Children with disability: Problems and challenges in Pakistan

Abstract

This article focused the problems and challenges faced by children with disabilities in Pakistan that hampers the integration of such children into mainstream society. Since the study had primarily been exploratory in nature, an exploratory-sequential method or analysis was employed with a qualitative research design. With the application of this methodical procedure, various themes of the problems had charted out, which were further studied through data from the field. The data was collected from 25 respondents through in-depth interviews. The study finds that disability as a social stigma, attitudinal and physical barriers such as indifference towards disabled and mobility problems, poverty and lack of special education for disabled children had existed as well as contributed in worsening the lots of disabled children. The study concludes that children with disabilities cannot be integrated into the mainstream of society until and unless their psycho-social problems are addressed. The study recommends that the government should address the needs and problems of these children on a priority basis and adopt measures for their rehabilitation. In addition, non-governmental organizations, civil society, and the donors‟ organizations should also come forward and help the government in the rehabilitation of these vulnerable children.