KIJA: PWDs should not be perceived as objects of curiosity or violence

Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) lecturer Lucus Kija (blind) who was also the facilitator showing one of machines used by PWDs called a braille to journalists during the training workshop last week held in Iringa Region. (Photo by Friday Simbaya) 

Participants

People with disabilities (PWDs) should not be perceived as objects of curiosity or violence but they also have the right to participate in government and elections has it speculated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.

However, for PWDs to fully enjoy these rights, a great deal need to be addressed by the state, and in order to reverse this trend, roadblocks/barriers needs to be called for attention.

According to the lecture from Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) Lucus Kija (blind), made the statement during the inclusive election project training to media in Iringa region last week.

He said that there are attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers that deny PWDs to fully enjoy their rights.

Kija who was the facilitator during the training, said that prejudice, discrimination, stereotypes and stigma pose significant problems for PWDs who are assumed to be: incapable/inadequate, of low intelligence, such that someone has to think and decide for them. 

“The family/surrounding community and society tend to believe that being disabled is a ‘dead end’ and therefore judge a disabled person according to their impairment and disregard any sense of ability that a person with disabilities manifests,” he elaborated. 

He also pointed out that mimicking disability is common practice in Tanzania by artists (comedians, musicians, actors) and the media becomes a culprit by diffusing the same systematically. 

On the issue of Environmental; this refers to the roadblocks encountered by PWDs, such as: inaccessible infrastructures and facilities deriving from architectural designs that are insensitive to the impairments, as well as information which is inaccessible to persons with certain disabilities. 

Cases in point include buildings of some media houses, entrances to studios and such like which are inaccessible to PWDs. 

Failure of Media Houses to employ sign language interpreters to facilitate information access to deaf people and lack of descriptive video/audio description services to make a difference to those who suffer from vision loss by providing visual media accessibility to all - a voiceover description of the programme’s key visual elements.

The institutional barrier is manifested by institutional discrimination namely policies, legislation, programs and resource allocations that take little or no account of PWDs and their specific needs. 

“The level of participation in decision making, as well as formulation and enforcement or implementation of enacted laws and policies, reflects the degree of inclusion or exclusion of people with disabilities in a given society,” he said. 

On his part, Tanzania Federation of Disabled Peoples Organizations (SHIVYAWATA) Project Manager, Francis Gugu said SHIVYAWATA with the support of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is implementing a project titled “Inclusive Elections.” 

He said that the project aimed at advocating for people with disabilities (PWDs) to fully and participates equally in leadership and political processes. 

And apart from targeting leaders of PWDs to raise their awareness on these processes, the project also supports SHIVYAWATA in engaging the mass media in advocating for fair, just and increased participation of PWDs in determining the country’s political direction. 

Tanzania is currently in the process of electing local leaders, legislatures and the President by October this year, and PWDs participation in this democratic process, both as voters and contestants, is crucial.

In the months leading to the presidential elections, the federation intends to embark on capacity building activities targeting journalists from electronic, print, public and private media houses to enhance accuracy and fair representation of PWDs issues in the political processes.

This is to improve PWDs’ portrayal in the media - as citizens capable to take up leadership positions as opposed to being helpless individuals; and motivate public and leadership support to PWDs political needs and aspirations in Tanzania. 

Media sensitization on PWDs issues is intended to contribute to, reducing stigma associated with disabilities, and strengthen a just and fair treatment of PWDs in Tanzania’s socio-economic and political processes.

He said that training will expose media practitioners to legal frameworks for PWDs and their role and potential in strengthening democracy and democratic institutions are imperative in transforming electoral processes Tanzania.

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