We gimps in the developed world sometimes forget how good we have it. Most of us have relatively ready access to the basic pieces of equipment that we need to get by. Not so in Iraq, where kids with disabilities often go without wheelchairs and must depend on family members to carry them. Some charities are attempting to supply chairs to families in need. American prisoners construct the wheelchairs which are then distributed to Iraqis with the assistance of the U.S. Army.
As Iraq embarks on the slow process of rebuilding, I hope some attention is being given to making the built environment more accessible to people with disabilities. Since we bear responsibility for tearing down much of the country, we owe it to Iraqis to teach them principles of universal design. Giving out wheelchairs is great, but it’s meaningless if these kids and adults are confined to their homes because the schools, stores, and mosques are inaccessible to them.
Good thinking, and you know, I’ll bet nobody’s considered how to ‘hand over’ a country that’s in shambles.