In 2017, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) held a training on Media Empowering Disabilitiy Inclusion and Access. One of the participants of the training produced a series of radio spots to raise awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities. English transcripts of the spots are available below.
(Transcript begins)
Person 1: How are you, Ibrahim?
Person 2: I am fine. What about you, Ali?
Person 1: I am good, thank you.
Person 2: Where are you going?
Person 1: I am going to visit Mr. Fathi, if you care to join me, get in the car.
Person 2: Is he okay?
Person 1: His son, the disabled person who is a person with special needs is sick and I want to visit him.
Person 2: First of all, they are not Persons with Special Needs, but rather Persons with Disabilities. Second, the person whom you are calling disabled is a great architect who designed all the houses of his brothers.
Person 1: Really! I did not know that.
Person 2: The real disability is not a person using a wheelchair or an amputee, but rather when you fail to use the correct terminology!
Person 1: Indeed, you are right, Ibrahim! Let’s visit them then go home.
(Transcript ends)
Person 1: Fouad, I am seeing a Mangoli with your uncle, who is that guy?
Person 2: First of all, he is not a Mangoli, he is a person with intellectual disability!
Person 1: We have been using the word Mangoli for ages now, as you know. So, who is that?
Person 2: That is his son.
Person 1: Oh! that is impossible! He looks old. He is my neighbour since a long time now, but I have never seen him. How come he does not go to school or even go out!
Person 2: Unfortunately, his family think that a person with intellectual disability does not have any right although there are several special centers that can take care of him. Persons with intellectual disabilities have the right to study and be integrated within the society like anyone else. Therefore, my uncle should not feel ashamed with his son and needs to change his mindset.
Person 1: You are right, Fouad. And by the way, there are so many families who are feeling ashamed of their children, but in fact this is a destiny.
Person 2: So, please, Nader, focus, use the right terminology. Don't say crazy or Mangoli but say a person with intellectual disability.
Person 1: I agree. Thanks, Fouad.