Causes of Poverty among People with Disability in Malawi
Eradicating poverty is one of the main problems every country is facing
particularly the third world nations. Various aids from the developed countries
have been already given but it has only proven one thing: there is no panacea for
poverty. What’s necessary step in fighting poverty is to determine first the causes
of destitute life particularly those people with disability.
In Malawi, deeply rooted poverty is the major obstacle in its growth and
development. The country largely depends on foreign aid in salvaging its weak
economy and massive food shortages. Emergency aid helps to feed poor
Malawians, but what the country needs are long-term poverty reduction
measures for the absolute future development.
Poverty often means hunger. About 70 percent of Malawians or 8 million
people live below the national poverty line. And more than 90 percent of them
live in rural areas that largely depend on subsistence farming. In 2006, the
country emerged from consecutive years of drought and chronic food security
having an unusually large maize harvest seeking to meet the immediate needs of
most Malawians. But, the good news is a delusion for rural areas that were
affected by dry spells and floods during the growing season. Limited or failed
harvests make poor rural citizens unable to feed their hungry stomach.
The spread of HIV/AIDS also had an impact in worsening the condition of
poverty in Malawi. One millions Malawians are infected with HIV/AIDS causing
90,000 deaths in 2003 and leaving about 400,000 children orphaned. Due to
these circumstances, young people who often lack the skills and experience are
forced to shoulder the burdens in making a living for their family.
Moreover, gender inequality exacerbates the living conditions among poor
people. Women are always in the subordinate position in the society limiting their
access to education and inputs of production. Thus, the opportunities in
liberalizing the agricultural production are only available for male farmers
weakening the labor force.
On the other hand, disabled people in Malawi have a different plight in
poor life. It is a common knowledge that people with disabilities in the Southern
African region particularly in Malawi are experiencing difficulties in carrying out
daily activities and integrating to the society in full participation. Physical barriers
in the form of inadequate and insufficient accessibility in local services such as
schools and workplaces form discrimination and negative attitudes among the
society at large.
Although disability is a relative term encompassing restriction of ability to
perform normal human functions, its measurement is beset with problems
including the poor standardized reliability and validity of data regarding people
with disabilities.
Disabled people have lower income levels than the rest of population due
to incomplete education. School attendance among persons with disabilities is
clearly lower having 35 percent of them never attended school, in compared to
18 percent to the non-disabled people. High illiteracy rate among disabled people
decreases their opportunities in lucrative jobs in the country.
On one hand, there is a high prevalence of disability caused by
communicable disease and perinatal injuries than the childhood disabilities in
underdeveloped countries than in the developed nations. Disability in first world
countries stems in preventable impairments that could be eliminated through
treatment or rehabilitation. This implies that massive hunger causes malnutrition
that takes a large effect on health dwarfing the physical and intellectual
development of a child.
All citizens of a country could contribute to the growth and development of
the nation as a whole. People with disability should be treated fairly and should
be given programs aiding them to be productive as non-disabled people.
Moreover, helping disabled people to be productive as they should get is not only
about giving back to their mother country, it is more about self-fulfillment that they
could reach personal goals and could be whatever they want to be.
References:
Kadzandira, John et. al, Consultations with the Poor, July 1999
Elwan, Ann, Poverty and Disability, December 1999
Living Conditions among People with Activity Limitations in Malawi, September 2004
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