The Sunday Mail
Dr Christine Peta
Disability Issues
This week, I unpack First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa’s standpoint regarding children with disabilities as reported in The Herald of January 10, 2018.
Her perspective was illuminated at the Kwekwe Mining Museum, where she had a luncheon with more than 800 children from Kwekwe, Silobela, Zhombe and Gokwe.
Drawing from her speech in the article titled “Children need love, not abuse: First Lady”, I note, in part, that Amai Mnangagwa spoke against guardians, parents and close relatives abusing children.
“A father sexually abusing his own child when we expect her to get protection from the same” she said.
So where are we as a society?
The First Lady’s perspective concurs with the findings of recent research in Zimbabwe, which revealed that children with disabilities are commonly abused by guardians, parents and community members. (Peta, 2017)
Whilst some people may think that disability shields a child from abuse as perpetrators are likely to sympathise with him or her on the grounds of disability, research has shown that such is not the case. A typical example is Tatenda, who has intellectual disability and who now lives in one of the rehabilitation centres for persons with psycho-social disabilities in Zimbabwe.
Reflecting on her childhood experiences of sexual abuse which she suffered at the hands of her stepfather, Tatenda said: “My stepfather started to rape me when I was 11 and he also raped my other two sisters who are also disabled … when I was 13, he made sure I had a different man each night, he was paid for the sexual services I provided.
“One day I overheard him saying, ‘I have a very young one and she is very cheap, does anyone want her?’ My mother knew, but she did nothing about it.”
Amai Mnangagwa also pointed at the common practice where some parents now dump their children including children with disabilities at children’s homes.
She said: “Parents … should learn to accept their children whatever their … condition, since every child is a gift from God. It is disheartening to learn that discrimination upon disabled children is on the increase as well, at a time when the nation is trying to uphold children’s rights.
“We need to accept what God has given us. There is no reason why some people go and dump their children at orphanage homes simply because they are disabled.”
Again the First Lady’s standpoint concurs with the findings of research undertaken in Zimbabwe, which revealed that compared to raising a child in the family home, some parents — including the affluent — prefer to make monetary payments at children’s homes that are dotted around the country, they dump their disabled children in these homes, they do not visit the children but they make periodic payments via the banks.
Such parents focus on raising their non-disabled children, as if the child with disability is “damaged goods” that are not worth raising or that the child with disability is a “good for nothing being” that may pollute their non-disabled children or other family members.
Here I use the example of intellectual disability because the recent research undertaken in Zimbabwe has indicated that among children with disabilities, the ones that are commonly dumped at children’s homes are children with intellectual disability. But then what is intellectual disability?
Intellectual disability was previously known as mental retardation and it is usually present from birth and it shows before a child grows into adulthood.
It is permanent and it cannot be cured with medicines. Intellectual disability involves a very low level of intelligence or mental ability as well as a lack of skills that are needed for a person to fully function in their day-to-day living.
Children with intellectual disability may struggle to communicate with others or to understand them, the children may also have problems with dressing or feeding themselves.
They may have behaviour disorders that may show in different ways including unwarranted explosive tantrums. They are also at risk of developing additional health related problems such as seizures, anxiety and visual or hearing complications.
However, with support, children with intellectual disabilities can learn new skills, but at a very slow pace.
Labelling children with intellectual disabilities “madofo” (dull) and beating them up so that they do well in school is absolute nonsense. Consulting a doctor for a proper diagnosis is advisable; intellectual disability may show during infancy but it may also not show until a child starts school.
Intellectual disability is caused by a number of things.
For example, Down syndrome is related to abnormal genes that are inherited from parents or errors that occur when genes combine (WebMed 2018).
Problems that arise during pregnancy may also cause intellectual disability, in cases where the baby does not properly develop whilst in the mother’s womb.
In addition, women who consume alcohol or who may get infections such as rubella during pregnancy are at risk of delivering babies who may have intellectual disability.
Problematic child birth processes such as a lack of oxygen during labour, may also cause intellectual disability in the child. Health problems such as meningitis, measles and whooping cough have also been identified as possible causes of intellectual disability as well as severe malnutrition and exposure to poisons such as mercury or lead.
Research has shown that some parents tell their children not to play with a child with intellectual disability for fear that their own children may “catch the disease”.
Again such attitudes are absolute nonsense because intellectual disability is not a disease and even if it was, it cannot be passed on through touch.
Way forward
Let us uphold Amai Mnangagwa’s standpoint and love our children regardless of disability, instead of abusing them or dumping them in children’s homes.
Why deny our disabled children a family life? Why should our disabled children not interact with their family and community members? Why should we exclude them instead of including them?
Raising children is a very serious matter, parents should make an effort to learn as much as they can about their child’s disability and they should try to connect with other parents, not only to offer each other support but also to create opportunities that foster the interaction of their children, recreational and sporting activities.
With appropriate support, children with intellectual disabilities can learn adequate skills and become actively involved in their communities.
There is no need to force a child to do what they are unable to do, or to dump a child in a children’s home because he or she is struggling to achieve what parents want the child to achieve.
On the other hand, children with disabilities should also not be treated as ill persons who cannot get out of bed and do anything.
Regardless of disability children should be encouraged to be independent and responsible and to do the best that they can.
Perpetual support of children with disabilities and patience is required as learning may come slower for some.
As pointed out by the First Lady, “Every child is a gift from God.”
Dr Christine Peta is a public healthcare practitioner who, among other qualifications, holds a PhD in Disability Studies. Be part of international debate on how best to nurture a society which is more accessible, supportive and inclusive of disabled people. Partner Disability Centre for Africa on [email protected] or +263773819529
