Perceptions of People with Disabilities Around the World

Waaaay back in August I wrote in my blog that one of the things I was going to do in each country was learn about how people with disabilities are viewed. I talked with multiple people from each country asking how their country perceives and helps people with disabilities. I also asked about their awareness on mental health and the availability of therapy. Conveniently, I just wrote a paper for a class using my collected data and thought I’d share it with you. I REALLY enjoyed studying this as I traveled the world and was surprised by certain patterns that developed along the way. I hope as you read it you may find it interesting too.

I walked through a hallway and saw a little Indian boy sitting on a small chair. His arms and legs were disgustingly skinny and his head limply laid against the wall. He stared far off into the distance, that is until I kneeled beside him. Even though he could not understand my English he stared deep into my eyes and then gleamed one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen. This 9-year-old boy, although appearing to be 4 years old, had spinal bifida and mental retardation. He was fortunate to have been put into a home for the disabled where they challenge his physical and mental strengths. But how would his life be different if he was born in a different country? He would be treated differently by the general public, possibly not have a place to stay, and have differing rights and financial support under the government. By visiting ten countries over this past semester, I have been able to study how mental and physical disabilities are viewed and treated throughout the world.

The world is surprisingly mostly accepting of those with disabilities. In previous years, a person with a disability had been seen to be a destruction to society and worth nothing. However as technology has taught us more about disabilities, countries have evolved to accept people with disabilities into their culture with little or no judgments. However, I found the biggest factor inhibiting full acceptance into a society is whether the country is undeveloped or developed. Developed countries have the financial stability to provide opportunities to the disabled. They open group homes and schools specialized for the blind, deaf, and physically disabled. They also are able to offer psychologists to the mentally distraught. For example, Spain, a developed country, includes free sessions with a psychologist for anyone with life insurance. Spain also has a lottery in which the money goes towards helping give jobs and financial support to those with disabilities that hinder their abilities to work. Because Spain is a developed country, they are able to financially support those with disabilities.

On the other hand, undeveloped countries usually care to help, but just do not have the funds. For example, Morocco does not have the financial capabilities to give to the disabled. However, Muhammad VI made many efforts to get this going. He made a button with his face on it and sold it for $1. He wore it and everyone else wanted to do as their king was doing, so they bought buttons too. All the money went to a foundation to help people with disabilities. When their leader took initiative, small amounts of money contributed to a great cause. Muhammad VI was admired for finding a way to help this population even though their governmental system lacked the abilities. Ghana surprisingly differs from most undeveloped countries. They have a public health welfare system directed towards people with disabilities. They have group homes for the day and/or night and specialized institutions for a variety of disabilities. Even though Ghana is undeveloped, they have taken their importance on family and friends and made an extra effort to include even those who are disabled. South Africa, a country with a unique history and present standing, is both developed and extremely undeveloped. The British developed the land into cities and are able to help the disabled by giving them $100 a week, although this is still not enough to get by. As for the undeveloped parts, many still live in townships and struggle just to get by. They are focused just on helping themselves everyday that they are not able to also help a person who is disabled. Whatever the upper/middle class gets in South Africa, it is much less for the lower class. The divide between developed and undeveloped countries in providing for people with disabilities stands on the ability to give financial support.

As people taught me about their countries’ stance on people with disabilities, I began to notice a pattern: The first disability to be focused on is blindness, the second is the deafness, and the last are the more life-constraining disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, mental retardation, and Spinal Bifida. The lottery in Spain originally focused on just the blind, and then began to expand to other disabilities. Japan focuses most on integrating the blind into society. They include Braille on a few of the yen bills and some directory signs. They also play music when the crosswalk is green so they know when they can safely cross. Vietnam has opened a few schools for the deaf in both low and high-class areas. Hong Kong was the most handicap-friendly nation we visited, as they had signs for the handicapped all over and also made walkways and buildings handicapped accessible. Although the development of which handicaps are focused on first seems unfair to those on the bottom of the list, it makes perfect sense for developing nations. Offering schools and aid for the blind and deaf are not nearly as expensive as it is for those with more physical and mental disabilities. Wheelchairs and daily care are much more pricey than including Braille on a monetary unit.

