State of the World's Children 2013 - Unicef

People with disabilities are becoming more visible in many walks
of life – in politics and the media, for example. This is instrumental
in improving children’s perceptions of what they can achieve.
could to stand out and be different,
I was desperate to be
‘normal’ and fit in. Growing up
with a disability, I received a lot
of attention. People in the street
would often stare at me, make
comments and ask my parents,
“What’s wrong with her?” I had
days when I was able to brush it
off, but no amount of resilience
or family support can stop that
from affecting you.
I developed extremely low selfesteem
and poor body image,
made worse because I was
significantly overweight. I found
exercise difficult, and like many
girls my age, I ate to comfort
myself. I had also internalized
the medical terminology that
was used to describe me – in
particular the word ‘deformed’
(I had a curvature of the spine,
since corrected). When I was 14,
I developed an eating disorder,
partly because I wanted to lose
weight – but also because my
weight felt like one aspect of my
physical appearance that I could
actually control.
Although I had incredibly
supportive family and friends,
being disabled was never something
I viewed as a positive
thing. I thought I had to overcome
it, like adversity. I became
obsessed with being as ‘undisabled’
as possible, and I was
convinced that if I could walk,
my life would be a lot better.
Ironically, although I no longer
use a wheelchair, in many ways
I feel more aware of my disability
than ever. People still make comments
about me because I have
small stature, and make assumptions
about my life and ability;
I always have to prove myself,
particularly in the workplace.
Though I am not defined by my
disability, it has been pivotal in
shaping who I am and what
I have achieved. Having a disability
is now something I embrace:
I no longer see it as a negative
thing or something I should be
embarrassed about. In many
ways being disabled has worked
to my advantage and created
opportunities that might never
have been available to me –
like writing this article.
Every child’s experience is
different. I come from a lowermiddle-class
family in the United
Kingdom, where I had access
to free health care and a good
education. But I strongly believe
that the issues of belonging,
self-esteem and aspiration
transcend such distinctions as
gender, class and nationality.
To develop a greater sense of
self-worth, children with
disabilities need the opportunity
to participate and contribute in
all aspects of their lives.
People with disabilities are
becoming more visible in many
walks of life – in politics and
the media, for example. This
is instrumental in improving
children’s perceptions of what
they can achieve. When I was
growing up, the only role model
I had was Stevie Wonder.
I admired him because he was
a successful and respected
musician despite being blind.
However, it would have helped
me to see people with disabilities
doing everyday jobs – as
teachers, doctors or shopkeepers.
I think that would also have
helped my parents. My mum
said that when I was a child,
she tried not to think about
my future because it made her
scared. She knew that I was
capable but feared that my
options would be limited.
As it turns out, my disability has
not prevented me from achieving
any of the important things.
I am a qualified social worker,
passed my driving test when
I was 16, left home when I was
19 and have lived and worked
in Asia and Africa. In the future
I hope to be an advocate for
children with disabilities on an
international level, as I passionately
believe in the inalienable
human rights and untapped
potential of these children.
INTRODUCTION
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