Activity and participation experiences of people with disabilities in Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Ethiopia, as a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), has committed to upholding the rights of people with disabilities in Ethiopia. There is little evidence, however, reflecting the impact of this commitment on the lived experiences of people with disabilities in Ethiopia.Objectives: This study sought to uncover how the experiences of participation and activity shape the enactment of rights for Ethiopians with disabilities as enshrined in the UNCRPD.Method: Analysis of 25 qualitative interviews with people with disabilities and family members living in Ethiopia used a reflexive thematic analysis approach to arrive at central themes.Results: People with disabilities in Ethiopia experience marginalisation, distress and practical challenges in both routine daily activities and participation in broader social roles and opportunities. These experiences affect their ability to claim many of the rights afforded by the UNCRPD.Conclusion: Despite legislative efforts to bring about change in Ethiopia, people with disabilities continue to live on the social margins. A meaningful change will require substantial allocation of needed resources by the Ethiopian government to support national-level programmes and policy change. It is critical that people with disabilities and their families are engaged in receiving relevant support, and serve as change leaders.Contribution: This study illustrates how marginalisation, distress and practical challenges in daily activities and social participation arise and are sustained for people with disabilities in Ethiopia. The findings can help to inform the country’s efforts to enact the rights of Ethiopians with disabilities as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Lessons learned from an occupational therapy programme needs assessment

“…Participants described the potential role of occupational therapy as contributing to the functioning and emotional well-being of individuals with disability in enabling their success with everyday tasks and their community participation in important social roles, such as work. Occupational therapy was also described as having the potential to contribute to disability prevention (Krupa et al 2022). Both quantitative and qualitative findings provided good evidence for the requirement to expand rehabilitation services in Ethiopia to include a broader range of rehabilitation professions, particularly in relation to the need to address issues related to functioning in daily activities and community participation in important social roles and activities.…”

“…A 2017 study conducted in northwest Ethiopia at the Dabat Health and Demographic Surveillance System site showed the prevalence of disability to be 1.82% (1228 of 67 395 people) (Chala et al 2017). In addition to the challenges outlined above, many people with disabilities residing in Ethiopia experience some unique barriers in their daily lives because of rough terrains, such as water, mountains, and lowlands, contributing to their marginalisation and exclusion (Gaiha, Mathur & Kulkarni 2022;Krupa et al 2022). These challenges, coupled with a significant shortage of disability-related services, further complicate the lives of people with disabilities (Tilahun et al 2019).…”

“…A detailed description of qualitative findings from interviews with persons with disability and their families is reported elsewhere (Krupa et al 2022).…”

“…The situation is worse in LMICs, where misconceptions about disability are high, leaving persons with disabilities in a vulnerable situation (Hashemi et al 2022;Jones, Muz & Yadete 2021). The inaccessible built environment and limited formal support also hinder persons with disabilities from reaching their full potential (Bhuiya, Hasan & Jones 2022;Krupa et al 2022).…”

“…The situation is worse in LMICs, where misconceptions about disability are high, leaving persons with disabilities in a vulnerable situation (Hashemi et al 2022;Jones, Muz & Yadete 2021). The inaccessible built environment and limited formal support also hinder persons with disabilities from reaching their full potential (Bhuiya, Hasan & Jones 2022;Krupa et al 2022).Background: A needs assessment identifies the differences between actual and ideal situations to facilitate the development of a new programme or improve existing services.Objectives: This article shares our experiences conducting the needs assessment in a context where people had limited or no understanding of the need being assessed.Method: Adhering to a three-phase model -comprising pre-assessment, assessment, and post-assessment -we employed diverse data collection methods, including quantitative survey, qualitative interviews, and environmental scan.…”