Countries seemed less aware of mental health issues than physical disabilities and, therefore, take less action. When I asked about mental health, most representatives of each country brushed the question off. I could be interpreting this wrong and realize that maybe they simply did not understand what I was asking or did not know how to answer. However, I think they did understand and their answer actually reflected the country’s view. Many undeveloped countries are hardly aware of the different mental disorders and how to deal with them. Physical disabilities are obvious because you can see them, but not only can you not see a mental disorder (for the most part), to admit that one mentally has “something wrong with them” has not become a comfort topic in most countries. The mental disorder that most countries were aware of is depression. Ghanaian people, even though an undeveloped country, already is taking action on mental health issues. Their most treated disorder is depression. I am unaware, though, whether this is because the population experiences depression more than any other disorder or this is simply the disorder that the country is most aware of. Morocco, on the other hand, knows for a fact that their most common mental health issue is depression in women. Moroccan women have been oppressed into the feminine role for years. But now some of those women are rebelling and becoming more highly educated and fending for themselves. But this fight is not free. It costs them some of their mentality, pushing many of them into depression. A man told me a story: a doctor came to a school for free and the women swarmed around him. They each awaited their turns then each, unknowing that the others were sharing the same pain, described the stress tension in their backs. The doctor could only wonder if this was from all the weight they had been carrying. They are not free persons, but see their husbands and women around them enjoying freedoms and become depressed when they realize their inhibiting lifestyle. Morocco does offer therapy to these women, however it is at a financial cost. Those in Spain can see a psychologist for free, and depression is less of a problem there. China and Japan have an extremely high suicide rate. Both cultures are driven very much by success, not leaving much room for daily encouragement or mental concern. But it does leave room for depression, which some chose to end. Depression is the most widely known mental disorder among the countries we have visited and the therapy offered for disorders widely varies in availability and cost.

The greatest factor among the variability in views and action for people with disabilities that I noticed is this: Values reflect care. I will share four countries whose values reflect their care for the disabled population. Mauritians, confined to their own small exclusive island, highly value family. As a man told me, “No matter the case, people will always have a home.” If a person is born with a disability into a family, the family will no doubt love that child just like the other children. They will take care of that child in their household until they are no longer physically able. They will then move them into a home for the disabled. The home I visited had members in the 60+ range. The nonexistence of young members shows how dedicated families are to keeping a family member with a disability within the family for as long as possible. The government also keeps people with disabilities in check. If the person is 60% incapable, a doctor will check them one time a year for free. They are given a pension of $90 per month and get free services at hospitals but must pay for private practices. If a person becomes physically injured, the government still offers them help of $3000 for a year. When asked how valuing family came about, a man answered, “The British left us with only sugar cane farms. Nothing else. So we were forced to help each other in all areas. We help each other because we don’t have any one else to help us.”

Japan, a third way around the world from Mauritius, places value in multiple places. They do treasure family, but they also treasure success. Therefore, their jobs are very important to them. If something distracts them from this job, they are likely to give it up. If a person with a disability is born into a family, the family will most likely give him/her away to a group home. The family is too busy working that they are not able to appropriately take care of the child. Even though the family values success, they still care enough to give them a home where they can be given more direct attention.

India’s view on care for the disabled has been changing over the years. Traditionally, each family struggled enough to just get by every day that they would leave the person with a disability at home while they went out to try to make money. This left the person unfed and unkempt with either a caretaker or no one at all. The family would still include that person as a member of their family and love on them, even if they weren’t able to provide adequate care. However, India is becoming a wealthy nation, though still divided, and has pushed these previous actions mostly aside. The government itself is still not able to afford programs for the disabled. Instead, it is individuals and groups who are taking action. I visited Missionaries of Charity Orphanage, one that Mother Teresa opened to take in any abandoned children and care for them, including both disabled and nondisabled. They will literally take those left at the doorstep or found abandoned on the city street. Another orphanage I visited, Samarpana for the “Deaf and Spastic”, specializes in the mentally and physically disabled. There are similar homes specified for the physically disabled who are not mentally challenged. These homes provide schooling and challenge them every day to learn more. They also offer physical treatments that challenge their bodies’ capabilities. It is not unusual to see people walking who could not walk for the first 10 years of their lives. Other programs believe in orienting people with disabilities into the community. They believe they should not be kept separate but integrated with the “normal” population. They provide free education and care for the day even though it is dependent on volunteers since it is not government-funded. India is changing their disparities to become more accepting of people with disabilities, teaching them, and integrating them in as a part of the normal population.

Vietnam is an interesting case. As a purely communist country for many years, the Vietnam government had an authoritative say in institutions dedicated towards people with disabilities. In fact, the government guaranteed a place for people with disabilities in society and gave them a purpose. However, recently the government has become a free economy/market. This has allowed people to become greedier and want more for only themselves, causing people with disabilities to be pushed aside and placed at the bottom where they receive little. They are not able to fend for their own rights, so their potential is reliant on individuals to start schools and homes. And luckily, individuals have taken the initiative to give them a place again. They have built specialized schools and also are trying to integrate them with “normal” children. The value placed on people with disabilities in Vietnam is highly dependent on the communist government’s actions.

All around the world each country views people with disabilities and takes action to provide for them differently. Depending on which country a child may be born into will determine if they are given a home, cared for, and schooled. The world as a whole is increasing their knowledge on disabilities and also learning how to better care for them. Even though each may be developing at a different pace, it is great to see that the world is at least taking great strides to notice and provide for people with disabilities.

Sources:
Various citizens (tour guides, family members, government officials, taxi drivers, etc.) from Spain, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, and Japan.