Why Children with Disabilities

Children with disabilities are at dramatically heightened risk of violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation.

Throughout Africa, less than 10% of children with a disability are in primary education. In some countries only 13% receive any form of education. The World Health Organization and the World Bank estimate that in some African countries “being disabled more than doubles the chance of never enrolling in school”. An estimated one in three out-of-school children have a disability.

Barriers to learning for children with disabilities

Accessibility

School buildings may not be accessible to children with physical disabilities. In remote rural areas or slums with poor infrastructure, there may be no way for children with physical disabilities to get to school.

Inadequate teacher training and support

Teachers often lack the training and resources to teach children with disabilities and to adapt their methods to address their needs.

Inflexible curriculum and materials

Limited resources mean schools can struggle to adapt teaching materials like books and chalkboards for students with disabilities. For example, less than 5% of published books are available in formats appropriate for people with visual impairments.

Lack of data

Only 21 countries have living standard surveys that collect data on chronic illness and disability. There is no universally-accepted definition of disability for comparison between countries. Statistics and information about people with disabilities are often inaccurate due to a lack of resources. Sometimes disabilities are not reported because of cultural discrimination.

Poor policies and plans

Many countries do not have plans, targets or policies that include children with disabilities. Education budgets in developing countries are often limited, leaving insufficient resources for children with disabilities. The lack of accurate data also works against effective laws and policies being introduced.

Cultural barriers

Cultural beliefs sometimes mean teachers, parents and other children have negative attitudes to people with disabilities leading to bullying, abuse and exclusion from school. Because of stigma and discrimination, students can suffer from low self-esteem which affects their academic work. Some children even hide their disabilities because of their fear of rejection and stigmatization and so don’t get the support they need.

When people with disabilities get a quality education, they are enabled to take up key positions in their communities, challenging stigmas and changing negative attitudes about their abilities.

Breaking down barriers

At HOPE, we’re breaking down these barriers by empowering children with disabilities through education, teacher professional development, direct supports to students and their families, and by influencing government policies. By investing in their well-being and education, we create a brighter future for them, their families, and Africa as a whole.

We don’t simply believe that all communities have the power to end this hopelessness for girls and children with disabilities — we work with these families and communities making it a reality every day. We do this because we believe that the future is female and the differently abled.