KABUL (SW) – People with disabilities in Afghanistan face serious challenges in the community and their daily lives.
They complain about their economic and social problems and say that the community’s encounters with them and the lack of job opportunities have given them a sense of disability.
29-year-old Shukria a university graduate, who lost her right foot and left eye 20 years ago due to bullet fire hit her home, says: “Pointless pity of people and their regrets, have a negative impact on our morale and cause depression for us. This is what we do not deserve, but the society make us face it. These kinds of attitudes weaken us.”
42-year-old Ghulam Bahauddin, who lost his right leg due to mine strike 25 years ago, says that there is no facility in the community for people with disabilities and on the other hand neglecting to improve their lives has made life difficult for him.
“When the situation is like this, we are heartbroken. A bad economy situation, on the other hand, hurts us. The 2,000 or 3,000 Afghanis they give us is not enough. I even could not pay the electricity money for several months.” He added.
“There have not been any scholarship for people with disabilities. Why is a person with disability not given a job in the governmental offices? There is a four-floor building, but a person with disability cannot go upstairs; the hospitals are the same. We need more facilities.” Said Hasibullah Zaheer, Managing director of the braille printing house of Kabul University.
According to officials of the Union of Disabled and Vulnerable People, out of 13.9 percent of people with disabilities in Afghanistan, 10,000 need simple wheelchairs, 5,000 for electric wheelchairs and another 15,000 are in need of canes.
However, Faisal Khamosh, the spokesman for the Ministry of Martyrs and Disabled Affairs, says that they are working on a plan and law which can solve the problems of people with disabilities and they will be given jobs in the governmental institutions.
According to statistics of the Ministry of Martyrs and the Disabled Affairs, there are currently 180,000 people with disabilities registered in this ministry; The people who have lost a part of their bodies as a result of war.
ENDS
