African Leadership Women’s Conference:

Presentation:

Difficulties faced by African Refugee Women living with Disabilities:

Introduction: African understanding of Disability. African cultural practices in relation to disability.

Cultural Challenges: African cultural perception of disability and how women living with disabilities are treated in the African community. Decision making. Believes. Dignity.

Rejection: Disability or mental illness? Disability and shame. Disability and marriage in the African Culture.

Relationship Issues: Relationship challenges. Disability and love/marriage.

Daily living difficulties: Difficulties accessing the community and outdoor activities. Restricted interests and poor social skills. Difficulties with completing day to day living activities. Daily functioning. Physical and cognitive impairment.

Settling in the new country/post migration living difficulties: Education.

Employment: Difficulties accessing employment and suitable working environment.

Discrimination: Disability and work place discrimination.

Transport: Difficulties accessing public transport.

Language Barrier: Difficulties expressing themselves both verbally and in writing.

Human Rights: Not knowing their rights in the new country.

Difficulty accessing Services: Social, economical and political disadvantages. Lack of services and lack of awareness. Government limited resources.

Health Issues: Mental illness and post-migration living difficulties. Grief and loss.

Low Self Esteem: Feelings of worthlessness. Feelings of anger and powerlessness. Negative self talk.

Other information: Abuse in care: Keeping mobility aids and equipments away. Locking medication away. Starvation. Name calling. Sexual abuse. Financial abuse. Physical abuse. Women living with severe Intellectual Disability and those with severe brain injury. Cultural issues.

Hope for the future: Provision of services. Provision of mobility aids/equipment. Ongoing therapy. Living in Australia.

Conclusion: How well or poorly people living with disabilities are treated in their families and local communities depends on cultural beliefs about how and why they became disabled in the first place.