Kabery

Kabery Sultana is a graduate of Jahangirnagar University. Alongside working as a UN volunteer with the World Food Programme, she is the chairperson of the Manikganj Disabled Peoples Organization to Development and the founder of the Advocacy Group for Persons with Disability.

“In Bangladesh, most young people are struggling with despair and the situation for young people with disabilities is even more dire. Due to a lack of proper education, mobility, health care access and employment opportunities, many live in poverty and face significant barriers to development.

“Family awareness is low and there is often a lack of trust in the potential of a person who has a disability, forcing them into a life of confinement due to poverty. People still see individuals with disabilities as part of a charity and various misconceptions lead to the belief that they are incapable of making decisions. Many families are discouraged from bringing their members who have disabilities into society due to mobility issues.

“Policymakers, not having disabilities themselves, often believe that their decisions are suitable for everyone, viewing separate policies for individuals with disabilities as extra benefits. The unexpected level of implementation of government policies results in higher living costs for young people with disabilities compared to their peers, making it difficult for them to pursue education or skill development courses. In the job market, low salary scales and the absence of accessible transportation mean that a significant portion of their earnings are spent on commuting. As a result, they are unable to contribute to their families, often face devaluation within the household and lose the opportunity to participate in family decision-making. This situation even affects decisions about marriage and having children.

“We do not see the involvement of people with disabilities in political issues either. Bangladesh has recently gone through a significant student movement, but unfortunately, there were no representative young people with disabilities. Therefore, there were few recommendations for building an equitable country for them in the student movement. We also do not see the participation of young people with disabilities in the cultural sphere and opportunities in the arts and sport are very limited.

“As a woman with a disability working in the gender inclusion unit at the World Food Programme, I am gaining a deeper understanding of the lives of women with disabilities every day. For young women with disabilities in Bangladesh, there is a high risk of sexual harassment and gender-based violence which makes families hesitant to encourage them to go outside.

“I want to be involved in all advocacy efforts for people with disabilities. I have already established an organisation called the Advocacy Group for Persons with Disabilities at my university. Seven female students with disabilities now regularly advocate with the administration for the rights of students with disabilities. My main goal is to share my knowledge with this young group and identify their needs. Ultimately, I want to foster leadership among young people with disabilities in collaboration with policymakers across all universities in Bangladesh.

“I aim to play a role in advocating for national policy changes in favour of people with disabilities. I would like to request that world leaders change their thinking that certain policies only benefit people with disabilities, and to understand that these policies also benefit people without disabilities.”