WINNING ENTRY - IFRTD OPINIONS FAIR (May 2007)

Rural transport and disability: Bridging the access divide
 by Mac Mashiri

In rural areas of developing countries, persons with disabilities [PWD] are physically, socially, and economically isolated. Isolation brings with it an array of effects which invariably constrain their socio-economic development, for instance, access to employment opportunities, public sector services, schools, clinics, agricultural extension, and so on, are severely restricted. As a result, isolated individuals tend to build elaborate cocoons around themselves, and the more they look inward, the less likely they are able to grasp new opportunities for socio-economic advancement.

It is increasingly deemed important to deliver the benefits of greater inclusion of PWD into society, enabling them to participate more fully in every day activities. However, intervention strategies [such as employment equity, healthcare and rehabilitation services, and inclusive education] are typically targeted at specific spatial locations, and hence PWD need access to accessible transport services. Thus, improved mobility plays a significant role towards levelling the playing field and enabling equitable participation. While transport is an enabler of improved livelihoods among poor communities, it is also increasingly crucial in the delivery of benefits associated with greater inclusion of PWD in society.

Magnitude of the problem
Save for a few countries, planners in developing countries have not recognised PWD as transport stakeholders in their own right with specific transport needs and concerns, especially rural dwellers. In assessing the level of transport demand and the concomitant resources, PWD’s needs have been routinely ignored. This is compounded by unreliable information on the nature and prevalence of disability in rural areas. The need not only to acknowledge the importance of PWD as stakeholders, but also to assess, in league with them, the nature and extent of their travel and transport challenges [baseline] is key to facilitating effective planning. It is however, important not to lose sight of the fact that addressing accessible transport issues adequately also benefits everyone.

Disability, human rights and poverty
Poverty and disability reinforce each other in a vicious cycle. Poverty often leads to higher levels of disability arising for example, from malnutrition, limited access to healthcare and health information [including vaccinations], and poor sanitation. One key indicator of poverty is the degree to which people are excluded from accessing basic goods and services. Given that PWD constitute approximately 10% of any population, many people live in desperate situations.

In addition, rural households headed by PWD, particularly women, are often on the extreme end of the poverty spectrum. Given these households are not only generally bigger, but are also a lot less financially endowed, mobility for them is confined to procuring the barest necessities. Thus the level of PWD’s propensity and opportunity to participate in socio-economic activities is influenced and ultimately circumscribed by the inadequacies of opportunities for participation occasioned by their isolation.

Clearly, the impacts of disability such as social exclusion and stigmatisation, increased vulnerability to poverty and abuse [including sexual] demonstrate the significant socio-economic and human rights dimensions of disability.

Social, cultural attitudes and beliefs
In rural areas, there are strong socio-cultural attitudes and beliefs that entrench discrimination against PWD. To some, it is shameful to bear a child with disabilities, to others it is a punishment meted by angry ancestors, and in other cases it is a sign of the family’s vulnerability and inability to fend itself against bewitchment. Even for the relatively enlightened, disability is still considered a major socio-economic burden. Thus the presence of a disabled child in a family increases not only the workload, but also the financial and social burden for parents, especially for women who are the socially-appointed carers.

It is not unheard of for the general public, both adults and children, to verbally and sometimes physically abuse both the parents of and children with disabilities. For example, some parents are mocked or shouted at when they travel with their disabled child. Some are cynically forced to disembark from minibuses as many able-bodied passengers refuse to sit beside PWD. Where unaccompanied mentally challenged children board buses without fares, they are seen as a nuisance and are often dropped at any location without due consideration to their disability. It is also pertinent to underscore the fact that women, children, persons with learning disabilities, and older PWD experience higher levels of discrimination.

The response from most households is thus to seek to hide this blemish in their midst given the high socio-economic cost it brings. Victimised by ignorance and manacled by traditional beliefs, the greater majority of PWD live without dignity nor access to the socio-economic opportunities available to the able-bodied. 

Dim light, no voices and no influence
For most rural households, education is perceived as the key to escaping the poverty trap. This is indeed more acute for PWD given their low levels of education, in part because they cannot easily access educational facilities financially as well as physically.Rarely are special educational facilities and teachers located in rural areas and where they exist, universal design principles have not been employed to fashion their physical layout and design, so they remain user-unfriendly.

In addition, unlike their urban counterparts, they are not unionised – they do not belong to any kind of pressure group. Where they do, their organisations lack capacity across the board, such as lobbying and articulation of rights, fund raising, advocacy and information dissemination, rendering them generally ineffective. Their voices are consequently not heard.

Few PWD hold influential public offices. Even at a local level, they are seldom elected to any position of leadership in their community. Most have little or no say in their own welfare, and are unable to influence the development of policies and services that are intended for their benefit. No wonder there is a chasm between their needs and the services they are provided with. This is worsened by the fact that quite often government programs aimed at supporting them are grossly under-funded and heavily dependent on external impulsies for sustenance.

Inflating the costs of disability
Some PWD, especially those using wheelchairs or tricycles, require the assistance of a helper particularly when embarking or disembarking transport modes and to push a wheelchair in difficult terrain. The use of a helper results in higher costs in that in addition to paying their own fare, PWD are also required to pay for the helper and sometimes even for their mobility aid. Often, incorrect change is given by service providers especially to visually-impaired passengers who are sometimes informed that they have not provided enough money for the fare. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that banknotes do not, for example, have Braille inscriptions.

Rural physical barriers
Rural areas are characterised by difficult terrain in terms of undulating landscapes, poorly designed or maintained roads [potholes, drainage, uneven surfaces,] and paths and areas which lack infrastructure altogether. Traversing such terrain often damages mobility aids such as wheelchairs which PWD have difficulties not only in acquiring, but also in repairing. Other barriers include badly designed [high entrances, steep stairs], maintained and overloaded transport vehicles. Communication barriers include the inability to identify the correct vehicle to their destination especially in between the origin and the final destination as well as to communicate to the driver their wish to board or disembark.

Concluding remarks
Paternalistic and dated attitudes coupled with ad hoc and under-funded approaches to addressing the needs of PWD have militated against their independence and integration into society. Although there is anecdotal evidence about disability issues in rural areas, the enormity of the challenge still has to be unearthed. However, what is required is a societal attitudinal metamorphosis that views the provision of accessible transport as a human rights issue, and whose commitment to addressing these problems should be enshrined in legislation.

This opinion piece was contributed by Mac Mashiri, CSIR South Africa.
Contact: mmashiri[at]csir.co.za

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