The coronavirus pandemic has had tremendous impact on all areas of Somali society, with no group left unaffected.But for one group in particular, the impact of the virus takes a higher toll: persons with disabilities. Some civil society groups are trying to change that.
“You can understand the impact of COVID-19 on the economy. People are suffering now and they will suffer even once the virus is defeated,” said the director and founder of the Somali Disability Empowerment Network (SODEN), Mohamed Farah.
“But,” he added, “persons with disabilities will be the ones who will be suffering more. Imagine: most of the people living with disabilities rely on family support or begging on the streets – imagine what will happen to them without support?”
In Somalia, it is estimated that some 15-20 per cent of population – around 1.5 million people – are living with some form of disability, according to a 2014 report from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, these Somalis were often the target of discrimination, which made it difficult for them to access healthcare, education and other social services.
A particular concern for civil society groups is that the recommended personal actions and guidelines in response to the pandemic do not cater for persons with disabilities – many of whom were already vulnerable. For example, preventive measures like portable hand washing booths set up by local authorities in Mogadishu are not accessible for wheelchair users.
“Most campaign messages were tailored for people without disabilities. For instance, social distancing is not meant for persons with disabilities since they depend on the support of other people for their physical movement,” said Abdifatah Hassan Ali, the director of Digital Shelter, an organisation that deals with advocacy for digital rights and promoting digital safety.
Even accessing the public information issued by authorities is challenging for persons with disabilities. Due to lockdowns, many are closed off from sources of information, which comes on top of them already having poor access to digital technology in order to get helpful information.
“The impact on persons living with disabilities is huge and devastating. They have been left out of the awareness campaigns. They are the group that is most excluded in terms of digital inclusion,” said Mr. Ali.
