Research proposal writers
QUESTION.
- Discuss the twenty factors that indicate disability inclusion in livelihood programs for Persons with Disabilities?
Livelihood is the sum of ways and means by which individuals/households and communities make and sustain a living. It’s a concept that encompasses practices and processes much beyond the regular income generating activities. By and large, livelihood encompasses not only the economic activities that people engage in but also their social, institutional and organizational environment.
Livelihood programs are practices and goals defined by people themselves and support their livelihood strategies. The livelihood programs include National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), Saving and Credit Corporative Societies (SACCOS), leather animal craft, goat production, poultry rising, duck raising, provision of agricultural inputs to farmers, cattle dispersal and many others.
Disability inclusion is a way of including Persons with Disabilities in everyday activities and encouraging them to have similar roles to their peers who do not have a disability. Examples of disabilities include visual impairment, hearing impairments, psychiatric disabilities, neurological disabilities, intellectual or learning disabilities and physical disabilities.
The following are the factors that indicate disability inclusion in livelihood programs;
Awareness. This is the most vital factor in disability inclusion programs. Disability has been hidden and often poor understood in the context of international development of Persons with Disabilities have locked voice at many levels of society and attempts to identify and meet their needs have rarely occurred but therefore the aim of awareness raising and building shared understanding to sensitize people to disability inclusion.
Existence of micro-finance programs. Programs that involve getting loans, grants from both Government and Non-government Organizations have been developed so that Persons’ with Disabilities access credit. The advocacy of Persons with Disabilities involvement in community micro-finance is done o include them in peer savings programs.
Formation of self-help groups. This is done in urban slums, rural villages and assisting in building capacity of these groups for example formation of associations where by ten to fifteen persons gang up to form a group of savings so that at the end of the year they give and distribute their savings or start up a project for example piggery farm.
Promotion of employment in private and public sectors. Both public and private sectors employ Persons with Disabilities to work in various sectors where by fifteen percent of the Persons with Disabilities area employed in different fields for example in agricultural programs like NAADS,ecomomic activities which enable them to generate income for their livelihood.
Vocational training and capacity building. This is by existence of vocational centers for example Kireka, Mbale, Jinja, Arua and many others. These centers are used to train Persons with Disabilities in different fields like in carpentry, tailoring, weaving and many others with the help of specialized institutions to develop residual abilities to do livelihood related activities sustainable for their livelihood.
Formation of Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs).This is included at all levels of planning,mitigation,relief and recovery programs This organizations work to improve the links of Persons with Disabilities with other civil Society Organization (CSOs)for example sight savers international. This organization help in advocacy of Persons with Disabilities mainstream inclusion in livelihood activities.
Establishment and implementation of disability policies. For example in Uganda, the (1995) constitution Article thirty two clearly stated for the protection and inclusion of the marginalized groups in all Government livelihood programs whereby the Parliament of Uganda has five slots for Persons with Disabilities and two representatives on each local government council hence their inclusion in livelihood programs.
Provision of assistive devices. The devices have been provided to various categories of Persons with Disabilities for example wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids and many others. These assistive devices have assisted in the mobility of Persons with disabilities to work places, farms and therefore can access their programs for their livelihood.
Provision of livelihood support. Support has been granted to Persons with disabilities for example “Entandikwa”starting capital so that they begin small businesses that can generate income for example giving of cattle and goats in our village in every home with a person with a disability and also non-profitable organization so that they participate in creating income for themselves hence their inclusion.
Promotion of affirmative action. Persons with Disabilities have access to education for example inclusion in the school systems where they get trained and skilled also in economic side they are being employed also in politics Members to represent Persons With Disabilities are being elected in parliament they are being involved in all aspects of livelihood.
Promotion and protection of the rights of Persons with Disabilities. Persons with disabilities are given entitlement to assets for example natural assets, financial assets and others like livestock,cash.They are granted their right to livelihood whereby through these entitlement they engage themselves in livelihood activities like agriculture.
Participation. Persons with Disabilities are involved in different fields of activities pertaining their livelihood sustainability. They are involved in decision making and livelihood activities for example tailoring, agriculture, carpentry after being vocationally trained and rehabilitated. Therefore through their involvement they are included.
Accessible environment and work place. Most especially in schools, like vocational institution whereby there are ramps, railings for example in Kireka rehabilitation school also in higher institutions of learning, the environment have been made accessible for Persons with Disabilities to achieve their livelihood capacities.
Accessibility to information. Persons with Disabilities have access to information through the use of large print, Braille, pictorial, audio and sign language. They have been included in the media system through holding programs on media on how to address poverty among the Persons with disabilities.
Promotion of service providers understanding of Persons with Disabilities. Service providers are networked with Persons with Disabilities through organizations whereby they are given incentives within their project for example giving of tomatoes seeds so that they start bedding them as one livelihood program.
Accessibility to financial services. Persons with disabilities are given access to get financial services for example access to loan not like when they were considered as those who have a risk to loans. They get loans to advance their projects like poultry in order to sustain their livelihood.
Skill training and development. Persons with disabilities have been trained on relevant skills that are to be applied in the wide market for example tailoring, have skills to handle bussiness.this skills make them to be sold in the labour maket.They are being different activities like piggery, farm management.
Creation of international co-operation. Through international trade also indicate disability inclusion for example some international countries like America has financially supported the organizations .Most of the Persons with disabilities are engaged in trade across the country for example selling of oranges, lemons from Busia to countries abroad.
Inclusion in Government poverty reduction schemes. Persons with Disabilities are being involved in schemes for the reduction of poverty by the Government for example lending loans, agricultural schemes so that they set up small project which may help them generate income for their livelihood since the Persons with Disabilities are rationed to be the poorest category of people.
Intersection of gender. Bringing all sexes to work together without valuing about their sexes is another indicator of disability inclusion for example the Women With Disabilities face enormous attitudinal, physical and informational barriers to equal opportunities in the world of work therefore sex biasness is removed so as to involve all sexes in livelihood activities.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion therefore, there are other available alternatives in enhancing livelihood skills and options for Persons with Disabilities. The livelihood options in urban areas in the formal sector such as Government sector, private and small –scale industries so therefore there are many factors that indicate the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in livelihood programs as mentioned and explain from above.
REFERENCES
Leymat,Anne,Elal 2006 Good practices for the economic inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in developing countries Funding Mechanism for self employment, Handicapped international.
Chambers R and Conway G (1991) Sustainable Rural livelihood; Practical Concepts for 21st century Retrieved December 5, 2011.
Beckett .A.E (2006) Citizenship and vulnerability, Disability and issues of social and political engagement, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Appunni, S.S and Deshpande, Work participation among Disabilities in India J.sol, sci 21(2); 117-122 (2009).
ILO, Disability programme, Skills Development Department (IFP/Skills) International Labour Organization for Route des Morillons, Geneva, Switzerland.
REFERENCES.
Empowerment and poverty reduction.a source book, Washington Dc, World Bank 2002,(http://web.world bank.organisation/WBSITE.
Beckett .A.E (2006) Citizenship and vulnerability, Disability and issues of social and political engagement, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan
Appunni, S.S and Deshpande, Work participation among Disabilities in India J.sol, sci 21(2); 117-122 (2009).
