Situation Analysis of Children with Disabilities in Myanmar 2016
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SITUATION ANALYSIS of CHILDREN with DISABILITIES in Myanmar 2016 Disclaimer The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of UNICEF or the Department of Social Welfare. Extracts from this publication may be freely reproduced with due acknowledgement, using the following reference: UNICEF 2016. Situation Analysis of Children with Disabilities in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Yangon, UNICEF Myanmar. For further information and to download this or any other publication, please visit the UNICEF Myanmar website at http://www.unicef.org/myanmar/ Contact: UNICEF MYANMAR 23-A, Inya Myaing Road Shwe Daung Gya Ward 2, Bahan Township, Myanmar [email protected] Copyright: ©2016 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Illustration: Khine Zar Mon Design and Layout: Yar Zar Ye Ni Photos: @UNICEF Myanmar/2016/Kaung Htet This report has been prepared by IPE Global Limited for the Myanmar Country Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Department of Social Welfare, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. IPE Global has performed this study in concert with Myanmar Survey Research Limited (MSR), which has been tasked with the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. All information in this report is of a confidential nature and intended for the exclusive use of UNICEF, which may transmit such information to its employees or professional advisors, and to the government of Myanmar, at its discretion. The data described, their analysis, and associated findings and recommendations are not representative of the whole of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and should be interpreted with caution. Acknowledgements The study team would like to thank the children and people of Myanmar for their dedicated and spontaneous participation in the data collection process, including through response to survey questions, participation in focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews, and overall hospitality to the enumerators. Special thanks are due to the staff of the Department of Social Welfare for their support, guidance and involvement in the supervision of the data collection process. The team also would like to thank staff from the Ministries of Education and Health, representatives from various disabled people’s organizations, and other national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have contributed to the finaliza- tion of this study. Lastly, the team would like to express its appreciation to the staff of UNICEF Myanmar for their support and enthusiasm throughout the process. This report is dedicated to all the children in Myanmar. Study Team Paula Frederica Hunt Team leader Pinaki Joddar Quantitative expert San Tun Aung Qualitative expert Sanjay Tripathi Situation analysis and quality assurance expert CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................... 1 Methodology ...................................................................................... 1 Key Findings ...................................................................................... 1 Recommendations ...................................................................................... 6 SECTION I: Context ...................................................................................... 9 1. Context of the situation analysis ...................................................................................... 9 1.1 Country information ...................................................................................... 9 1.2 Laws and policies ...................................................................................... 10 1.3 Defining disability ...................................................................................... 13 SECTION II: Methods and tools ...................................................................................... 15 2. Objectives, design, methodology and limitations ............................................... 15 2.1 Objectives of the situation analysis ......................................................................... 15 2.2 Design of the situation analysis ......................................................................... 16 2.3 Methodology and activities under the situation analysis .................................. 17 2.4 Constraints ...................................................................................... 18 SECTION III: Findings ...................................................................................... 19 3. General information: Children with disabilities ............................................................ 19 3.1 How do stakeholders define disability? ............................................................ 20 4. Daily life of the child ...................................................................................... 23 5. Caregiving and living environment ......................................................................... 27 6. Community and social life ...................................................................................... 29 7. Right to education ...................................................................................... 33 7.1 The education system ...................................................................................... 33 7.2 Children with disabilities in the education system ............................................... 34 7.3 Current challenges ...................................................................................... 35 7.4 Education officials’ perspectives ......................................................................... 36 7.5 Principals’ and teachers’ perspectives ............................................................ 38 7.6 Parents’ perspectives ...................................................................................... 39 7.7 Community members’ perspectives ......................................................................... 40 7.8 NGOs’ perspectives ...................................................................................... 40 8. Right to health ...................................................................................... 43 8.1 Background ...................................................................................... 43 8.2 Current challenges ...................................................................................... 44 8.3 Health care professionals’ perspectives ............................................................ 45 8.4 Parents’ perspectives ...................................................................................... 46 8.5 Community members’ perspectives ......................................................................... 47 8.6 NGOs’ perspectives ...................................................................................... 47 9. Right to a protective environment ......................................................................... 49 9.1 Parents’ perspectives ...................................................................................... 49 9.2 DSW officials’ perspectives ...................................................................................... 50 9.3 Community members’ perspectives ......................................................................... 50 10 Other issues of rights and aspirations ............................................................ 51 10.1 Right to registration and the preservation of identity ............................................... 51 10.2 Right to privacy ...................................................................................... 52 10.3 Children’s aspirations ...................................................................................... 52 11 Prevalence of disability in Mon State: A case study ............................................... 53 11.1 Seeing ...................................................................................... 54 11.2 Hearing ...................................................................................... 55 11.3 Walking ...................................................................................... 55 11.4 Self-Care ...................................................................................... 55 11.5 Communication ...................................................................................... 56 11.6 Learning ...................................................................................... 56 11.7 Emotions ...................................................................................... 57 11.8 A new way to look at the prevalence of disability ............................................... 58 SECTION IV: Overall barriers and bottlenecks children with disabilities face ...................... 61 12 Stakeholder recommendations ...................................................................................... 73 12.1 Recommendations for Parliament ......................................................................... 73 12.2 Recommendations for the government of Myanmar (all ministries and government agencies) ...................................................................................... 74 12.3 Recommendations for the National Committee for Disability (and the DSW as its coordinating body) ...................................................................................... 75 12.4 Recommendations