Anglophone crisis rendering persons with disabilities more vulnerable, excluded

By Mboh Promise

As Cameroon joined the world to celebrate the 32nd edition of the International Day of Persons with Disability 2023, the majority of this category of persons living in the armed conflict North West and South West regions say they find themselves in a “double degree tragedy”.

According to them, the over 7-year armed conflict has been worsening their situation, as they are at times caught in between gun exchanges, whereas some of them cannot walk, hear, or see.

On Sunday, December 3, 2023, some of these persons living with disabilities gathered in Bamenda, the chief town of the North West region to join the world in celebrating the day, which is set aside for them. The event brought together the visually impaired, physically challenged, mentally impaired, those with hearing impairment, the multi-disabled, and those with albinism.

During the event, they displayed their crafts, and demonstrated their talents through singing, dancing, and other disciplines, as they also shared their plights.

According to Kum Njie Desmond, Secretary General of Hope Social Union for Visually Impaired, living in Bamenda is just a nightmare for him who is visually impaired.

“Since the outbreak of the socio-political dispensation, persons with disabilities find themselves in a double degree of tragedy. In the sense that if you think that you are caught in a crossfire, what about a person with mobility impairment or visual impairment? Some of our colleagues have lost their lives as a result of the socio-political crisis just because they couldn’t run. Some were even burnt alive,” Kum Njie revealed.

Kum continued that the armed conflict has equally plunged them into hard times, as some who were managing small businesses have lost them to the crisis. Meanwhile, some have also been rendered jobless.

Ngom Macelline, founder of the Association with the Welfare of Albinism also explained that they have received insults, excluded and rejected on several occasions just because they are persons with albinism.

Ngom equally said the myth around albinism is alarming in Bamenda. She has once been denied a job opportunity just because of her color.

“We have been facing a lot of difficulties before, then adding to the crisis some of us are vulnerable when it comes to the sun. Most of us don’t even have jobs or access to medical services. Even at home, some siblings don’t want to associate with persons living with albinism, some teachers are bored in schools because they don’t want to teach persons with albinism. I for one, went for a job opportunity and heard a comment like ‘this girl who doesn’t see well can’t be employed here’. That’s how I lost the opportunity,” Ngom said.

Ngom added that derogatory comments like ‘people who don’t see during the day, people with special food ‘ and many others have traumatized her and others, causing them to feel left out.

Need for social inclusion

They have continued to call on the government of Cameroon and the population to help them by raising awareness and putting into practice inclusion in employment, education, health, and social integration.

This group of persons is also advocating that the government or the population should not do things for them, but they should be involved in the process to better the results.

This year’s International Day of Persons with a disability was observed under the theme “United in action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development goals for, with, and by persons with disabilities”.

According to the Divisional Delegate of Social Affairs for Mezam division, Kwende Clif, Cameroon had about 3.487.200 persons with disabilities in 2017. With the advent of the armed conflict, the numbers are said to have doubled.