Institute for Peace and Security Studies

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Browsing Institute for Peace and Security Studies by Author "Asfaw Kasa"

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    Barriers Impacting Human Security of Persons with Disabilities in Addis Ababa: Implications for Policy Intervention
    (Addis Ababa University, 2021-05) Asfaw Kasa; Taddesse Berisso (PhD)
    This dissertation argues that indirect and subtle violence by city planners and administrators poses a range of human security challenges to the everyday experiences of persons living with disabilities from now (PWDs) in urban environment of Addis Ababa. The objective of this study was to examine barriers to daily lives of urban inhabitants of PWDs. Qualitative research approach was used to conduct this investigation. Data were collected through in depth interview with individuals with disabilities (24), government officials and experts (12), and leaders of associations of disability groups (4) and 7 focus group discussions (FGDs). Purposive and snowball samplings were participants selection techniques employed to select potential informants who could share their knowledge and experiences by participating in interview and FGDs. As a visually impaired person who is working and living in Addis Ababa, my personal lived experiences and the comments of participants on International Disability Day (2018 and 2019) were used to crosscheck the information collected by means of interview and FGDs. Policy and legal documents were used to analyze how far disability was legally protected and empowered at institutional level. Data was analyzed qualitatively using thematic method of data analysis. One of the central results of this study is the realization of the dire situation of urban inhabitants of PWDs because of the poorly built environment of Addis Ababa. The findings of this study demonstrated that structural violence manifested through structures of environment hampering accessibility and how PWDs are socially and economically valued among the larger community. The results of this study have indicated that the absence of ramps, elevators, audio communications, disability-friendly vehicles, crossings with marked visual signals, vicious vacancy announcements, and broken pavements are source of human insecurity of PWDs. The implication of this study is the need to humanize the physical and social environment of Addis Ababa with the goal of maintaining the well-being of PWDs. One way of improving the built infrastructure and make it more friendly to PWDs is to change the attitudes of concerned stakeholders, including policy and decision makers, legislatures and the society at large, to break the cultural structures which view PWDs as worthless and to be pitted, not to be supported and empowered with the intention of enabling them to lead independent lives. Addressing this social factor will ease the insensitivity of relevant actors to PWDs during planning, design, construction of key infrastructures and during recruitment.