Page 11 - Mainstreamer e-Magazine 01 June 2022 - Final (4)

BARRIER FREE SOCIETY

on a person’s mental health especially when they or the society, although it has improved over
declare their disabilities. The “ Theory of Human time, has contributed to an exodus of graduates
Motivation” proposed by the famous psychologist, from this category, who find it hard to secure
Abraham Harold Maslow in 1943, supports this employment. Even if they managed to do so,
argument. It centres on the needs of a human chances are, the quality of employment falls short
person to achieve certain criteria to motivate and compared to those obtained by persons without
bring fulfilment to one’s life. It predominantly disabilities.
revolves around the theory of psychological
health stemming from the fulfilment of innate This leads to the Sustainable Development
human needs as the priority, culminating in self- Goals championed by the United Nations as
actualization and subsequently helping to ensure a something not attainable. It is important to
person’s well-being– physically and mentally. uphold the idea of enabling and not disabling the
“ not perceive them as people who are constantly
PWDs in the context of everyday life, to empower
instead of looking at them with sympathy, and

dependent. There is a long way to go in shifting
In comparison, the official
the paradigm of employment to enable this group
unemployment rate for PWDs of
working age is at least twice as of people to be accepted and appreciated as
human beings just like everyone else despite their
high as those without disabilities. shortcomings. We should always go back to the
This resonates with the grieving core idea that PWDs deserve a chance to build a
voice of the PWDs’ who appeal life for themselves in the communities where they
for affirmative actions from the have chosen to live.
government to enable them to be The author is the Acting Director and Senior Research
part of the employment sector that Fellow at Ungku Aziz Center for Development Studies,
has ostracised them.” Universiti of Malaya. She holds a BSc (Mathematics)
from Ohio University, Athens, USA; MSc in Statistics from
West Virginia University, USA and a PhD in Statistics from
It was argued that the motivation and fulfilment Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. She has more
of one’s life depend on several factors and needs than two decades of teaching experience in mathematics,
that one seeks to fulfil. Now, imagine the lives statistics and data analysis.
of PWDs, that have to be content with whatever
is being thrown at them instead of being free to
live their life the way they choose to. Indeed, this
will lead to enormous pressure on their physical,
mental, and spiritual contentment, causing
depression over time. PWDs, more often than
not, are perceived as less capable than people
without disabilities. Hence, employing them would
be a costly affair. It is claimed that PWDs cannot
effectively perform a given task, and employers
fear the burgeoning cost of accommodating PWDs
into their organization.
As a result, PWDs are frequently not considered
a potential workforce. Misconception, fear, myth,
and prejudice continue to limit the acceptance of
PWDs in many workplaces. All of these remains
a big stumbling block in assimilating PWDs into
the workforce. The negative stigma of employers

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