How to be a good global citizen - facing up to discrimination against the disabled in our world

Eleanor
St Mary's Primary School
Australia

Did you realise that disabled people can look, sound and act just like you or me? So why is it that human beings are drawn to the word ‘disabled’, and immediately think that such people are unable to fully live in modern society without the help of a carer, nurses or medical staff?

When it comes to the disabled in our workplace, the word discrimination often comes up because we may give such people jobs which use fewer skills, provide less pay and make them feel less confident as human beings.

Discrimination is defined as 'any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment in employment or occupation'. This is what is happening to many of the disabled in Australia and many other countries in the world. They are not getting the treatment they deserve. It is often hard for disabled people to find a job with a decent level of pay.

The laws of our country state that it is not disability discrimination when a disabled person cannot meet the inherent requirements of a job. The inherent requirements of a job are those things that are necessary to get the job done. The law also states that employers are obliged to make reasonable efforts to assist a person with a disability to meet the inherent requirements of a job, and they are encouraged to consider how a job or a workplace can be changed so that a person with a disability can meet the basic requirements. These laws make the workplace just and fair for everyone.

There is a range of disabilities to which this Australian law applies and these are: physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory and neurological, learning difficulties, physical disfigurement and the presence in the body of disease-carrying organisms. The law also applies to past, present or future disabilities. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 helps make sure that someone with a disability is not treated less favourably than someone without one.

Harassment because of a disability is also against the law in employment. People need to stop and think whether what they are doing will assist a disabled person to be able to live a life that they deserve - a life of welcoming people, a life of happiness and enjoyment, of being included and being accepted for who they are.

Although there are many negative aspects to this topic, there are some groups who are trying to encourage the disabled to come forward and have some fun in an academic library setting. They are trying to get the disabled involved in the hope that they can adapt to new technologies and become aware of the new skills they possess. This is what should be happening in workplaces all around our country. If we were all treated like this it would be easy to keep going forward and to meet new challenges.

When we discriminate against the disabled in the workplace we are not providing them with what they need most: encouragement from others, exposure to people who boost their self-confidence and who annihilate low self-esteem. To help the disabled feel happy and confident we need to stand up and be aware of the rights of all people in our classrooms and workplaces.

The amazing and unique strength of people with disabilities should be a lesson to us all. We must all remember that being treated unfairly is an attack on an individual’s dignity and a violation of their human rights.

Top     Online discussion     Student Perspectives     Previous     Next