabilities do not need tutoring or paternalistic, top-down attitudes. They must be able to lead by showing the way and by helping other citizens to implement the required changes step by step, minute by minute. At the end of the day, we need persons with disabilities to showcase their own leadership.

It is a leadership that, like in the case of Nirmala  Bhandari, is developed through a very painful journey.  We are talking of the highest form of leadership because it is built through a continuous effort and it is founded on inner resilience and endless determination. This is not just the case of Nirmala.

Like her, there are many other youth and adults with disabilities who are doing great. The problem is that only few get noticed and recognized. This is a painful truth.

While we certainly need a much stronger implementation of existing laws and regulations in matters of disabilities and social inclusion, a lot will depend on people’s attitudes and behaviors. The hope is that these gems of leadership, as I said, too often hidden, can shine.

This year’s theme of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is focused on amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities. In a recent webinar organized by the South Asia Office of UNICEF, an exemplary group of young disabilities activists from the region shared their own stories. Unsurprisingly there were many instances of discrimination, stories of pain and sorrow. But there was also a kind of different story built out of strengths, grit and determination.

These are examples of hope and leadership that must be greatly amplified. A whole society’s effort is required. In plain terms, it means everyone must do her part to defeat the status quo.

But it also means something else: let’s have a society that by default will unleash the energies, skills, knowledge of persons living with disabilities and the ones of other vulnerable groups.

At the end, let’s also have more citizens who overcame the status quo and got rid of it so that they can write and share more of their successes and achievements not only once in a year. A more inclusive Nepal means a better and richer nation because no talents or skills have been wasted. And it also means that much more real leaders are out there to work for a better society.