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Disabled people’s organisations and the disability movement: Perspectives from Burkina Faso

BEZZINA, Lara
April 2019

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Background: In Burkina Faso, the disability movement is rather weak, both in terms of funding and staffing – its range does not extend far outside the capital city and is largely dependent on international non-governmental organisations (INGOs). Despite the huge number of grassroots disabled people’s organisations (DPOs), many of these organisations do not function beyond the occasional meeting and celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The reasons for this are various, including dependency on external funding (such as from international organisations), lack of access to resources, being dependent on voluntary members, and lack of organisation.

 

Objectives: This article looks at the functioning of – and politics governing – DPOs in Burkina Faso, their significance in the lives of people with disabilities and the challenges they encounter.

 

Method: This article is based on research findings obtained through interviews conducted with people with disabilities, as well as INGOs working with people with disabilities and state authorities in Burkina Faso.

 

Results: Evidence suggests that the farther people with disabilities are from the capital, the lesser are their chances of being heard and of being involved in decision-making. However, DPOs offer a haven for many, offering people with disabilities solace in meeting other members and finding a sense of belonging in these associations. Others give importance to the role of DPOs in raising awareness and human rights advocacy.

 

Conclusion: Finally, the article raises the question as to what the future of DPOs in Burkina Faso might entail.

 

 

African Journal of Disability, Vol 8, 2019

The role of indigenous and external knowledge in development interventions with disabled people in Burkina Faso: the implications of engaging with lived experiences

BEZZINA, Lara
2018

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This paper explores the significance of engaging with the lived experiences of disabled people in countries like Burkina Faso in order to implement long-lasting and beneficial development. It looks at the way disability was conceived of in pre-colonial times and how knowledge imported from the colonisers conflicted with, and continues to influence today, indigenous knowledge in Burkina Faso. Although Burkina Faso obtained its independence from European colonisers over fifty years ago, disability as a terrain for intervention continues to be colonised by international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) that frame their approaches in western models, which are not necessarily applicable in countries like Burkina Faso. In a context where the predominant view of disability is that of disabled people being an economic burden, many disabled people in Burkina Faso feel the need to prove themselves as economically independent; and yet development agencies often do not engage with disabled people’s voices when designing and implementing development programmes. This paper argues that there is a need to engage with disabled people’s lived experiences and knowledges through processes such as participatory video which create spaces where marginalised people’s voices can be heard and listened to by the development agencies that influence disabled people’s lives.

 

Disability and the Global South, 2018, Vol.5, No. 2

Using the key informant method to identify children with disabilities : a working guide

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR EVIDENCE IN DISABILITY (ICED)
January 2015

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This document is a practical working guide using the Key Informant Method (KIM) to identify children with disabilities in the community. KIM is an approach to identifying children with disabilities in the community through trained community volunteers, known as Key Informants (KIs). The guide outlines practical information and guidance for administering KIM. It is based on the experiences of the International Centre for Evidence in Disability (ICED) in using this method in a number of different settings including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malawi and Kenya

Living with disability and disasters : UNISDR 2013 survey on living with disabilities and disasters : key findings

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (UNISDR)
2014

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This report discusses "the results of the first-ever UN global survey of persons living with disabilities (PWDs) on how they cope with disasters, illustrates why they die, or are injured, in disproportionate numbers in disasters. Survey responses from 5,717 persons from all over the world reveal that persons living with disabilities are rarely consulted about their needs in potential disaster situations." The report concludes with a number of recommendations for how to develop disaster risk reduction practises that include people with disabilities

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