Jaime Sarmiento

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

(IP Problem-Solution) Charity and altruism do not guarantee the right to education for the

most vulnerable sectors of the population. Historically, education for people with disabilities in

Ecuador has not had an appropriate allocation of human, material and economic resources. This

reality has promoted the organization of associations of parents and private institutions to meet the

multiple needs of this sector of the population. There are still a large number of people with special

educational needs who do not have enough access to basic education programs or workshops to

develop their skills according to their special abilities. This means that people with disabilities are

in a situation of multiple risk because of their lack of access to educational opportunities and their

low incorporation into activities that enable them to contribute to society and achieve self-

sustaining. For all these reasons, it is urgent to create an integrated education system for people with

disabilities in Ecuador to achieve their better integration into society and to educate the rest of the

population in order to reduce the ignorance that creates discrimination against these people.

The first special education plan created in Ecuador was published in 1979i and it was

necessary many years until the government incorporate this plan through institutional policies and

programs. However, due to the prolonged period of time in which neoliberal policies in Ecuador

destroyed the state coordinating role in social policies, its management of public institutions in this

sector was reduced and disordered. Due to the lack of attention of these necessities, private

organizations, foundations, religious institutions and private companies were focused on attending

the educational needs of persons with disabilities. This led duplication of efforts and lack of

coordination in terms of care. In fact, the level of illiteracy in this population is 56.8% ii. This is the

case of Miguel, an adolescent of 15 years old from the province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas
who has mild mental retardation and that due to the poverty and ignorance of his parents did not go

to the school. Now that Miguel had asked her mother to enroll him in school, no community center

or school has allowed his incorporation because of his age and his special needs. Ass Miguel, there

are many cases of people whose economic status do not allow their access to education because the

state has not been able to guarantee their rights to have a basic education.

In Ecuador, only 4%iii of the population with especial education needs in school age has access

to especial education services. Additionally, a large number of people with disabilities do not have a

decent job and are dedicated to borrow money on the streets or work in informal trade. This means

that this population is not integrated into society in education and employment fields. An example

of this reality is the case of Lorena, a blind woman that sells candies in public transport units in the

city of Quito, in order to bring some money into her home. Lorena did not receive a formal

education and had no job opportunities. Lorena suffered discrimination especially from his family

because her parents were embarrassed for her condition. This led Lorena want to be independent

and try to earn some money to show her family that she could contribute to her home with some

money. However, Lorena did not have the necessary education, and it makes her even more

defenseless. This is just one of many cases that shows the level of exclusion of people with

disabilities. For these reasons it is necessary to expand health care services to enable a level of

integration in this field. in summary, it is necessary to start seeing this population group as human

beings capable of contributing to society with their various capabilities.

The main factor that promotes discrimination against people with disabilities is the ignorance of

the population about their rights, the various special needs of them, and the resources available to

solve those needs. The cruelest kind of discrimination occurs when the own families of people with

disabilities hide them and do not allow their admission to schools because of fear and shame.
Lorena's case is an example of how families react in these cases regularly. Lorena's parents were

afraid because of her blindness. They though that Lorena might suffer an accident while she were

going to school. They also felt shame for Lorena’s blindness and refused to show her in public.

Additionally, Lorena was rejected by others who looked at her with suspicion and fear without

knowing how to react. This generated a feeling of shyness and inferiority in Lorena. This case

shows the need to educate people to be sensitive to the needs and rights of persons with disabilities

to avoid social stigmatization.

(CP - Call for action) In conclusion, the Ecuadorian society has to demand for the existence of

an inclusive education system for people with disabilities and at the same time for the elimination of

discrimination against them. Special programs dedicated to create a closer contact between the

community and people with special educational needs may help to understand the struggles,

courage and good example that these people can show to society. The Special Olympics, cultural

groups and voluntary solidarity campaigns are examples of such efforts. It is necessary to bring out

that this is the time to promote these efforts in Ecuador since the current Vice President, Lenin

Moreno, is an example of a disabled person whose physical limitation does not imply a limitation

on his ability to be successful in life. Nevertheless, we must all help to improve the situation of this

important population group. Due to the high rate of disability problems in Ecuador, the worst blinds

are those who do not want to see.

i
Educación Especial in Ecuador, Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador, 2006.
ii
Realidad Nacional de la Educación Especial en Ecuador, Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del
Ecuador, 2006.
iii
IBID ii