CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Background to the Study
The researcher do not feel the urge to go into the definitions of Persons with disabilities (PWDs), because these are persons that live with us and need no introduction. But for academic purpose: the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) defines Persons with disabilities to include “Those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.” The term ‘disabilities’ is defined to mean “a physical, mental or sensory impairment, whether permanent or temporary, that limits the capacity to perform one or more essential activities of daily life, and which can be caused or aggravated by the economic and social environment.” Hence, disability is an umbrella term covering impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. According to the Standard Rules on the equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, disability “summarises a great number of different functional limitations occurring in any population in any country of the world. People may be disabled by physical, intellectual or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness. Such impairments, conditions or illnesses may be permanent or transitory in nature.” Persons with disabilities include, but not limited to the blind, persons with low vision, persons with leprosy-cured, the hearing impaired (deaf), persons with locomotors disability, persons living with albinism, the mentally retarded and persons who are mentally ill.
The annual observance of 3 December as the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in a UN General Assembly Resolution on 14 October, 1992. Prior to this, The United Nations has over the years struggled to put measures in place to see to the recognition of the rights of PWDs both nationally and internationally. While this paper may not dig deep into the history of the rights of PWDs, it is apposite to state that as a result of all the struggles and advocacy over time, the United Nations declared 1981 the International Year of Disabled Persons with the theme: “Full Participation and equality.”
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