Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development
Disability Information Service Center (DISC)

This study was conducted to investigate the level of awareness, attitude and participation of communities towards handling issues of disability and in particular, understanding the problems of people with disabilities. It will also use the survey results to prepare an operational plan for the intervention that serves to achieve changes in communities living in the project site. 

Brief Description: 

In the implementation of disability focused projects especially by means of employing community based approach, it is very important to know the awareness level and attitudes of the target population prior to the execution of the intended project. 

Everybody understood that the awareness level of communities found in developing countries is very low particularly regarding issues of disability. But, this generalization can be subjective, which requires critical examination and needs to be further sustained by objective findings. The existence of such vague and prejudiced assumptions forced Cheshire Foundation Ethiopia to investigate and test the real situation prevalent in the project area and find out illustrative and tangible results that can indicate the awareness level and attitudes of communities on issues of disability. It is logical that having research based data at hand during the initial stage of a project will enhance the implementation of the project activities and serve as a bench mark for the impact achieved through the project intervention. Moreover, it is assumed that reliable data will enable the researcher to prepare appropriate operational plan that serves to execute the program successfully as per the project objectives. 

Results: 

KAP found very low in all respondents irrespective of their sex, education, economic and social background. Due to the existence of very low awareness found in communities, the attitude and practices are also very low; whenever the issue of disability is raised, it is seen only from benevolent point of view. Except a few, the responses given by the majority respondents indicate that they do not realize not only the potential but also that people with disabilities have equal rights like that of any person without disability in all aspects. The findings of the survey indicate that there is deep-rooted thought found in the community; the main sources of such wrong notions originate from the perception that the occurrence of disability is as a result of wrath of God or evil spirits. Due to such beliefs prevailing within communities; being disabled is considered as God-given and no more options are available to these ‘victims’ and they are considered as totally incapable and weak. About 90% of the respondents said that except for education, people with disabilities are fit for anything else. Due to the pessimistic contemplation in communities, people with disabilities are considered as unimportant and dependent on others. 

Methodology:  

Data had been collected by means of carrying out two focus group discussion sessions and a sample survey that had been conducted for four weeks in all seventeen kebeles of the project site. In total, 1360 people without disability from different age groups were randomly selected and individual interviews were conducted. To collect primary data, both open and closed questions were used. 

Conclusion: 

Though the project site is found in an urban area, as the survey result indicates, communities’ KAP is found to be low. Issues of disabilities are not well known in communities and so communities have negative attitudes towards people with disabilities. Only 30% of the population has full knowledge on the types of disability. Disability is not seen as an incident that happens in every body at any time and place; there is dominant perception that disabilities are a result of the wrath of God and communities do not understand that disability is a cause driven incidence. What people have in mind about disability is that of what they know traditionally; People with disabilities ill-fated and are wrongly perceived as fit for nothing. 

Due to the prevalence of such inconveniencies the rights of people with disabilities are violated, because of repeated violation and discrimination, it is crucial to advocate and carry out strong intervention programs that protect people with disabilities from any violation of their rights and alleviate problems of discrimination. 

Recommendations: 

Strong and continues awareness education activities musty be carried out in all categories of communities irrespective of their education, occupation income and family background in order to achieve behavioural change in dealing with issues of disabilities and treatment of people with disabilities. 

Issues of disability must be mainstreamed into NGO’s, GO’s private sectors and civil societies in line with their regular activities so as to tackle the multi-faced problems of people with disabilities. The issue of disability should not be left for only one or few organizations. It should be taken as issues of all parties of the community. 

People with disability themselves should have the capacity to unite together and voice their rights. 

People with disabilities also develop positive attitudes toward members of the community; they should develop a sense of help and fraternity among themselves as well as other members.