The need to address poverty issues in the global South, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, provides a compelling rationale for promoting the inclusion and participation of disabled people in society. However, disabled people face difficulties to participate in society due not only to societal barriers, but also to particular impairments that they may have. This study explores disabled people's experiences in the domains of the family and wider community, including in education/training, economic activities and strategic decision-making processes in Ghana The study is based on qualitative, participatory techniques and workshops in both rural and urban areas in Eastern region and Accra Metropolis, Ghana Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 disabled men and women, 21 professionals working in NGOs and institutions, and nine strategic infrmnants. In addition, three focus group discussions involving 24 disabled people and two participatory road mapping workshops involving 12 disabled people were conducted between July 201 1 and September 2012. The findings revealed that the factors that influenced disabled people's everyday experiences were embodied, attitudinal, physical and institutional in nature. Barriers to disabled people's participation included the effects of impairments, such as pain and stigma, negative perceptions of disabled people's capabilities and an inaccessible built environment and public services. The emotional, material and financial support provided by family members and peer support groups were vital to disabled people's participation in society. Gender, rura1/urban residence and impairment type emerged as significant factors shaping disabled people's experiences. Development actors adopted a range of strategies and practices to promote the inclusion of disabled people in development processes. Development actors' interpretations of 'inclusion' informed the provision of 'segregated' or 'integrated' services, such as vocational training, income-generation businesses and leisure and recreational activities for disabled people. Factors that hindered the development and implementation of inclusion strategies and programmes included: negative attitudes among development professionals, limited capacity of development agencies, little political will and lack of multi-agency coordination in the disability-development sector. The thesis concludes that in order to tackle the multifaceted and deep-seated inequalities experienced by disabled people, there is the need for greater political commitment to disabled people's rights and building partnerships and multi-sectoral responses across the State, voluntary and private sectors. This would help to ensure that disabled people's rights are fulfilled and they are able to participate in society on an equal basis with others.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:657597 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Adjei-Amoako, Yaw |
| Publisher | University of Reading |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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