MOVING FROM THE
MARGINS
Mainstreaming persons
with disabilities in
Pakistan
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Dr Maryam Rab, Director REMU 1
Research Overview
Between March 2014 and June 2014,
The Economist Intelligence Unit, in
partnership with the British Council,
interviewed over 60 individuals to
understand the barriers and
challenges persons with disabilities
face in Pakistan.
• Moving from the margins is the final
report with an overview of challenges
and potential solutions to
mainstreaming persons with disabilities
in Pakistan.
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Overlooked and left on the margins
Indicator
World
Pakistan
Total population
7bn
182.5m
Size of labour force
3bn
62.4m
Approximate number of
persons with disabilities
1.05bn
3.3m-27m
Estimated economic losses
from excluding persons with
disabilities from work
US$1.37trn and US$1.94trn
US$11.9bn – US$15.4bn
Sources: The Economist Intelligence Unit; WHO; World Bank; Pakistan census 1998; EIU estimates based on World Bank calculations.
“If we really have the attitude of
including everyone, whether it is people with disabilities,
different nationalities and religions, we can have laws that
say everyone is equal and that will be enough.”
Michael Stein, Visiting Professor of Law, Harvard University
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Main findings: Barriers
“Culturally, marriage is seen as
1. Pity, sympathy and discrimination
• A culture of sympathy perpetuates the
idea that persons with disabilities need to
helped, instead of empowered. This
affects access to education, employment
and other civic and social activities.
• Marriage prospects are limited, and
marriage prospects for women with
disabilities much lower.
an important life goal for women
in Pakistan, and women are
important in keeping the house
together, handling the chores
and cooking. But when women
have a disability, whether it is
physical, hearing, speech or
intellectual, she is seen as
unable Abia
to fulfil
these duties and
Akram, Chair, National
a burden.”
Forum of Women with Disabilities
“There is a law, but unfortunately it
2. Legal framework is missing
• Last law was enacted in 1981, and is not
comprehensive, weak and poorly
enforced.
• Where to go for help? Limited to no
redress mechanisms offered for persons
is not in practice. If we go to any
police station to complain, for
example saying a person hit my
car. The police official will say I
should have taken care of myself,
that I am a disabled person and
shouldPeshawar-based
take safety measures."
wheelchair user
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Main findings: Barriers
3. Limited educational
opportunities
• Special education schools leave
out at least 50% of children with
disabilities.
• Of employed persons with
disabilities, only 27% completed
primary school (compared with
42% for persons without
disabilities).
• Very few go on to universities.
4. Difficult to find jobs
• There is a vicious cycle between
poverty and disability.
• Quota system is almost never
“My education is not enough
to get a better job. I am
teaching at a primary school
which is privately run. They
couldn’t find anyone to work
for them at such a scant
salary and even that is not a
regular job. I have tried
running an auto rickshaw but
resident,
sincePeshawar
I couldn’t
affordparalysed
one, it
from polio at the age of 5
did not work out."
“The quota system is not
effective, not even a little bit.
Most foundations working to
help in employment for the
disabled are all charity-based.
There is no rights-based
employment.
quotaSPEED
is Pakistan
Irshad The
Shinawari,
deceptive.”
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Main findings: Barriers
5.
Economic Imperative
• Since PWD’s do no have access to quality
education the opportunities to work also
become limited.
• According to EIU the cost of excluding
PWDs’ from employment is between 4.9%
and 6.3 % of country’s GDP.
6. Women and the World of Work
• Pakistan has the lowest female participation
rate in South Asia and women with
disabilities face even a greater barrier.
• Concerns –
• Mobility
• Limited training and work
opportunities
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Solutions:
1. Comprehensive set of laws to protect the rights and dignity of
persons with disabilities.
• This should include anti-discrimination, education, employment,
communication, infrastructure and transport, and civil rights.
2. Lead government department
needed
• Disability is a cross-cutting issue, and
a lead department must coordinate
between health, education, labour,
housing and information and
communication ministries.
• Since the 18th Amendment and
devolution of power to the provinces,
there has been no federal-level
government agency overseeing
disability affairs.
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Solutions:
3. Effective use of limited resources
• Rehabilitation, assistive devices and support services are crucial to
reduce the impact of impairments and enable persons with disabilities
to access their rights. It is critical that such services are used
effectively.
• Innovative community-based mechanisms can also reduce the burden
on the government.
4. Inclusive education to reach all children
and adults with disabilities
• Estimates put educating a child at a
special school at PKR 30,000 (US$300),
as opposed to PKR 2,000 (US$20) at a
mainstream school.
• Inclusive education will make education
more accessible to children with
disabilities, and change starts with better
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teacher training and adapting school
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Solutions:
5.
Increase employment opportunities
• An enabling ecosystem includes anti-discrimination laws, incentives for employers,
vocational training and job-matching support.
• There are many examples from developing countries: In India, the government runs
vocational rehabilitation centres where persons with loco motor disabilities account
for 80% of individuals; in Pakistan, Leonard Cheshire Disability and Development
help persons with disabilities in their job search.
Leonard Cheshire Disability and Development
Programme
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Solutions:
A united representative voice to advocate for change
•
•
DPOs in Pakistan largely focused on welfare and charity, instead of rights-based
change.
There is also a need for representation of persons with disabilities in Pakistan’s
legislature. This will go beyond just pushing for policies, it also changes public
perception of disability.
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